Traverse City, MI – September 19, 2025—Two-time FEI World Cup™ Finalist Hunter Holloway (USA) opened five-star competition during the American Gold Cup at Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) on Thursday with a win aboard Pepita Con Spita in the $32,000 CSI5* Speed. After a nearly two-year injury recovery, the mare is back and winning at the top level.
Pepita Con Spita, a 14-year-old Westphalian mare owned by Hays Investment Corp., was Holloway’s mount for the 2022 FEI World Cup™ Final in Leipzig and carried her to third overall in the 2023 edition in Omaha, NE. Two months later, the mare was sidelined by a check ligament injury and has been absent from FEI competition until this summer.
“It feels a little bit like cheating when I get to go in these classes with her because she’s the best,” said Holloway of how her mare after tackling the one-round speed test designed by Alan Wade (IRL). “It’s exciting to have her back in the ring. You can’t really get a horse competition fit without doing it, so I’m easing her back in and we’ll do more as she tells us she’s ready for it.”
Pepita Con Spita (DSP Con Spirit X Oro Piana Come On) returned to the international ranks at the end of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders. She won a two-star grand prix win for Holloway during GLEF before jumping to a three-star win during opening week of the fall series at TCHS just two weeks ago.
Holloway spends most of her spring, summer and fall seasons at Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, saying, “We’ve been here all circuit getting her back in the groove, and now to have her peaking at the end is great.
“We love it here,” continued Holloway. “The management is great. The facility and weather are fantastic. I don’t have enough good things to say about it.”
Irish Olympian Daniel Coyle rode Ariel Grange’s Incredible—his mount from the 2025 FEI World Cup™ Final—to second in a time of 64.18 seconds. The current world no. 11 held the lead for the majority of class before Holloway bumped him by two hundredths of a second (64.16). Charlotte Jacobs (USA) and Thomascourt Ballypatrick finished third in 64.21 seconds for owner North Star.
As five-star competition continues to build throughout the week, all roads lead to the iconic American Gold cup on Sunday, kicking off at 2pm ET.
For complete results from the $32,000 CSI5* Speed, click here.
Earlier in the day in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring, Portugal’s Luis Sabino Gonçalves won the EquiScore CSI2* Two-Phase riding Vick du Croisy. For complete results, click here.
About Traverse City Horse Shows
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) offers 13 weeks of top equestrian competition each summer at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City. The venue blends world-class sport with the natural beauty of Northern Michigan and features 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events, including three five-stars and an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*.
The season culminates in the three-week Tournament of Champions, highlighted by the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ CSI5*-W—Traverse City and $340,000 American Gold Cup CSI5*. New this year, the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship deliver big prize money and prestige to the equitation ranks.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
