TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.--Two-time FEI World Cup Finalist Hunter Holloway on Pepita Con Spita opened five star competition during the American Gold Cup at Traverse City Horse Shows on Thursday, Sept. 18 with a win in the $32,000 CSI5* Speed.

Hunter Holloway on Pepita Con Spita After a nearly two-year injury recovery, the mare is back and winning at the top level.

Pepita Con Spita 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, Neb

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. “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.”

 

“WE'VE BEEN here all circuit getting her back in the groove, and now to have her peaking at the end is great," she said.

The top three were separated by five one-hundredths of a second.

Irish Olympian Daniel Coyle on Incredible, his mount from the 2025 FEI World Cup Final, was second in a time of 64.18 seconds.

The current world no. 11 held the lead for the majority of class before Holloway beat him by two hundredths of a second by finishing  in 64.16.

Charlotte Jacobs on Thomascourt Ballypatrick finished third in 64.21 seconds.

Both world number 2 Kent Farrington and number seven McLain Ward are in Traverse City for the five star competition leading up to the American Gold Cup on Sunday, beginning at 2pm ET.