Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Ladies ruled cross country day in the Yanmar America CCI4*-S at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International, leaving us with an all-female top five when the dust settled. Topping the board is your wire-to-wire 2024 champion, Liz Halliday riding Ocala Horse Properties’ and Deborah Palmer’s Miks Master C (Mighty Magic – Qui Lumba CBF, by Quite Easy) and finishing on her dressage score of 22.5. The pair improve on their second-place finish here in 2023, and decisively at that: 8.2 penalty points distance Liz from the rest of the field.

“I was really happy with him,” she said. “And he was very thoughtful and organized at all the questions and galloped well and came back to me, which was great. That was sort of the big question. He is always going to be a strong horse — we’re not going to take that out of him. But he did come back to me.”

Rideability has been a recurring theme throughout Liz and “Mikki’s” relationship, which began in 2022 after the Swedish Warmblood gelding bred here in the U.S. by Laurie Cameron came to her program, but Liz is feeling like she’s putting the pieces together, bit by bit. Literally, in this case: known for her affinity for bits, Liz explained that she had previously ridden the horse in an American gag bit with copper rollers that used a chain under the chin for stability. This year, she took the chain off after Ian Stark, who rode his incredible Murphy Himself in the same bit, advised her that it might make Mikki more comfortable and, therefore, rideable. That one small detail, she says, has made a big difference, in addition to the gaining of strength that comes with more time together.

“[Ian] told me he used to run Murphy Himself in this bit that I have, but without the chain. And that was a very strong horse, of course, a very famously strong horse. It’s a cherry roller American gag, so it’s actually a really nice mouthpiece. He’s actually a very sensitive horse, people probably don’t think that he’s got a very sensitive mouth. I know a lot about bits, and one of the most important things I always focus on is making sure the mouthpiece is right for the horses. This is actually it’s a big fat, single jointed [mouthpiece] with rollers on it, just with a bit of leverage, because he’s very strong, but he’s so much happier in this particular mouthpiece. I’ve tried others and he gets upset and then he doesn’t focus, so in this he still focuses so I was happy.”

Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Liz has her eyes set firmly on obtaining a selection to represent the U.S. at the Paris Olympics this summer, so her spring path looks a bit different than simply aiming at a 5*. Instead, Mikki will go back home to Liz’s main home base in Lexington and prepare for the 4*-S at Kentucky. “He doesn’t need to do extra runs,” she explained, noting how well he performed this weekend and how rideable he was in both jumping phases.

For finishing bang on the optimum time, Liz also collected the Antigua Cup, created in memory and honor of Will Faudree’s longtime 5* horse, Antigua.

Liz also finished in the top 5 with The Monster Partnership / Ocala Horse Properties’ Cooley Nutcracker (Tolant R – Ballyshan Cleopatra, by Cobra), who picked up 4.8 time penalties to finish on a score of 33.5.

“Nutcracker of course needs another run before he does his first five-star,” she said. “So he’ll go to Stable View. I do think he’s ready for a five-star, so I wanted to give him a very good ride today. I’d say I wanted to go quickly, but not at the risk of not riding every fence well. So that’s why I had four time faults, but I’m fine with that. It’s his first proper run of the year.”

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Moving into second with 2.8 time penalties and a finishing score of 30.7 are Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan), who is owned by Mollie Hoff and Caroline’s mother, Sherrie Martin. This is a horse that has come up through the levels via the USEA Young Event Horse program as well as the US Eventing Pathway Program, which has sent him and Caroline overseas in Nations Cup competition as well as to the Pan American Games last fall, where they won individual gold and team silver.

“He’s like a little unicorn,” she said. “In warm up, I wasn’t nervous. I was just looking forward to riding him and just kind of looking forward to in my head. I don’t think I’ve ever had been in position my career on a horse that it feels like a schooling round at the four-star level. I think this is his third Advanced now and it feels like he’s been doing it for 200 years.”

