Bronte Beach Z and Ema Klugman Win VHC Eventing’s CCI3*-S, Presented by Capital Square

Lexington, VA – November 1, 2025 – Bronte Beach Z and Ema Klugman have done it again at VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square. Together, the long-time partners have been crowned champion of the CCI3*-S division on Saturday, November 1st, with a score of 24.7. This is the second time Klugman and Bronte have topped the podium in the CCI3*-S at VHC Eventing, previously winning the division in 2020.

In the five years since then, “Bronte” has competed at three five-star events, including the Maryland Five Star and the Kentucky Three Day Event. According to Klugman, that experience and her own familiarity with the venue gave them a competitive edge. 


“Not much phases that horse,” Klugman said. “I’ve done [the course] quite a few times over the years, so I know how it feels, going down that hill. You don’t really want to go too fast, just because it can be a little jarring for them. There are places in the course where you have to slow down a bit, but then you can rocket up the hill. You just have to make sure you have enough horse for the loop at the top after you go up that steep hill.”

Klugman’s goal for the day wasn’t just to win, but to come in with no time faults. “It was a good day. My goal was to try to make the time, and I think I was three seconds under, so I was happy with that. Give myself a bit of a challenge,” she said. “I knew that she could do that. I just have to be organized and smooth and try not to waste time.”

Striking the right balance between protecting a horse’s confidence and pushing both rider and horse to grow requires a delicate touch. According to Klugman, VHC Eventing was the perfect time and place to push her own limits and help Bronte prepare for the CCI4*-L at Terranova. 

“She felt super fit, which is great, and very game,” she said. “I think it’s good for me to practice riding at speed. It’s a delicate balance of protecting the horses and making sure they’re confident, so maybe not always going really fast. But also, you know, as a rider, it’s a skill to be able to compete under pressure. I was in the lead, so it was mine to lose.”

The Virginia Horse Center has played a role in Bronte’s education up the levels, from winning her first FEI event to solidifying the Zangersheide mare’s fitness for tougher tracks. Klugman says that if she had any advice for up-and-coming riders who were thinking about tackling the Lexington, Virginia cross country course, it would be to take advantage of the big atmosphere for all levels. 

“I think what’s really nice about [VHC Eventing] is even the beginner novice and starter folks are jumping in the same stadium that the three-star horses are jumping in,” Klugman said. “It’s kind of like a three-day event feel, even if you’re doing a horse trial. I think it’s a great show. I would say to make sure you have your horse really fit, because there’s a lot of terrain and it’s very hilly here. Try to have good preparation events where you expose your horse to different environments. But I think the horses learned a ton coming here. It’s a place we love coming back to.”

Klugman also notes that winning with Bronte isn’t just a victory for herself— but also for the Bronte Beach Syndicate. 

“There’s a big syndicate behind Bronte Beach who have been super loyal and gotten behind me and her for the last five or six years,” she said. “We have ups and downs and, obviously like with any work, we’re really trying to do well all the time. But I feel like I’ve made some mistakes over the course of her career and it doesn’t always go to plan, so it’s really nice to give them a good win. I really wouldn’t have the horse if it weren’t for them; I wouldn’t have been able to keep her. It’s really rewarding to have their support, and it’s an honor to ride for them.”

The CCI2*-L will be the last FEI division to finish this weekend and will wrap up with show jumping tomorrow afternoon. On Saturday, the top five slots on the leaderboard are populated with two Olympians– Phillip Dutton and Caroline Pamukcu. Dutton has claimed first and second with Autumn Leaves and Darwinn respectively, followed by Pamukcu with HSH Talbots Hill, HSH Olive, and HSH Cruising Spirit in that order. 

Dutton and Autumn Leaves are holding onto first place by a narrow margin with a score of 23.8. This weekend marks Autumn Leaves’ first run since the CCI2*-S at Plantation Field in September. 

