Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry.
U.S. Olympic team members Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen came to the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan largely expected to take the Nations Cup win. As the only combination in the competition that can statistically finish on a score in the 30s, they proved every prediction right today, jumping clear with just 1.2 time penalties to take the CICO3* win on 37.5.
The 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Jess Montgomery, Kathryn Kraft, and Holly and Bill Becker, now looks ahead to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where he and Clark will enter yet another competition with high expectations to finish on a different podium. Roll on Rio!
Just four horses and riders made the optimum time of 6 minutes and 36 seconds on Mike Etherington-Smith’s cross country course, and the combinations that made quick work of the track were rewarded with big jumps up the leaderboard.
Marilyn Little and RF Demeter. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Marilyn Little and RF Demeter, a 14-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Jacqueline Mars, Raylyn Farms and Patrick Witte, found redemption in their first major competition back after Rolex Kentucky, storming around clear and inside the time to move up from fourth to finish in second place on their dressage score of 43.8.
Jodie Amos and Wise Crack, a 12-year-old Arabian/Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Nicola Coates, made their trip across the pond count, jumping double clear to move up from 13th after dressage to finish third on 49.0 as the highest-placed British rider.
Jodie Amos and Wise Crack. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Holly Payne Caravella and Beth Groblewski’s Santino proudly flew the off-track Thoroughbred flag all weekend, never sitting lower than sixth on a leaderboard that showcased the top combinations in the country. A clear cross country trip with 2.8 time penalties boosted them to a fourth place finish on 50.0.
Hannah Sue Burnett made her birthday weekend one to remember, moving up from 17th after dressage with Mary Ann Ghadban’s Under Suspection to finish in fifth place on 50.2. The 12-year-old Holsteiner mare skipped around cross country with just one time penalty to secure her second consecutive top 10 finish in a CIC3*; “Pippy” also finished sixth in the Bromont CIC3* last month.
Holly Payne Caravella and Santino. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Boyd Martin piloted his Nations Cup mount Welcome Shadow, owned by Craig and Gloria Callen, to a sixth place finish thanks to a clear round with 1.6 time penalties. Phillip Dutton and Lauren Kieffer also finished their Nations Cup rides in the top 10; Tom Tierney and Annie Jones’ Fernhill Fugitive added 3.2 time penalties to finish seventh on 50.4, and Marie le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett crossed the flags just one second over the time to finish ninth on 55.0.
Those three fast and clear rounds combined with Clark Montgomery’s dominant win with Loughan Glen gave the U.S. a sound victory in the inaugural U.S. Nations Cup leg at Great Meadow, taking the win on 138.3. Canada finished second in the standings on 177.6, with Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges finishing in 14th as the best Canadian pair. Great Britain finished third on 254.3.
Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow. Photo by Jenni Autry.
While today proved to be a success for the U.S. Nations Cup team, the U.S. Olympic squad had mixed results. Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery, who sat in eighth place after dressage, picked up two runouts at the Beverly Equestrian Brush Corners. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica hit the back rail at the New Oxer at fence 12, triggering the frangible pin and picking up 11 jumping penalties.
Only Clark Montgomery and Phillip Dutton delivered clear cross country rounds today for the U.S. Olympic squad, with Fernhill Cubalawn jumping clear with 6.8 time penalties to finish 19th.
The U.S. Olympic reserve riders also had a mixed day. Traveling reserves Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair, who started cross country in second place, also came to grief at the brush corners in the main arena to pick up 20 jumping penalties. Elisa Wallace fell from Simply Priceless at fence 5, the jump into the Adequan Beaver Pond.
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Sinead Halpin and Lynn Symansky both delivered clear rounds for the U.S. Olympic reserve squad, with Manoir de Carneville finishing 10th with 1.2 time penalties and Donner finishing 12th with six time penalties.
Looking to other notable rounds, Buck Davidson jumped clear with 1.6 time penalties aboard Copper Beach, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Sherrie Martin and Carl and Cassie Segal, to finish eighth on 50.8. In addition to Marilyn Little and RF Demeter and Jodie Amos and Wise Crack, just two other pairs made the time: Allie Knowles and Sound Prospect (13th) and Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby (23rd).
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Mike E-S’s course rode well overall, with 90 percent of the 40-horse field completing. In addition to Elisa’s fall, two other riders parted ways with their horses. Ros Canter also fell from Zenshara at the Adequan Beaver Pond, coming unseated on take off at fence 6a. Kate Chadderton fell from Collection Pass at fence 18, the Land Rover Water Complex. All horses and riders are OK.
Eight riders picked up refusals, with the Beverly Equestrian Brush Corners at fence eight in the main arena causing the most trouble by far. Six pairs picked up refusals there: Holly Payne Caravella and Never OutFoxed, Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon, Justine Dutton and Huck Finn, Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair, Hannah Sue Burnett and Cooley Dream, and Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery.
Colleen Loach and Quorry Blue d’Argouges. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Justine Dutton and Huck Finn also picked up a refusal at fence 4b, the second of the Piedmont Virginian Angled Brushes. Kim Severson and Fernhill Fearless had a refusal at the Adequan Beaver Pond before she elected to retire. In addition to Lauren Kieffer and Veronica triggering a frangible pin at the New Oxer at fence 12, Kurt Martin and DeLux Z also hit the back rail to pick up 11 penalties.
The awards ceremony is underway now, followed by a press conference with all of the Nations Cup teams. You can see loads of photos from today on EN’s Instagram, and be sure to re-live all the action in EN’s Open Thread. Keep checking back for quotes from the press conference and much more from #GMI2016. Go Eventing.
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