FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DEVON, PA – Lehua Custer is our next participating rider in the 2026 Capital Square Masterclass with Carl Hester! The Masterclass will take place in the historic Dixon Oval on Thursday, September 24, at 6:00 PM EST.
Lehua, a Florida-based professional rider, will ride Fortunato H2O OLD (Floriscount x Rascalino), her own U.S. bred 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion, bred by Kendra Hansis of Runningwater Warmbloods. The pair competes at the Intermediaire II level, with plans to move into the Grand Prix this year.
“It is a huge honor to ride in the famous Dixon Oval with the master Carl Hester,” Lehua said of being selected to ride in this year’s Masterclass.
A USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalist with distinction, Lehua is a pillar of the sport. Her accolades as a rider speak for themselves: aside from her many accomplishments with Fortunato H2O OLD (“Tuna”), she has been named to the USEF development and pre-elite list with Wendy Sasser’s F.J. Ramzes, whom she developed from the ground-up to the Grand Prix.
Aside from her myriad training successes, the Hawaii-native Lehua is a highly accomplished coach. She is currently a staff instructor for the USDF Young Horse Prospect Forum and a seasoned Paralympics coach, which took her to the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics.
Tuna, now an actively competing FEI horse and approved breeding stallion, is also an experienced para horse. At just six years old, he competed at the 2022 World Championships in Hernig, Denmark, with Roxanne Trunnell aboard, posting a stellar 72.521% and helping the U.S. team secure the bronze medal. Tuna was the youngest horse at the event across all disciplines.
Also a veteran of Dressage at Devon, Tuna has competed at the historic venue three times thus far. His successful trips as a foal and a three-year-old culminated in his best year yet in 2021 as a five-year-old, when he was awarded Grand Championship honors for the entire show.
Lehua noted that Tuna, whom she purchased when he was a mere 10 minutes old, now balances a full schedule of training, showing, and breeding.
This spectacular stallion and his equally accomplished owner and rider are an incredible addition to our Masterclass lineup. They will undoubtedly be a joy to watch ride and learn from the inimitable Carl Hester.
Don’t miss Lehua, Tuna, and the rest of our exciting participating riders – purchase your tickets to the 2026 Capital Square Masterclass with Carl Hester now, while tickets last.
ABOUT THE CAPITAL SQUARE MASTERCLASS AT DRESSAGE AT DEVON
Join us for an unforgettable night of education and inspiration in the Dixon Oval, featuring Carl Hester as our 2026 Masterclass clinician. Hester, a seven-time British Olympian, is one of the most influential figures in dressage. His miles long resume includes multiple medals at the Olympic, World, and European championships and countless horses and riders produced to the top levels of dressage. Hester’s decades of experience on the world’s biggest stages combined with his signature focus on horsemanship and correct development of horses and riders make him an internationally renowned and highly coveted clinician. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from one of the best in the sport.