“She hasn’t run since Plantation, so I wasn’t quite sure if she was quite ready to go quick today, but she set off really well,” Dutton said. “The terrain makes it more difficult to make the time, especially for the young horses, but I couldn’t be more pleased with her. She had a really uneventful round and was actually really good.”

Dutton cited coming in under the time limit as a concern, but crossed the finish flags just one second over the optimum time of 7:02. “I thought the time was gonna be hard to get just because of the way the track was with the terrain,” he said. “It was quite a big pull at the end for the horses to come up to the finish with the hill, so I was kind of how power I thought it would ride.”

Looking ahead to show jumping, Autumn Leaves has only a bit of time separating her from Dutton’s second-place ride, Darwinn. The competition is tight between Dutton and Pamukcu. In order to hold onto his spot in the lead, he’ll have to achieve a near double clear. “Generally she does [show] jump well, so now it’s up to me to ride well and hopefully get a good result,” he said. 

Season five-star rider Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G won the CCI2*-S division by a landslide with a score of 27.9, more than ten points ahead of second-place Stella Sunstein and Romans Mr. Kane. Owned by Lucia Strini, “Kevin” is new to Bourke Equestrian and is on trial through the fall season. But based on their performance at VHC Eventing, the future is looking bright for this new pair. 

Bourke cites the work Strini has put into Kevin as a large reason for their success this weekend. “He was great today,” he said. “It’s pretty nice leaving the start box on a seasoned veteran that’s done it all. He is a reliable, good horse so you know it was really nice. I’m really happy with him.”

Like the winning pairs in all other divisions, Bourke also said time and fitness were the two most significant factors on the course on Saturday. “The time was tough,” he said. “It was a pretty big fitness test, as you’d imagine, coming up that mountain there at the end. He whizzed on up there.”

VHC Eventing was a preparatory run for Kevin and Bourke, who are planning on competing in the Intermediate at TerraNova Equestrian Center next month. “[This weekend] was a really good start to our partnership together,” Bourke said. “We won the Preliminary the other weekend and then to come here and the two short— yeah, it’s good.”

Kenta Hiranaga’s first time at the Virginia Horse Center may be a tough performance to beat. Hiranaga and Promised Land TH won the division CCI1*-L with a score of 24.9 

“[I feel] so amazing. Horses are also very happy,” Hiranaga said. “But today in the stadium, the horses gave their best performances, but I was too focused on the time, and I didn’t give them the best approaches.”

Despite some room for improvement, Hiranaga and Promised Land TH pulled off a double clear show jumping round and was one of only two riders to go double clear in both cross-country and show jumping.

With help from his trainer, Olympian Boyd Martin, Hiranaga says he and “Django” are aiming to do their first CCI2* in the spring. From there, the sky’s the limit. “[I’m aiming for] LA 2028,” Hiranaga said. “With more experience, I hope [she’s a] five-star horse. Maybe [we’ll be at the] LA Olympics or the Brisbane Olympics.”

FEI competition will finish with the CCI2*-L show jumping phase Sunday morning. The final Horse Inspection will be held at 8 a.m. before show jumping begins at 9:45 a.m. During the jog, the ground jury will award a gift certificate to Tull MD for the horse and rider who are Best Presented. 

Outside of FEI competition, the National Horse Trials are well underway and will wrap up Sunday afternoon. The Advanced, Intermediate, Preliminary, and Modified divisions all crowned their winning pairs on Saturday. Results and current standings are as follows:

