Heather Morris, Charlie Tango Take Command of Twin Rivers CIC3*

Heather Morris and Charlie Tango after a clear show jumping round. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

The Twin Rivers Spring CCI, CIC and Horse Trials in Paso Robles, California is jam-packed with entries from Beginner Novice through Advanced in addition to CCI*, CCI2*, CIC3* and Young Event Horse and Future Event Horse divisions.

Heather Morris and the Team Express Group’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Charlie Tango (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Our Queen Bee, Ricardo Z) threw down a 30.3 to take the CIC3* lead after dressage. They held their position after posting one of three fault-free show jumping rounds in the division in their first FEI appearance since Fair Hill International last fall.

Heather Morris and Charlie Tango. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Not far behind, Rebecca Braitling and Lauren Burnell’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse Waltertown Don (Don Juan de la Bouverie x Walterstown Treacy VII, Vivadari) sit second on a two-phase score of 35.0. Tamie Smith holds the next two positions with Kevin Baumgardner’s 15-year-year-old Dutch Warmblood Wembley (Lester x E-VIP, Cantus) on a 36.4 and Judith McSwain’s 9-year-old Holsteiner mare Fleeceworks Royal (Riverman x Marisol) on a 39.7.

Tamie Smith and Wembley. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Rebecca and Lauren Burnell’s Santana II (Camax L x Hofdame H, Heraldik xx) are leading the CCI2* after dressage, earning a 35.4 in the 8-year-old Oldenburg mare’s first attempt at the level. Barbara Crabo and the Waterford Syndicate’s 12-year-old Danish Warmblood Waterford (Mosegaardens Dilight x Ally, Racot) are second with a 37.4. Jess Hargrave with her 11-year-old Trakehner Regenmann and Mallory Hogan with her 11-year-old Holsteiner mare Clarissa Purisima (Limmerick 1 x Briza) are close by with 38.2 and 38.3 respectively.

Rebecca Braitling and Walterstown Don. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Looking to the CCI* division, healthy with 28 entries, Megan Sykes and her 9-year-old Oldenburg Classic’s Mojah (Chambertin 3 x Senna, Sevillano xx) lead the way after after dressage with 29.2 in their first appearance at the level. Lilly Linder and Bianca Linder’s 11-year-old Warmblood Codigo (Candyman x Last Rose of Summer, Travelling Victor) are hot on their heels with a 30.7. Krista Stevenson and Larry Stevenson’s 10-year-old Hanoverian Caison (Contendro I x Via Vera, Varus) are third with 33.8.

The scores are tightly packed in the one-star with the top 18 scoring under 40.0, a result of the new FEI scoring system which removes the previously used 1.5x coefficient. The FEI divisions will all tackle James Atkinson’s cross country courses today with show jumping remaining on Sunday for the CCIs.

Tosca Holmes-Smith and Fiat. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

The Advanced division ran the first two phases yesterday. Not one pair went double clear in show jumping but Tosca Holmes-Smith and Ali-Holmes Smith’s 14-year-old Thoroughbred Fiat (Cats at Home x Desert Mouse) currently hold the lead in their first Advanced with a two-phase score of 48.5.

Dana Chase and her 15-year-old Holsteiner Aerolite (Ariadus x Cosmic Romance) added two rails and five time penalties to fall from the lead to second place. Madison Temkin and Debra Henderson’s 20-year-old Thoroughbred Kingslee (Calumar xAfforce) likewise dropped two rails and added one time penalty but they remain in third place. Kathryn Nichwander and her 16-year-old Thoroughbred 360 sit in fourth heading into the final phase today.