A Look Back at the 2025 Mustang Classic

Snapshots from the 2025 Mustang Classic show these wild horses' versatility and the partnerships with their riders

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From September 4-6, mustangs and their riders took over the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, for the 2025 Mustang Classic. Thirty-one combinations proved their mettle in the dressage, show jumping and working equitation phases. After the scores were tallied from the preliminary phases, 10 pairs went on to compete in the finals. They delivered entertaining freestyle routines that showcased their training efforts and the mustangs’ versatility. In the end, Laura Wilson and One Ear Wonder were crowned the champions, but all pairs displayed special partnerships throughout the competition.

Take a look at a few snapshots from the 2025 Mustang Classic!

Elisa Wallace and Nodin on their way to finishing second in the dressage phase. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Jennifer Musicaro and Pearl perform their dressage test. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Heidi Brown pats Raya’s Dream after a test that put them in the top 10 in the dressage phase. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Rehgan Weber shares a moment with Bravado after their dressage test. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Carly Southern and Amigo Valiante clear a fence during the show jumping phase. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Meghan Malloy and Rook jump the last fence of the show jumping course. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Jessica Flaherty and Mickey Mouse go through the gate obstacle on the working equitation course. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Stacie Zimmerman and Peso cross the bridge during the working equitation phase. ©Kathleen Landwehr

The top 10 announcement for the final of the 2025 Mustang Classic. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Sam Rock and Just Blazin had a “Sonic the Hedgehog”-themed freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Cat Zimmerman canters Hot Pocket during their freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Camille White and Deuce Is Wild’s “How to Train Your Dragon” freestyle was a hit with spectators. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Carly Renault and Highbrow Sally traverse the arena for their “Jurassic Park”-themed freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Elisa Wallace and Nodin looked the part for their “Men in Black” freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Laura Wilson and One Ear Wonder finished road work in record time during their freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Ellen McCutchon and Vero towed a panda inflatable during their “Kung Fu Panda” freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Sam Rock and Smart Cookie didn’t shy away from incorporating difficult elements during their “Moana” freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Cayla Stone and Phaedra show their moves during their “Epic: The Musical” freestyle. ©Kathleen Landwehr

Mustang Classic executive director Matt Manroe holds the champion trophy while One Ear Wonder inspects it. ©Kathleen Landwehr

About the Mustang Classic

Created to showcase mustangs’ talent and versatility in equestrian sport, the Mustang Classic, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, offers competition in English disciplines including dressage, show jumping and working equitation. The twist, however, is that all mustangs must have been purchased or adopted through a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding facility or satellite event and are required to be in training between 100 days and one year.

Relive the excitement of the Mustang Classic by watching every phase of the competition. The entire event can be viewed on demand with an EQUESTRIAN+ (equestrianplus.com) subscription.

To learn more about the 2025 Mustang Classic, click here.