Advanced/Intermediate

First – Lynn Symansky & Bounce 6

Second – Leslie Lamb & Banjo

Third – Katie Lichten & Hickstead Musterd

Open Intermediate

First – Sharon White & Quizas

Second – Sharon White & Arden Augustus

Third – Marley Stone Bourke & First Obama

Open Preliminary A

First – Megan Edwards & Global Dynasty

Second – Phillip Dutton & Capolino

Third – Bailey Hennings & HSH Redfield Red Sox

Open Preliminary B

First – Carinne Wancowicz & Deichkind 10

Second – Lucia Strini & Shirsheen Ice

Third – Gabby Dickerson & The Naughty Vicar

Preliminary Rider

First – Reese Dellangelo & Carlson 119

Second – Reese Dellangelo & Figaro Des Premices

Third – Logan Harris & Terry Jade

Modified Rider

First – Elisabeth Tansey & Night Moves

Second – Emma Jones & Discreto

Third – Laura Hilliard & Ballarin Shanado

Open Modified

First – Kaitlin Clasing & TGS Lions Sunshine

Second – Emeline Gilbert & MS Spirit

Third – Dominic Schramm & Cooley Dejavu

Junior Training Rider

First – Ainsley Riddle & Rockin’ Rowan

Second – Lillian Weidner & Just Keep Swimming

Third – Lexi Young & Nevertheless

Open Training

First – Dominic Schramm & Sneaking Suspicion

Second – Dominic Schramm & St Cashmere

Third – Leah Cort & Hamilton D’Inca

Senior Training Rider A

First – Lauren Allen & FGF Bob’s Wired

Second – Morgan Hiller & Junkanoo

Third – Kimberly Moore & Patrickswell Royal

Senior Training Rider B

First – Alicia Turner & Key Play

Second – Kathleen Cannon & Global Ask

Third – Stephanie Senserini & Monbeg Icon

Training Horse A

First – Kenta Hiranaga & Dixon

Second – Tim Bourke & Alternative Quality

Third – Rebecca Barber Tyler & Bondi Beach

Training Horse B

First – Emily Mastervich & MGH HighLife

Second – Kristina Koehler & Lammy Fortune

Third – Tim Bourke & Flash Quality

Junior Novice Rider

First – Peyton James & LH Peter Parker

Second – Elliot Bizjak & N’Pressive

Third – Lillian Harrod & Celtic Heritage

Novice Horse

First – Hannah Brandt & Fernhill Emerald

Second – Megan Edwards & Mac Daddy

Third – Logan Harris & LH Mint Julep

Open Novice A

First – Erin Weil & Patriot Games

Second – Erica Leslie Jones & R U Sure

Third – Hilary Fordyce & Lowhill Quidam Cruise

Open Novice B

First – Morgan Hiller & I See Nothing

Second – Dayna Blumel & Cabo Wabo

Third – Clara Bond & Beaverwoods Dandelion

Senior Novice Rider A

First – Tiffany Smith & Mischief Managed

Second – Regina Turner & Heigh Ho Hero

Third – Kim Brickley & Eloise

Senior Novice Rider B

First – Lucy Leff & Wellsprings Cool Guy

Second – Dee Tabb & Child’s Play

Third – Mallory Gaines & Land Rush

Beginner Novice Horse

First – Logan Harris & Ondine

Second – Molly Brown & Soko

Third – Caitlin Henderson & Dynamic Storm

Junior Beginner Novice Rider

First – Catheryn Davis & Fashionable Man

Second – Jocelyn Myers & New Moon Stella Bella

Third – Nicola Villarino & What the Devil

Open Beginner Novice

First – Hugh Wrigley & FE Clajano Blue PS

Second – Ava Wehrs & Drombane General

Third – Hannah Moser & Caleidoscope

Senior Beginner Novice Rider A

First – Evan Harris & RREF Rubix

Second – Emily Hummel & What’s His Face SSH3

Third – Julie Wotring & B E Never Say Never

Senior Beginner Novice Rider B

First – Liana Theroux & Our Golden Chance

Second – Laureanne Venter & I’ll Have Another

Third – Maia Schneider & Courtly Miss

Starter A

First – Minna Harman & VSH Devine Novelli

Second – Casey Jones & Trooper

Third – Anna Flora & Love Potion #9

Starter B

First – Madison Woschkolup & LH It’s Bo Time

Second – Katherine Scott & Point Wild

Third – Patricia Healy & Traditional Hat Man