The 11th season of GLEF features six weeks of FEI competition running through August 10, showcasing an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*, the FEI North American Youth Championships, and the return of Major League Show Jumping CSI5* competition to Traverse City. Highlights also include the $100,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Central Spectacular and weekly qualifiers for the all-new $150,000 Traverse City Equitation Championships debuting in September.

Schott was sidelined for nearly seven months after an injury and subsequent shoulder surgery kept her from riding. Nations Cup week in Traverse City—the site of her and Garant’s first five-star grand prix victory in 2022—marked her return to international competition.

“This is great for our whole team because we’ve come off quite a break,” said Schott. “Garant loves it here—I think he feels at home—and this is our first FEI grand prix since December. It was great for the morale of the whole team to have this win.”

From a starting field of 42, six advanced to the jump-off over courses designed by Nick Granat (USA). Posting the first clear round over the short course in 36.45 seconds, Schott and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Warrant X Verdi TN) owned by Southern Arches set the standard.

Finishing second, Irish Olympian Darragh Kenny and no. 17 in the world was the only other clear contender in 37.67 aboard 15-year-old Amsterdam 27 (Catoki x Acord II) owned by Vlock Show Stables. The fastest four-fault round in 37.28 seconds was posted by Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard riding Fave d’Authuit (Cornet Obolensky x Kannan GFE) to a time of 37.28 seconds.



“Being in there with people like Darragh and Erynn—they’re so competitive and fast—it was an honor to be able to ride against them and be faster for once,” continued Schott. “I ride the best when I’m having fun, and John [Madden] told me to go out there, have fun and try to enjoy it.”

Garant, a horse that was produced by Dutch rider Willam Greve to win the five-year-old Young Horse World Championship in Lanaken (BEL) in 2016, was also previously piloted by Schott’s trainer and two-time U.S. Olympic team gold medalist Beezie Madden.

“I’ve had Garant for quite a while and it’s been a wonderful partnership; we have really grown together,” said Schott. “He’s been my first horse to compete at this level, and he’s taught me a lot.

When asked about how Granat’s jump-off played to her mount’s strengths, Schott said, “Garant is an amazing double-vertical jumper, so I went as fast as I could across the middle and hoped it would show up. I probably could have done one less to the last, but I was confident I had been fast enough already.”

In addition to the grand prix win, Schott also pocketed the Turnham Green Leading Lady Rider Award title for GLEF four.