Initially, HSH Blake was a part of Caroline and business partner Kelley Hutchinson’s sales program, but after a few prospective buyers passed on him and he won the Young Horse CCI2* at Virginia Horse Center, Caroline knew she was sitting on the real deal and enlisted the support of Mollie Hoff to come in as an owner so that he could remain her program.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“A lot has changed,” Caroline laughed when I asked her how Blake has evolved over the years. “You’re gonna laugh: so my first Beginner Novice, I swung and missed and fell off of him. I mean, in show jumping, like really bad. I had hyped him up to everyone like, ‘come look at my new fancy import, I don’t want to sell him. I’m hoping keep the ride and get him syndicated, come watch him go!’ And I swing and miss and everyone’s gone. Like everyone just walked away.”

It’s certainly early days yet, but it’s difficult not to think that this pair (and a few others here this weekend, including of course our winner Liz Halliday) is firmly on the selectors’ radar as they deliberate over the selection of the Olympic squad. For Caroline, the pressure to peak at the right times and show the consistent competitiveness that bodes well for success on a team is immense, but, as she puts it, “I live for it.”

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Finishing up third in the marquee division are Meghan O’Donoghue and the off-track Thoroughbred Palm Crescent (Quiet American xx – Edey’s Village xx by Silver Deputy xx), who sailed around Ian Stark’s course with just 1.6 time penalties to wind up on a score of 30.9. It was exactly the confirmation she was looking for to solidify her plans to travel to Badminton for the first time in May.

“Palmer” raced 12 times in his first career, hitting the board with a win one time before retiring. He began his eventing career with Jan Byyny and later went to young rider Chase Shipka before Meghan eventually took over the ride and purchased the horse for the 2015 season. Now, nearly a decade later, Meghan and Palmer have contested five CCI5* events together, including a top-25 finish at Burghley in 2022.

As for the decision to take the 18-year-old gelding to Badminton this year, Meghan explained that she wanted to challenge herself a bit more than “being comfortable at Kentucky” (words I will definitively never utter, unless Kentucky decides to at a CCI-Novice one day). Her voice thickened as the emotions she feels for this horse welled up.

“He’s kind of the king of our stable because he is our only top horse and he genuinely appreciates it,” she said. “And I think that I feel like this weekend is just a relief because I feel like it’s a place he deserves. You know, he’s 18. And, you know, you sit back and you’re like, ‘Man, I wish I had like, five more years. I’m just lucky to be here and have this event with him, and whatever happens is icing on the cake.”

Rocket boosters, engaged! Photo by Sally Spickard.

“I feel like it’s taken a long time to pull three solid phases together,” Meghan continued. “And, you know, I think that today, I went out with the mindset that, you know, he’s aimed at a five-star. And I want him to feel good about himself. But I also haven’t been put in this position to be competitive too often in my career, so I kind of felt like I had something to go out and prove that, you know, I actually liked the pressure and thrive under the pressure. So I, without being too crazy, tried to make good choices, but let him have a good run and do as competitively as I thought was safe enough to do today.”

She credits her longtime care team of veterinarians, farriers and bodyworkers, as well as her grooming squad lead by Emma Tuit and aided by Abigail Fulmer and Lindsay McCormick, for helping keep the horse in incredible shape as he reaches his late teens. This consistency and looking after the horse instead of always chasing a result, she believes, have contributed to his longevity in the sport.

And hey — “How many Thoroughbreds do you see anymore, going at five-star?” she laughed. Indeed, the trek to England will be one OTTB fans will be following closely, and that includes team EN!

Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Another member of Team USA for the Pan American Games last year, Sydney Elliott and Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire (Diarado – Lantana, by Sandro Hit), climbed the leaderboard steadily after starting the weekend in 10th place. They went on to finish with two clear jumping rounds and a speedy cross country that amassed just 1.6 time penalties to finish in fourth place. This is another seasoned pair making an earnest bid for team selection this year, putting their experience and longtime partnership to work to carve out a smooth ride around Ian’s cross country today.

“He’s just so wonderful and so reliable,” Sydney said. “I for one love Ian’s courses. I’m so, so sad that he is retiring this year, but [his courses] were made for me and Q and so I knew it was gonna be a fun day, as long as I didn’t, you know, do anything disastrous!”

“It is just going one step at a time, you know, over the years,” she described of their nearly decade-long partnership. “And he just continues to surprise us and we’re just so hopeful for what he has the last few years that he’s got going. So we’re very excited.”

Sydney is also aiming at what is shaping up to be a very competitive Lexington 4*-S the weekend of Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event at the end of April.

