Karen O’Connor added just 1.2 time to Mandiba’s leading dressage score to maintain her hold on the top division here at Plantation after a long and successful day of cross country. The courses across all the grades have really ridden well, perhaps in the CIC** the solid corner at the very far end of the course was responsible for the most falls, but everyone I saw got up unscathed. The time in the CIC*** was tight and only three combinations managed to achieve the optimum – three experienced partnerships who accordingly moved right up the leaderboard.
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Will Faudree and Pawlow moved up into second place after a fast clear inside the time
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Similarly, Buck Davidson sits handily in third place overnight after zipping round easily inside the time on Ballynoe Castle RM. They made it look like a pony club hunter trial, and I hear they are hoping to join Colleen Rutledge in France for the Pau CCI****. Phillip and Boyd had multiple rides today, but Buck rode an incredible nine stylish clears today.
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Smoke on the Water seems to be suffering from no ill-effects after his unhappy trip to Blenheim just two weeks ago, or the journey back to the US, and he completed a speedy clear round with Marilyn Little-Meredith to drop one place and lies fourth overnight.
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Mighty Nice just keeps getting better and better; he was stopped on course while tearing it up but was the third horse to finish inside the time and also the third horse who didn’t even look like he was going that quickly. Phillip told a friend of mine that he is “a horse of a lifetime,” and she said he doesn’t say that very often, and who could disagree! They lie in 5th place after the cross country phase.
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Clark Montgomery and Universe added 10 time penalties and change to slip a few places to 6th place overnight but looked rock solid the whole way round; considering this was the horse’s first outing since Jersey and that they’re headed to Boekelo in a couple of weeks I imagine he and his wife Jess will be thrilled with the day.
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Veronica still looks like a very nice prospect for Karen O’Connor, storming round the CIC***, finishing cross-country in 8th place after picking up just 7.2 time penalties.
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Trading Aces looked very smooth over everything I saw him at, and was covering the ground easily; they picked up a handful of time to lie in 9th place going into the show-jumping.
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All Jennie Brannigan’s horses went well today, but for me Cambalda was the most impressive, and it bodes well for Boekelo as all the US Nations Cup Team selected horses went very well too. Jennie and Cambalda added just 7.2 time to their dressage score to round out the top 10 after cross country. You can find all the scores here.
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Jan Byyny and Inmidair, the best of her three rides in 12th.
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Darren Chiacchia and Amendment 15 were great trailblazers for the CIC***, and Darren was actually also the last horse on course at about 6:10pm Saturday evening, just as the thunder rumbled in and the heavens opened.
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Caitlin Silliman and Catch A Star turned in one of the most stylish rounds of the day and were definitely the best that I saw through the angled double of brushes.
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One of the other standout rides for me in the CIC*** was Pirate, ridden by Meghan O’Donaghue who trains with Jan Byyny.
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Colleen Rutledge’s round on Shiraz was night and day compared to the one at Richland; he was listening and polite and pinging over the fences as if on springs. Colleen gave him a pretty steady round, but being the over-achiever that she is, jumped an extra skinny from the Advanced course by accident that wasn’t on the CIC*** course. Luckily she wasn’t penalised, and she’ll now head to Pau CCI**** with her mind at ease.
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Sara Kozumplik on Tatton Winter were one of several pairs who picked up 20 penalties but otherwise looked to have a nice round.
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Mystic My, likewise, picked up 20. I’m sure Andrea will find the key to this horse soon, and then they will be unbeatable as they have everything else going for them once she irons out the quirks!
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Foxwood High jumped round nicely and clear for Selena O’Hanlon.
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A First Romance looked good but was another to pick up 20 penalties.
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Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek
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Natalia Gurmankin and Hail
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Will Coleman is building up such a nice string of young horses; Vancover posted a steady clear.
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Jennie Brannigan on the first of her CIC*** rides No Objection, also the winner of last year’s bareback puissance.
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and Jennie on her third CIC*** ride Walkabout.
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Huge shout-out to Ed Holloway and Sinead Halpin who were fabulous in the commentary box, and to all the friendly and helpful volunteers and jump judges who have been wonderful all day. I’ve overheard lots of priceless chatter as I wander around from jump to jump, but mostly people explaining things, helping others, and just an overwhelmingly happy vibe! The tradestands seemed to be doing good business and I look forward to seeing Allison Springer sporting her “sparkly shirts” that she boasted about buying today, if you can send us pictures here at EN we’ll make sure and give you a mention in return! The show-jumping will be exciting tomorrow but before I then I hope to post some pictures and reports from the other divisions, time and internet allowing. Go Plantation and Go Eventing!
