For live results from the 2009 Fair Hill Internation CCI2* and CCI3*, click here. Scroll down for the CCI3*.
Your 2009 Fair Hill International CCI3* Dressage leaders are Karen O’Connor and Mandiba. The overnight leaders, John Williams and Sweepea Dean (42.6) survived until early in the afternoon, when Karen O’Connor and Mandiba entered the arena and produce a 39.6. In the CCI2*, Leslie Law remained leader until the very last rider of the day, Rebecca Howard on Roquefort delievered a 42.2 to take a 3 point lead.
CCI3*:
1. Karen O’Connor on Mandiba 39.6
2. John Williams on Sweepea Dean 42.6
3. Mara Dean on Nicki Henley 43.6
4. Kelly Prather on Ballinakill Glory 45.20
5. Erika Treis Peterson on Under the Influence 45.4
…other notables…
13-T. Jan Byyny on Inmidair 49.0
15. Bonnie Mosser on Merloch 49.2
16. Boyd Martin on Neville Bardos 51.0
17-T. Phillip Dutton on Keops Du Quesnay 51.2
29. Bruce Davidson on Jam 54.8
CCI2*:
1. Rebecca Howard on Roquefort 42.2
2. Leslie Law on Hugo Fast 45.3
3. Lauren Kieffer on Ultra Tim 46.1
4. Kristin Schmolze on Ballylaffin Bracken 48.1
5-T. Jennie Brannigan on Cambalda 48.3
5-T. Kelli Temple on Veelion 48.3
…other notables…
10-T. Jon Holling on Jos Baco 50.8
12-T. Karen O’Connor on Allstar 51.4
29-T. Phillip Dutton on Wild Tiger 56.7
For an official Fair Hill leaderboard, click here.
For the USEF Friday Dressage press release, complete with interviews, click here.
Thoughts on Karen O’Connor and Mandiba:
The road to Fair Hill has been nothing if not tumultuous for Karen and Mandiba. This September, Karen and Mandiba were eliminated from Burghley after Karen fell at fence 16, the double corners.. Just after returning home from Burghley, Karen shattered her shoulderblade and broke 3 ribs in a freak dirt-bike accident at the Southern Pines Horse Trials. As a result, Phillip Dutton rode Mandiba at the Middleburg and Morven Horse Trials while Karen was recovering. While I am sure both Karen and Mandiba are ready for the XC, they have not seen competition Cross-Country together since Burghley. That said, Karen is a consummate professional, with a resume of international competitions 7 feet long. If they do well Saturday, look out, because Mandiba has an excellent Show Jumping record; the last Show Jumping penalties Karen and Mandiba had were at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
A factoid about Mandiba: he likes to eat oranges, peel and all, and I’m sure he will be getting a few tonight, as the only horse under 40 for the entire Fair Hill Dressage competition. For more info on Mandiba, check out his OCET bio.
For more information on John Williams and Sweepea Dean: check out Eventing Nation’s Thursday Dressage Scores and Results post.
The CCI2* leader, Rebecca Howard (CAN) worked with Karen and David O’Connor before going to ride for The Fork in NC, the location of a CIC3* and Horse Trials each spring. Rebecca’s website is here.
That’s all for our Dressage recap, check back tonight for our XC preview.
