Mimi Gochman Beats the Best in $116,100 Adequan CSI5* WEF Challenge Cup

Mimi Gochman & Inclen BH. Photo ©Sportfot

Wellington, Fla. – February 5, 2026 — With a lineup befitting the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) first five-star week, young superstar Mimi Gochman (USA) rode to the win on 11-year-old Inclen BH in the $116,100 Adequan® CSI5* WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 at Wellington International on Thursday.

Twelve returned for a second round over Paris Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo’s (FRA) track, including three Olympians, an Olympic Champion and two of the world’s top 10. With the pressure on, Gochman — knowing her mount’s abilities — stuck to her plan and rose to the challenge, stopping the clock in a swift 43.99 seconds over runner-up Marilyn Little (USA) on her own La Contessa.

“I looked back at the oxer where I knew five had been a little flat in the first round — if I had a good one in, I could let him canter up there,” said Gochman, 21, of Inclen BH, owned by DG Sport Horse. “My rollback to the vertical and the six put me in a really good flow, and I think that is where I had the time.”

Little piloted La Contessa, an 11-year-old German Warmblood mare by License, notching a time of 44.74 seconds to hang on for second place. Rounding out the all-American female podium, Lillie Keenan took third by a slim margin in 44.80 seconds with Team Nijhof vof’s Highway TN, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood Stallion (Eldorado VD Zeshoek TN x Chellano Z).

Gochman has been paired with Inclen BH for three years, admitting on Thursday that she has found her rhythm and grown the partnership on a foundation of trust. “[Alfie] has such a competitive brain himself and is super level-headed,” she said of the Austrian Warmblood (Stakkato Gold x Raphael). “He really knows how to place himself well, which makes my job really easy.”

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