Doug Payne made us all envious of his positional stability with a trip through the massive water at the tail end of the course, which he did sans a right stirrup. To prove how unbothered he was by this, he and Quantum Leap (Quite Capitol – Report to Sloopy xx, by Corporate Report xx) — also a U.S.-bred horse, bred by Elizabeth Callahan — went on to collect one of two clear rounds inside the optimum time of 6 minutes, 28 seconds (Canada’s Waylon Roberts and OKE Ruby R also finished inside the time; they were also the sole pair to do the same at the Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase earlier this month). That was good enough to move the pair up into sixth after starting the week in 24th place.

Doug’s days in the sport of eventing are a bit numbered, though he still has several horses going as he slowly transitions over to full-time show jumping.

“Quantum, he’s done, what?, six five-stars now? And you couldn’t have a better, more fun horse to take out on cross country,” Doug said. “I mean, he doesn’t pull at all, he goes in a snaffle, and he reads things so quickly. He’s adaptable and sharp and so we took a chance on the time.”

Quantum Leap and Camarillo will head to the Kentucky 5* next, and Doug also has two horses he hopes to take in the Split Rock Invitational, which has been upgraded from a CSI3* to a CSI4* this year (but don’t ask me what that means).

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle finished in 7th place. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Looking at the numbers from today, as mentioned before two pairs made the time (in comparison, four pairs made the time over a very similar track in 2023): Doug and Quantum Leap as well as Waylon Roberts and OKE Ruby R. 29 out of 33 pairs jumped free of jump penalties for an 87.8% clear rate. This is a slight increase over an 84% clear rate over last year’s track. Three pairs encountered difficulty at separate fences (the Normandy Bank at 17, the B element of the main Yanmar water, and the final jump out of the coffin at 12). One rider, Sara Kozumplik, unfortunately parted ways from Rock Phantom after the horse just pecked on landing a bit at the final water, which sent her out the front door, but they were both unharmed.

Having also ridden in the Yanmar America CCI4*-S, Boyd Martin (who finished in 12th with Bonnie Stedt’s Miss Lulu Herself) stated that the course was, “a beautiful course. It was the right degree of difficulty. It was challenging enough without being punishing on the horses. I feel like all the horses here were sort of a using it as a stepping stone event as they fire up for the big goals of the spring.”

The final FEI day was bittersweet, as it also marked the last time Ian Stark would design a CCI4*-S course at the Carolina Horse Park. Sydney Elliott stated, “I just can’t even talk about it. I feel like Ian said, it is just so sad. He’s so influential in our sport. And there’s so many people that design courses, right? But Ian’s courses teach. They teach the horse how to gallop. He has mastered that art and so it’s very sad.”

Breezeway Sport Horse & Diagnostics CCI2*-S winner Ariel Grald expressed similar feelings. “Ian is an amazing course designer. I’ve been fortunate to ride around a lot of his tracks. So not only is he brilliant at that, but it’s sad as he did really grow the Carolina International into the spectacular event that it is now,” Grald said. “I know Ian as well through his cross country advising for the US team. So I just have the utmost respect for him as a designer, rider, coach, and horseman. He’s just an all around awesome person.”

Ian Stark finishes a clear round on HSH Persuasion. Photo by Veronica Green-Gott.

As an extra treat, Ian also took a spin on Kelley Hutchinson’s HSH Persuasion, a sale horse in Caroline Pamukcu’s program. We documented the fun:

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It’s been another thrilling weekend at Carolina International and we’re very grateful to all who made the weekend so enjoyable. The action isn’t quite over yet as the National divisions have yet to wrap up tomorrow, but that wraps up our reporting from the event. Safe travels home to all and as ever, Go Eventing.

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Cross Country Maps] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“Military precision” is how Liz Halliday described the operation of her support crew on a intense and busy day of show jumping here at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International. “Full rockstars,” she said. “I’d like to say thank you to my awesome team because we had almost zero time in between rounds [today].”

And when you’re holding four of the top five spots on the leaderboard, every round counts. Liz delivered: she secured a double clear to start the day with the Monster Partnership’s Cooley Moonshine (Cobra – Kilpatrick Duchess, by Kings Master). She later returned with Ocala Horse Properties’ and Deborah Palmer’s Miks Master C (Mighty Magic – Qui Lumba CBF, by Quite Easy) to cement her status as two-phase leader. While the Monster Partnership’s Cooley Quicksilver had one pesky rail that dropped him to sixth, the Cooley Nutcracker Syndicate’s Cooley Nutcracker (Tolant R – Ballyshan Cleopatra, by Cobra) closed the show with another clear round.

