Will Coleman and Obos O'Reilly take the lead with a clear trip and eight time penalties.
Will Coleman said he was nervous about how Obos O’Reilly would handle the CCI3* cross-country course at Bromont in yesterday’s press conference. The horse is green, Will said, and Derek Di Grazia’s course presented relentless challenges and questions. But Obos rose to the occasion today, jumping clear and coming home with eight time penalties to take the lead in the CCI3* on a 58.2. The horse looked very confident when I saw him coming through the big drop at 14a and cruised through the rest of the combination with no problems. Will has a rail in hand going into the show jumping tomorrow ahead of Sally Cousins and Tsunami, who moved all the way from 16th up to second place on a 64.2 thanks to the only double clear trip of the entire division. Sue is a beast across the country and looked fighting fit when she blew past me toward the end of the course. Kyle Carter and Madison Park continued their comeback by jumping around clean with 10.4 time penalties to move up one spot to third place on 64.4, just .2 penalties behind Sally and Sue. Parker seemed very happy to be out on course the two times he passed by me and looked fantastic when I saw him at the second to last fence.
Kyle Carter and Madison Park are in third place after a clear trip and 10.4 time.
Selena O’Hanlon has to be thrilled with two horses in the top 10 following the cross country. She’s sitting in fourth place on Bellaney Rock and moved all the way from 12th to fifth with Foxwood High after clear jumping trips with both horses. There were 12 clear trips in all in the CCI3*, with the course riding very safe but time proving hard to make. Volunteers worked tirelessly laying gravel around the fences to preserve the footing, which undoubtedly slowed many of the horses and riders. Eight riders picked up one or more stops or runouts on course, with the problems occurring at a variety of fences around the course. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, the overnight leaders after the dressage, were having a smooth trip before being held on course after Rick Wallace and Ultimate Victory broke a frangible pin at fence 13. After getting back underway following the hold, which lasted about 10 minutes while Jay Hambly and his crew replaced the pin, Lauren and Veronica had a stop at the corner at 16b in the main arena, dropping them down to ninth place with 20 jumping penalties and 11.6 time.
Selena O'Hanlon and Bellaney Rock are in fourth place after coming home clear with 8.4 time.
Rick Wallace and Ultimate Victory were the only pair to retire on course. The horse thunked his back legs pretty hard when he broke the frangible pin at fence 13, but he trotted away OK after that. We’ll keep you posted on the horse’s status. Jeff Kibbie and Loki and Leslie Chelstrom and Cecilia, who was in eighth place overnight, were both eliminated after three stops on course. Phillip Dutton withdrew William Penn, who was sitting in 11th place after the dressage, before tackling the course and will save the horse for another day. Last but not least, I have to give a huge shoutout to Bunnie Sexton, who moved all the way up from 22nd to eighth with Rise Against after coming home clear with just six time penalties. Due to a long hold on course in the CCI* this morning and the hold to replace the frangible pin in the CCI3*, the CIC3* started running immediately after the CCI3* concluded, so I’m missing part of the action to bring you this report. Thankfully, Samantha is out on course and will be bringing you a full report after the nine riders tackle the course. Stay tuned for much more from Bromont.
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