All eyes are on Bromont this weekend with the U.S. World Equestrian Games team and alternates making their final prep run for Tryon, and many of the Canadian hopefuls aiming for a quality run to make their own team.
Photo by Leslie Threlkeld
The Field
- Bromont has run a CIC3* concurrently with their June CCI before (from 2012-2014, then again in 2016) but this is the first time that the CIC3* has run in August.
- Three pairs finished on their dressage score in the very first running of a CIC3* at Bromont, but no one has finished on it since.
- Only one previous Bromont CIC3* winning pair, Lynn Symansky and Donner, is competing again this weekend.
Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Dressage Divas
- Cooley Cross Border and Kim Severson have been the pair to beat on the flat at the North American three-stars this year. With scores in the 20s in nine of their last 11 Advanced/3* starts and an average of 27.2 over the last two years, this pair will be contesting for the lead from day one.
- RF Scandalous is also very strong in dressage, scoring in the 20s in eight of her last 10 Advanced/3* starts. RF Scandalous and Marilyn Little average 27.5 in dressage at these levels, just a hair behind Kim and Cooley Cross Border.
- Long Island T and Boyd Martin will be in the hunt too, with an average of 27.6 at this level over the past two years. The horse scored a personal best of 22.9 in his last outing at Millbrook.
- Vermiculus has been getting better and better with experience, with scores at the Advanced/3* level averaging 29.7 over the last two years, a nearly 6 point drop over his average from his first two years competing at these levels. He and Lauren Kieffer haven’t quite flirted with 75% yet but consistently score over 70%.
- Donner and Lynn Symansky have also stepped up their dressage game over the last 12 months, scoring consistently over 70% in all of their Advanced/3* outings in the last year. A two-year average of 29.9 at these levels rounds out the horses in the CIC3* field who have dressage averages over 70%.
Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Show Jumping Powerhouses
- Z and Phillip Dutton have an impeccable show jumping record, with Z jumping clear in 13 of his 15 rounds career rounds at the Advanced, 3* and 4* levels. His two rails at this level both came at his first run of the year after his winter break.
- Under Suspection has been a high quality jumper with her previous riders and the trend continues with Lynn Symansky. Though they had one rail at their only CCI together, they’ve jumped clear in each of the Advanced/CIC3* rounds.
- Cooley On Show and Sharon White have stepped up their show jumping game in the past two years, going from trending towards one rail at the Advanced/CIC3* level in the 2015-16 seasons to jumping clear in five of their six rounds at this level in the 2017-18 seasons.
- RF Scandalous and Marilyn Little have only ever had a rail once in 10 completed show jumping rounds at the Advanced, 3* and 4* levels and spend time on the pure jumper circuit as well.
- Cooley Cross Border and Kim Severson have jumped clear in 18 of their 20 show jumping rounds at the top levels, only twice incurring jumping faults.
Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Cross Country Machines
- Since early 2016, Foxwood High and Selena O’Hanlon have finished no more than 15 seconds over the time at their clear Advanced and CIC3* runs.
- Donner and Lynn Symansky haven’t run a tremendous number of Advanced/CIC3* over the last two years, but they’ve been within 15 seconds of the fastest cross country time in three of those four runs.
- Off The Record is only making his fourth start at the level, but he’s already racked up an impressive record with Will Coleman, with two wins and a second in his three starts. He was the fastest horse of the day at Great Meadow CICO3*. At Carolina Advanced he was 4 seconds slower than the quickest time and at Fair Hill CIC3* only 11 seconds slower.
- Brandon McMehan is making only his second start at the level and first CIC3* start, but finishing on his dressage score at Millbrook turned heads. Keep an eye on Oscar’s Wild this weekend.
Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.
PREDICTED WINNER: Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border
Keep Your Eye On:
- Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous
- Lynn Symansky and Donner