Liz now holds first and second ahead of tomorrow’s finale, sitting within range in 4th and 6th, respectively, with Cooley Nutcracker and Cooley Quicksilver.

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Despite an alarming moment when a ring crew member stepped in her way approaching the swedish oxer, which did make her a bit tighter on the clock with Miks Master C than she had intended due to having to take an extra half-halt, Liz was thrilled with how “Mikki” is feeling. She’s changed his bit this year, she says, and feels that he enjoys this setup — a hackamore with a bit and two reins — more.

“I think it’s made a big difference and he will start to really use his body better,” she said. “He’s definitely more happy with his mouth open and just being able to release his body better. I think I got it all right; I swapped from the bit that I used at the [Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase earlier this month] and I thought he was gorgeous.”

Liz Halliday and Cooley Moonshine. Photo by Sally Spickard.

As we’ve mentioned before, Liz trains with Peter Wylde for the show jumping, enlisting his expertise and quiet way of riding to help her hone her skills in this phase. This winter, she’s spent some time jumping around some 1.35m classes at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, which she says has really helped both her and her horses.

“Mostly, my goal is to be a little bit faster, and just get comfortable just turning up to the jumps, which I think I did well today,” she went on. “I felt like I for the most part was back in my groove again. And I have jumped a few bigger classes this year — 1.35 and stuff, which has been great for me. And Peter’s helped kind of push me to do that, which is good. It’s been nice having him at the shows because he’s just such a great coach.”

Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Sally Spickard.

She describes her longtime coaching team of Erik Duvander and Peter as her “zen place” — “I’ve had the two of them sometimes, they just put me in my zone. They’re chill, we’re just all chill together. No drama. It’s super nice.” — which helps her step up to the plate when the pressure is on.

Liz will withdraw Cooley Moonshine ahead of cross country — this has been her plan all along as he aims for the 4*-L at Tryon in May — which when official will move Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan), owned by Mollie Hoff and Sherrie Martin, from third into second place.

Liz Halliday and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Sally Spickard.

For her part, Caroline was over the moon with the progression of her young superstar. “I keep hyping about him being stronger and a year older, but it really does make a difference. An eight-year-old around a four-star is a big ask, so just having one more year for him to get a little bit stronger — having a stronger canter and a stronger topline makes his life easier. He can show himself off more because it’s easier for both of us.”

This winter, Caroline and several other U.S. riders, including Tamie Smith, went on an outing to World Equestrian Center in Ocala, where upcoming Paris show jumping co-designer Gregory Bodo was on hand for a period of time to design the jumping courses there. This provided a prime opportunity to gather important intel ahead of the Games.

Caroline Pamucku and HSH Blake. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“I got [longtime coach and Olympic show jumper] Anne Kursinski to come up and [business partner] Kelley [Huthincon] and I kind of came up with a plan for him,” Caroline explained. “The biggest thing is just making sure I don’t rush the rhythm in the ring. He’s such a good jumper and he’s a phenomenal athlete. So just going in and having a steady round, not being so worried about making the time.”

Moving into the top five after a double clear show jumping are Meghan O’Donoghue with her own off-track Thoroughbred, Palm Crescent (Quiet American xx – Edey’s Village xx by Silver Deputy xx), who at 18 years young is aiming at both his and Meghan’s first attempt at Badminton this spring. Meghan and “Palmer” scored a 29.3 yesterday to place themselves competitively and will end up moving two places into fourth once Cooley Moonshine’s withdrawal is official.

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“He’s a very seasoned horse at this point which I’m just grateful every time I have him at a competition now at 18 years old,” Meghan said. “He just doesn’t feel like it, and he just shows up and gives 110% — if anything he’s always almost trying too hard, so it’s been a huge long journey of figuring him out and trying to make the recipe just right for him to have a career mindset that allows his best performances.”

