A Personal Best for Ryan Wood & Powell to Take Jersey Fresh CCI3* Lead

Ryan Wood and Powell. Photo by Jenni Autry. Ryan Wood and Powell. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Ryan Wood and Summit Sporthorses’ Powell have been turning heads ever since the horse stepped up to the Advanced level at Millbrook last year, and they made another bold statement today in the horse’s CCI3* debut, scoring 43.6 to lead after dressage at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event.

Powell is one of many exciting up-and-coming horses Ryan has in his string right now. Bred in New Jersey by Ilona English, the 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (PablitoDinara, Donnerwerth) competed in his first CIC3* at Carolina International in March, where he led after the first day of dressage on 44.1 and finished 24th in the large field.

It’s exciting to see more American-bred horses like Powell stepping up to the highest levels of the sport in the U.S., and Ilona has consistently been ranked as one of the Leading Eventing Breeders in the U.S. Shout out to all the awesome U.S. breeders who work tirelessly to product top eventing prospects.

Ryan and Powell held the lead at the lunch break with six horses left to go in the division, and five of those turned in sub-50 scores to move into the top 10 and seriously shake up the leaderboard at the conclusion of the division.

Allison Springer and Cascani. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Allison Springer and Cascani. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Allison Springer and Cascani, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Mary Ann Ghadban, also delivered a personal best performance today in the horse’s CCI3* debut, scoring 44.3 to sit in second place.

“Andy” finished fifth in the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI2* last fall and stepped up to Advanced at Pine Top in February. With Jersey Fresh being one of the final opportunities to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games, Allison has a chance to qualify a second horse in Andy; she’s also qualified with Athlone Anto.

Will Faudree and Pfun. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Will Faudree and Pfun. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Continuing the trend of personal bests, Will Faudree and Pfun scored 45.0 to round out the top three after the first phase. That gives us three CCI3* first-timers at the top of the leaderboard, all of which delivered the best tests of their careers today and and stamping themselves as horses to watch for the future.

Pfun in particular is a horse to keep an eye on this weekend. Obtaining a qualifying score Jersey Fresh could put Will and Pfun, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Jennifer Mosing, on the radar for the U.S. Olympic team. Will currently does not have a horse qualified for Rio, and it would be fantastic to see him accomplish that this weekend as he continues his comeback following his neck injury last fall.

Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The personal bests didn’t stop there! Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow also delivered a career best of 46.3 to sit in equal fourth place. The 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Craig and Gloria Callen hunted with the Millbrook Hunt before Boyd saw potential in her as an event horse and took over the ride in 2013.

Since then, Shadow has moved steadily from Novice up to the three-star level, completing the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3* in 13th place last fall to gain her qualifier to go to Rolex. Boyd and the Callens ultimately decided to give her another year of experience at the three-star level before aiming for a four-star, which made Jersey Fresh her spring goal instead.

That score of 46.3 bests Shadow’s score from Fair Hill by more than nine points. Watch out for this mare this weekend; she’s EN’s Sleeper pick!

Phillip Dutton and Indian Mill. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and Indian Mill. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and David Garrett’s Indian Mill are sharing fourth place with Boyd and Welcome Shadow on the same score of 46.3. Indian Mill, an 11-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding, is competing in his first CCI on U.S. soil since Phillip took over the ride from Paul Tapner earlier this year.

This horse, better known as “Monkee” in the barn, has the opportunity to become Phillip’s fifth prospect for Rio if he obtains his qualifying score this weekend, joining Fernhill Cubalawn; Mighty Nice; Fernhill Fugitive; and Mr. Candyman, who earned his Olympic qualifier at Galway Downs last fall and is also competing at Jersey Fresh this weekend.

Caroline Martin and Effervescent. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Caroline Martin and Effervescent. Photo by Jenni Autry.

A large chunk of the CIC3* division also did their tests this afternoon, and Caroline Martin and Sherrie Martin’s Effervescent are leading on 50.0 with five horses still to go in the morning. “Landon,” a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, stepped up to the Advanced level at The Fork and is contesting his first CIC3* at Jersey Fresh.

Matt Brown and Talking Point BCF, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Blossom Creek Foundation, sit in second currently in the CIC3* on 53.4. Joe Meyer and South Paw, a 9-year-old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred stallion owned by Nora McDonald Yaney, sits in third on 54.8.

After the CIC3* division wraps up in the morning, the large CIC2* division will take us through the third and final day of dressage here at the Horse Park of New Jersey. We’re about to hold a press conference with the top three in the CCI3* division as well as the CIC3* leader, so stay tuned for quotes from Ryan, Will, Allison and Caroline. And be sure to check EN’s Instagram for more photos!

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