Joe Meyer and Sanskrit led from start to finish in Advanced Division Dressage Test B, adding nothing to his first phase score of 27, despite taking a slightly longer route at the angled tables which were numbered separately. Here’s the promised video from Friday of Joe and Robin Walker discussing their rides at Rocking Horse, Sanskrit’s breeding and who’s the better jumper of the two!
Katie Ruppel was second on Sir Donovan, the only other person in the division to add nothing to their dressage score
Buck Davidson and Mar De Amor added time penalties to finish 3rd.
Katie Ruppel was fourth on her younger ride Houdini, and made these angled tables look easy, it was the best ride I saw through there all day.
Kelly List and Smarty Pants came in fifth in this division
Buck finished in sixth place on The Apprentice, after adding 10 time penalties cross country but on every horse he rode (six in the Advanced and he won both the other divisions) there wasn’t anybody cutting more corners or taking more economical lines than he did. I took several pictures of him over the skinny coming out of the water and in most of them he’s turned away from the camera, already making his turn and riding away from the fence.
Hallie Coon and Namaste finished seventh and looked great everywhere I saw them
Buck Davidson and D.A Adirmo on the way to taking Advanced Division A. D.A Adirmo is relatively young and inexperienced and after this fence, which ran alongside the lorry park, he whinnied to his friends as went by! The bank complex in the Advanced seemed to ride better than for the intermediate riders; not sure if that’s because the Advanced horses are just that bit more experienced and seemed to figure out the question fairly quickly and lock on to each element, whereas in the intermediate some horses seemed confused by the corner as part of the bank and ran past it. Buck Davidson had one stop there on Mystic My in the Intermediate Division, and after jumping it on the second attempt retired. Diana Burnett had two stops on Bonner’s Chief before retiring, and Selena O’Hanlon’s A First Romance was eliminated.
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Julie Norman and Consensus added nothing to their dressage score to move up from 8th place to 2nd overall.
Emily Renfroe and Walk the Line were very quick across country to add just a handful of time penalties and finish in 3rd place
Emma Kate Fisher had a beautiful round on Carlingford’s Forever, adding nothing to their dressage score to take fourth place but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and didn’t get any picutres, my apologies. Sydney Conley Elliot and Pancho Villa (above) added some time to take fifth place. **Update: Below is a photo of Emma Kate Fisher and Carlingford’s Forever taken by Claire Parker, sent to us by Kathy Fisher. **
Emma Kate Fisher and Carlingford's Forever, photo by Claire Parker
Park Trader, the last advanced horse to go of the day was sixth for Buck Davidson, just adding some time.
Sara Kozumplik and Flagmount’s Sterling Prince, clear but slightly slower for seventh place
Shandiss McDonald and Rockfield Grant Juan, a steady clear for eighth place. I spoke to Shandiss briefly afterwards and complimented her on her ride, I’m a huge fan of Juan’s and she said he felt terrific cross country, and that if anything it was she who was a bit rusty and had to get used to galloping over fences at Advanced speed again.
Peter Atkins and HJ Hampton were flying round, Henny jumping for fun and clearing the fences by miles but were a bit unlucky at the water when Henny slipped up the step out and couldn’t make the skinny. I know Peter was kicking himself afterwards for not diverting quickly enough to take the long route but it happened so fast and so close to the fence that I’m not sure anyone could have done better. I can’t wait to see them both back in action again at Red Hills, and by the way, thank you to Peter for stopping en route to help a fellow Rocking Horse eventer with a flat tyre on their trailer yesterday.
Caroline Martin, annoyingly no pictures, rode both Quantum Solace and Titanium beautifully for two, slow clear rounds. Every time I watch her I am more and more impressed. Quantum Solace finished in tenth place in this division. Werner Geven was slow but clear on Vandiver (above) for 11th place
No More Rocks with Buck Davidson also fell foul of the skinny coming out of the water, picking up 20 penalties and finishing 13th. Jon Holling had always intended to withdraw his horses after the show-jumping as he’s heading to Pine Top next weekend and will run in the Advanced there.
Ballynoe Castle RM jumping out of the coffin on his way to winning Advanced Division AB for Buck Davidson
Rowdie Adams finished on her dressage score on No Money Down to take second place. There was massive applause for Rowdie around the course and if there was a popularity prize I think it would be hers. I later spotted her buying Girl Scout cookies, chatting away and signing her cheque with a hot pink pen! Her ride in the Intermediate, RF Blitsfee, was also one of the nicest I saw at that level all day.
Despite adding almost ten time penalties Marilyn Little and RF Demeter still managed to move up to 3rd place. Demeter looked superb, very happy to be back out competing cross country and quite strong, but she and Marilyn are much more of a partnership this year, I really rate this horse.
