~ Join the Rival Stars Horse Racing Community to discuss the latest news and updates! This update rolls out in stages over the next few days, so if you don’t see it yet, check back a little later. ~

Hey Rival Stars community!

It’s update day, and before we leap into fresh new content, we want to say thanks for helping us track down the Lucerne Course 6 issues in Cross Country. Your screenshots and reports helped us in a big way, and we appreciate you sticking with us while we sorted it out.

Now for the good stuff: Update 1.66 brings new Cross-Country routes through Canyon Falls, introduces the French Chaser breed with a helpful streak-saving trait, and gives Show Jumping a major tune-up with gears and confidence mechanics. Ready to jump in?

Cross Country Canyon Falls

Three new Cross Country locations have galloped into Race & Ride! In addition to the Ranch and Lucerne, you can now test your mettle in the untamed wilds of Canyon Falls. We’ve carved out three fresh courses that thread past towering cliffs, cactus-lined ridges, and the iconic Canyon Falls waterfall—until now, available as a Star Club-only Free Roam location.

You’ll unlock the new Canyon Falls runs once you’ve completed the courses at the Ranch and Lucerne—then get ready to tackle tight turns, thrilling jumps, and stamina-sapping sprints across hard desert terrain. Canyon Falls is built to test every part of your Cross Country toolkit, so be prepared. 

You’ll spot a small “Preview” tag on these races; we’re still dialing in the final balancing and rewards, and your feedback will help us get there. Don’t forget: Photo Mode (from our 1.64 expansion) is ready and waiting, so pause mid-run, or see the action in slow-mo, and grab that epic waterfall shot to share with the community.

Leap with Confidence: The French Chaser (AQPS)

Officially recognised as a breed in 2005, the French-Chaser, better known in jumping circles as the AQPS (“Autre Que Pur-Sang”), was bred in France for the art of jumping, and it arrives with one clear goal: helping you keep that perfect-jump rhythm alive in Steeplechase. Its breed trait, Streak Shield safeguards your perfect-jump streak, letting a slip slide twice or more per race without breaking it: more forgiveness, less frustration, and the same thrill of a flawless run.

Streak Shield pairs perfectly with our new exotic trait, Kinetic Boost. This trait grants extra sprint energy while your perfect jump streak is 5 or higher, on every jump that follows, as long as you maintain that perfect streak. If you’re chasing records, Streak Shield steadies your streak while Kinetic Boost fuels the dash to the finish. 
Both the French-Chaser and Kinetic Boost will debut in their own events soon, so keep an eye on the Event Hub for dates and the Horse Marketplace for early offers. Add a French-Chaser to your lineup or try the trait on a favourite cross-breed—the choice (and the jump streak) is yours!

Show Jumping Levels Up

It’s been a full year since we let you take Show Jumping for its very first test-ride, and your survey responses, Facebook comments, and Discord feedback have shaped every step we’ve taken since. With Update 1.66, we’re rolling out the next big step: a rebuilt core designed to smooth out the bumps you surfaced and add the depth a dedicated game mode deserves, and it’s ready for you to put it through its paces.

Here’s what’s changed under the saddle:

Speed Gear Boxes – Your horse now rides in four fixed gears—Stop, Canter (Collected), Canter (Extended), and Gallop. Most of the course flows in the two canter gears, while Gallop becomes a risk-reward burst once you know the layout.

Confidence Meter – Stamina is out; confidence is in. Perfect jumps and steady pace build confidence, widening the “perfect” timing window. Knockdowns, hard turns, or pushing into Gallop chip it away. Keep confidence high for smoother clears.

Hard Turning – Need to realign at the last second? Push the stick to its limit to pivot sharply. It costs confidence but can rescue a mis-plotted approach.

Jump-Timing Indicator — A simple on-screen cue that tells you, in real time, how cleanly you cleared a fence. Its timing window is affected by three factors: your horse’s jump stat, your approach angle, and current level of confidence. Nail all three and you’ll hit the sweet-spot every time! 

Each change is built to make the slow, technical moments feel smoother—while cranking up the thrill of risking it all for a record run. Give the new flow a ride and tell us how it feels!

On the Horizon.

We’re in the homestretch for getting Show Jumping in everyone’s hands, and your survey feedback is steering us every step of the way. We’ll keep polishing the new mechanics, gathering feedback, and adding the finishing touches that turn Early Access into a full game mode in our next update. 

Want to stay in the loop or share screenshots and race stories with other players? Drop by our socials anytime and enjoy all things Rival Stars Horse Racing with the community.

See you at the starting gates! 🐎

Changes and Fixes

Cross Country Canyon Falls

  • Three brand-new single-player courses added to Canyon Falls, each mixing tight turns, multi-height jumps, and stamina-testing sprints. 
  • These courses are tagged as “Preview”—balancing and rewards are still being tuned.
  • Photomode fully supported—pause mid-run, snap, and share.

New Breed and Exotic Trait

  • French-Chaser (AQPS) arrives as a Steeplechase specialist.
    • Streak Shield: While a perfect streak is active, a missed jump won’t break it (2× per race).
    • Streak Shield Pro: Same effect, but triggers 3× per race (unlocked at 80 % French-Chaser).
  • Kinetic Boost (Exotic Trait): While your perfect jump streak is 5 or higher, receive bonus sprint energy on each subsequent perfect jump

Show Jumping updates

  • Speed Gear Boxes: Four fixed speeds—Stop, Canter (Collected), Canter (Extended), Gallop—for smoother pacing and risk-reward bursts.
  • Confidence Meter: Replaces stamina; higher confidence widens the perfect-jump window.
  • Hard Turning: Push the stick fully to pivot sharply; costs confidence but saves bad lines.
  • Jump-Timing Indicator: Simple HUD cue shows jump quality; timing window adjusts with Jump stat, approach angle, and confidence.

Other notable changes and bug fixes: 

New Coats and head markings. 

  • Split Pintaloosa
  • Neapolitan Pintaloosa
  • Frame Tabiano
  • Love Heart Leopard
  • Leopard Swirl
  • Opaque Brindle
  • Sweet Heart (headmarking)

Other notable changes and bug fixes:

  • Fixed Event Hub cards showing incorrect images.
  • Fixed Rolling Current Trait performance issues.   
  • Resolved issues caused by upgrading Unity Engine. 
  • Noble Mane no longer disappears on horses in the pasture.
  • Race commentator audio stutter fixed.
  • Lucerne Course 6 issues have been fixed.
  • We put the grass back.

Known issues:

  • Live Event Steeplechase cards – Rewards sometimes display blank or incorrect in some screens (We’re addressing this in a hotfix soon.)
  • LTE reward preview overlap – Final reward image sits in front of the tint instead of behind it. (We’re addressing this in a hotfix soon.)
  • Default saddle blankets turning white on iOS – Visual glitch during Flat Races; results screen shows the correct blanket.
  • XC – Canyon Falls Pro Course 3: We’ll be reducing the time requirement difficulty.
  • XC – Canyon Falls Course 3: Fix incoming for a bug where missing the final jump can trap you in the race.
  • Black screen on some GPUs (PowerVR GE8320, PowerVR GM9446 & BXM-8-256): A fix is coming soon. In the meantime, switching graphics settings to low can help.