Meghan has benefitted from the care of longtime groom Emma Tuit keeping Palmer in his best shape, and on the flat from Barend Heilbron and Ian Woodhead. “We all know those are key players that you can’t be successful without, and I know its part of my recipe of finishing a competitive weekend here. This year I have Badminton on my mind, that is my spring goal and I think with an Ian [Stark] track it was the right thing to bring him to.”

In total, 14 pairs of the 35 starters delivered double clear efforts over Marc Donovan’s always-influential track set on grass in front of the Carolina Club. A handful of fences elicited the most problems, with the triple combination heading toward the Carolina Club at 7ABC causing a total of 9 pulled rails. The time allowed was adjusted down from 88 seconds following the first few riders, and four pairs accumulated time penalties over the course of the division.

Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Tomorrow’s Yanmar America 4*-S cross country is very similar to the 2023 version, with a few minor tweaks here and there. This is the final year Ian Stark will design courses, but he’s got a full roster on his plate before he fully hangs his hat up, including the Bramham 4*-L in the UK and the Maryland 5 Star this fall.

“It’s the same flow the same course as last year,” Ian remarked. “I’ve just tweaked a few things. And the first water for example, is probably a little friendlier with the last water is quite intense. I got to the end of last year, and I kind of — my attitude was this year’s gone really well, maybe I should bring my own retirement forward a year! So I didn’t want to do big changes this year. I’m trying to get through this as smoothly as possible as the idea, but no, I mean, there’s plenty for them to jump out there. It’s not going to be a walk in the park, that’s for sure.”

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Sally Spickard.

With the idea in mind that many riders use this as a prep for a spring 5*, Ian factors this in as he thinks about his design. “If I look at it that it’s early in the year and back off, then it’s not giving them a proper introduction to Kentucky or Badminton. And I’m a great believer in encouraging the riders and the horses to come up to the level, not taking the level to them. So, I’ve never really been shy at asking the questions. I’m kind of nervous on cross country, always because you ask the questions and you think, ‘oh, yikes, they’re out there.’ And it’s all your responsibility. But I think for the horses and the riders for me, it’s important that they get the chance to jump a decent track, before they go to the big competitions.”

Cross country begins tomorrow at 8 a.m. ET with the Intermediate division, followed by 3* around 9:30 a.m., 4* around 11:45 a.m., Advanced around 1:51 p.m., 2* at 3:03 p.m., and 1* to close the day at 4:25 p.m. You can view the live stream for all divisions on cross country on Horse & Country here.

Stay tuned for a more extensive course preview of the 4*-S coming your way first thing tomorrow morning. Until then, stay safe and Go Eventing!

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Cross Country Maps] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point that Liz Halliday means business when she calls herself a competitor. As the first to see this morning in the Yanmar America CCI4*-S at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International with The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Moonshine (Cobra – Kilpatrick Duchess, by Kings Master), Liz quickly put to rest any “first horse-itis” and took an early lead with a score of 25.5 from the Ground Jury of Robert Stevenson (USA) and Peter Gray (CAN).

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Well and swell as that was, Liz still had three more rides to show in the division, and at the end of the day finds herself in ownership of four out of the top five spots on the leaderboard, supplanting herself in the afternoon sessions with Ocala Horse Properties’ and Deborah Palmer’s Miks Master C (22.5). The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Moonshine (25.5) slotted into second after taking the early lead, and Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer – Kylemore Crystal, by Greggan Diamond) moved into third place on a 27.1, and The Nutcracker Syndicate’s Cooley Nutcracker (Tolant R – Ballyshan Cleopatra, by Cobra) earned a 28.7 to take fifth overnight.

“I’m really really pleased with him,” Liz commented of Miks Master C. “I’m still sort of playing around with things, always trying to fine-tune things with him. He’s a very, very powerful horse and he offers a lot of power in the ring. Definitely there were a couple little mistakes, like the halt and the rein back weren’t our best — maybe just a few little bits of nerves for him. He’s still settling into the season, but I thought the good bits were very, very good. And those were some of the best changes he’s done in a test — he’s really starting to find his self carriage and his lift now without dragging me, which is great. So I was overall really, really proud of him.”

We asked Liz what she has been fine-tuning with “Mikki” as she aims for her highest goal of making the Olympic team this summer. “Sort of all winter, I’ve just tried to teach him to push from behind and really take the nose up and out a little bit more. So I’ve shortened up my reins a lot and just trying to say, ‘Come on, we’re gonna be up here now.’ And I think it’s taking him a little while — obviously it takes time to find the strength, but I think it’s definitely heading the right way. So we just keep working away, keep trying to get him stronger and better.”