Shigatzi went beautifully for Diana Burnett, adding 12 time penalties to finish fourth. I hinted Friday on twitter that another four star rider had told me they were pregnant but I was sworn to secrecy; well, I’m absolutely delighted to reveal that it is Diana. Wishing her many congratulations from the entire Eventing Nation, and all the best for a bouncing, healthy baby. Although you would never guess to look at her, she’s due in June and hopes to ride quietly at home from now on, no more competitions, and will stay put in Ocala until April, then perhaps assessing her autumn plans once the baby has arrived.
Sharon White and Wundermaske, 5th. The water for the Advanced consisted of two parts, but came off a left turn after a big table that was jumped back towards the collecting ring and I saw several horses throw huge jumps over the table and then set sail for home, (the water was the penultimate fence on course) making it hard for the riders to turn and get straight in time for the serious questions ahead. Buck Davidson and his students chose to come straight down towards the water and take the table at more of an angle which gave the horses more time to assess the combinations through the water.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar jumped round clear inside the time to take 6th place
Rick Wallace acted swiftly on Ultimate Victory to take the long alternative coming out of the water after a tricky ride, avoiding 20 penalties and finishing in seventh place. Bill Hoos and Carmac were just behind him in 8th place after picking up 14 or so time penalties.
Caroline Martin gave Titanium a super ride at only their fourth event together to come home clear with time for ninth place
Angela Grzywinski and Novelle round out the top 10 in Advanced Division AB
Christa Gandolfo and Governaire, 12th in Division AA
Tyler Frey and Sirrahsta, eighth in Advanced Dressage Test B
Intermediate and Prelim Divisions
Anita Nemtin-Gilmour and Topper, 3rd in OPB
Another one of my favourites – Lara Borson Knight and her lovely OTTB from the Secretariat Center at the Kentucky Horse Park, Shooby Do. After a stunning 20.6 dressage Lara could afford to add some time penalties in both jumping phases and still win Prelim Rider A easily. Go OTTBs!
Ann O’Neal Pevahouse and Don Bosco, fourth in Prelim Rider A
Ashley Adams and Cooley Dawn Raid, winners of Prelim Horse A. Another lovely Cooley horse and I think it was this pair’s second win in a row after narrowly beating Sinead Halpin and On Cue in a tiebreak at Ocala Horse Trials last weekend.
Bonner Carpenter and All Inclusive, 3rd in Prelim Horse A
Cathryn Green and Coin Toss, ninth in Prelim Rider A
Claire Parker and Hope Cove, 13th in Prelim Rider A
Debbie Adams and D.A Bjorn, ninth in OI B
Holly Jacks and More Inspiration, 4th in Intermediate Rider
Jessica Clemens and Same As Gold, sixth in Prelim Rider A
Jessie Phoenix and Extraordinaire, 6th in OP A
Allie Knowles and Juicy Couture on their way to winning OI B.
Allie was also second in OI A on Last Call, and finished 10th in Prelim Horse A on Komik (above)
Missy Ransehousen and Princeton Pride, fourth in OP A. I was delighted to see Missy’s former 4* campaigner Critical Decision rocking the Prelim Rider Division, going clear steadily with canadian rider David Ziegler to finish up in 8th place. Equally, it’s great to see Merloch win his OP Division with Sharon White and Fleeceworks Mystere Du Val still going well for Victoria New for 6th place in Prelim Rider.
Patrick Wilcher and Pepperbox, 8th in Prelim Rider A. Check out his smile – isn’t that what it’s all about?!
Road Star and Laine Ashker, fourth in Prelim Horse A. I loved this horse and Laine gave him a great ride; he looked to completely trust her and had such confidence, not to mention being an OTTB sourced by Laine’s mother Val he has an awesome gallop and a super, effortless jump. Tall and angular he’s definitely one to watch as he grows into himself and matures.
Ronald Zabala-Goetschel and Wise Equestrian Master Hill, 15th in OP B
Sarah Rupert and Man of Conviction. A stop at the coffin marred an otherwise very nice round in Prelim Rider. I did see one other horse stop there but on the whole it didn’t seem to cause too many problems.
Sinead Halpin and Don’t Be Alarmed who was one of several horses to be taken by surprise by the drop off the bank, and yes, I couldn’t help but think of Will Coleman last summer in London each time I saw a horse get to the lip and change it’s mind, I can only imagine how much it haunts him still.
Waylon Roberts and Yarrow, 5th in OP A
I’m sorry for all the people I’ve neglected to mention or take pictures of, I know there are many. It was a great day at Rocking Horse Saturday; once again everything ran smoothly and punctually, and the organisers couldn’t have tried any harder to keep everybody happy. We’re all glad that Vance Frey got up and walked away with nothing more serious than bruises after a fall in the Prelim Division even though he might be sore tomorrow. I think lots of people were glad to get their first serious run of the year under their belts and I’m looking forward to an exciting Spring season ahead. Thanks as always for making us a part of your routine, and Go Eventing!
