Riders Look Forward To Cross Country: A Dressage Social Media Recap

Sinead Halpin on Forrest Nymph and Lynn Symansky on Osbourne 9. Photo via Sinead's FB.

Sinead Halpin on Forrest Nymph and Lynn Symansky on Osborne 9. Photo via Sinead’s FB.

Dressage is officially over! While I don’t think any phase of a CCI is necessarily “easy,” I will go ahead and say that the most challenging phase is upon us now, as cross country looms tomorrow. Derek diGrazia’s course is nothing if not big, impressive and tough as hell.

International riders continue to insist that Fair Hill CCI3* is the toughest three-star in the world, and they might well be right. The CCI2* kicks things off tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. EST sharp, with that enormous division running all the way until 1:15 p.m. The CCI3* will tentatively begin at 1:45 p.m.

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The Canadian contingent has come up with a new idea on how to properly walk courses … and I think I like it! Check out Holly Jacks-Smither and Waylon Roberts “walking” the CCI2* course together.

Photo via Kendal Lehari's FB.

Photo via Kendal Lehari’s FB.


Will Coleman and Vagabon de Champdoux triumphed in the 5-year-old USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships with a final score of 81.5. The jumping phases concluded today, and Will pulled off the win over Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Jungle ROC, who finished on a score of 81.2. 

Photo via Katie Thornton's FB.

Photo via Katie Thornton’s FB.


Matt Brown and Happenstance held onto their overnight lead in the CCI2*, and Hap seems to be enjoying the East Coast grass quite a bit! He’s gearing up for his second CCI2* cross country tomorrow by chowing down tonight.

Photo via Alicia Sparks' FB.

Photo via Alicia Sparks’ FB.


Did I mention that the cross country course is pretty intense? Here’s a water combination on the CCI2* course.

Photo via Kim Walsh's FB.

Photo via Kim Walsh’s FB.


Buck Davidson and The Apprentice rocked it today and clearly made the right call staying in the States for this competition.


Lynn Symansky and Al Quanbeck’s Osborne 9 scored a 41.8 today to sit in 3rd out of 110 horses in the massive CCI2* at Fair Hill International. They go cross-country tomorrow at 11:11 a.m. 

Photo via Lynn Symansky Equestrian FB.

Photo via Lynn Symansky Equestrian FB.


OBOS O’Reilly made a good comeback from his meltdown at Plantation to score a 48.2 in the CCI3* today. They sit in 7th place overnight. In the meantime, he’s entertaining himself with clods of dirt and grass from the stable floor!

Photo via Maggie Deatrick's FB.

Photo via Maggie Deatrick’s FB.


The ever gorgeous Viola is rocking this beautiful Swedish bridle; how handsome is it? Viola and Erin Freedman are in the CCI2* this weekend, and finished the dressage on a 53.1, sitting them in 40th place overnight.

Photo via Erin Freedman's FB.

Photo via Erin Freedman’s FB.


In closing, I want to share this photo with you, because it just about sums up how the riders will feel as they leave the start box. They might be sleepless tonight and queasy tomorrow morning, but I know for myself that all changes when I leave the start box. Good luck to everyone tomorrow!

Photo shared by Holling Eventing FB.

Photo shared by Holling Eventing FB.

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