Liz Halliday and Cooley Moonshine. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“I just adore him,” Liz continued about Cooley Moonshine (Cobra – Kilpatrick Duchess, by Kings Master), who is aiming at Tryon’s 4*-L this May. “I’ve had him [since he was a] five-year-old and we’ve been through a lot. He’s had a few little setbacks along the way, but if we can keep all the wheels on the cart, he’s a world class horse. And he was just such a pro today. As a younger horse, he used to really struggle with the walk, he’d get really edgy. And actually, that’s getting much better. He’s sort of settled in and he’s much more relaxed.”

“He’s very different horse from my others. He’s kind of his own character,” Liz described Cooley Quicksilver, who is also aiming at Tryon. “But again, he’s also quite professional. I can’t believe he’s 13 — I’ve had him from a baby as well. But I actually thought it was a good test. The center line at the beginning is always tricky with him. But the rest I thought he was very professional and he tried really hard. He’s become quite a consistent horse, which is pretty cool.”

Liz has found great success at this event in the past and always makes a point to mark it on her schedule en route to her spring three-days.

Liz Halliday and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“I try and target Carolina for the horses going to the big stuff, because I think it kind of gets them comfortable with the serious four-star track,” Liz said of taking the Carolina route each year. “[Ian Stark] always builds a big solid track with big drops in the water, so that’s a really good experience for the horses aiming for Kentucky. So that’s kind of always my plan. And I just love this event, honestly, it’s just a great event. I’ve always enjoyed it.”

Liz trains regularly with show jumping Olympian Peter Wylde and often takes her horses to show jumping competitions to complement her eventing, and that practice should be put to good use around Marc Donovan’s show jumping track on Friday. The FEI competitors all jump on grass in the big Twin Rivers Derby Field, which is a unique element of this event as in recent history there aren’t many other events that offer this opportunity. Liz will have one rail in hand over herself and Cooley Quicksilver, but could turn the lead over to, well, herself, with more than one down with Miks Master C.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The sole non-Halliday member of the top five today is Caroline Pamukcu, who slotted into fourth place on a score of 27.9 with Sherrie Martin and Mollie Hoff’s HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan), her partner for the Pan American Games last fall with whom she won individual gold and team silver. “Blake’s” score suffered slightly due to some anxious moments stemming from bug harassment during her test, which likely prevented her from taking a top three position.

“He got a big old fly on his neck, and I couldn’t get it off,” Caroline lamented. “I was so disappointed. You know, it’s just one of those things. I tried everything I could to knock it off his neck — but no excuse, I should figure out how to ride better!”

With Blake just being 9, Caroline has worked on helping him gain strength in his body over the winter.

“There’s always a lot of stuff we want to work on, but again, just the biggest thing is just strengthening him,” Caroline elaborated. “I’ve been working hard with my coach Anne Kursinski, and I actually had to change my program. This year, I started training with Sharon White, she’s been helping me with him. Both her and I are on the same page, just giving him time to mature. It’s gonna be a long year — it’s not like we’re not trying to peak now, you know, we’re trying to peak in the month coming up. So he’ll hopefully go to Kentucky four-short after this, and then Tryon for a Long. And then we’ll see how we do at those two shows and see what what the team has in mind for us for the summer season.”

“I really, really, really love her empathy towards horses,” Caroline said of working with Sharon, who herself is leading the 3*-S here at Carolina with the exciting young horse Jaguar Duende. “A lot of the stuff that I learned at the Pippa Funnell’s, a lot of it aligned with what I saw with Sharon, especially at the Pan Am’s. Just in general, I’ve known her for my whole life and always looked up to her. And I just always enjoyed that horsemanship and her positivity for the horses and for everything. So I’m really excited to be working with her and look forward to the future.”

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent enjoyed a lovely test to sit in 6th on a 29.3. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Not quite six rails separate the entire field ahead of show jumping on Friday, so we should be in for some shake-ups as the final standings begin to take shape.

The jumping begins tomorrow with the 3*-S at 10:00 a.m. ET, while most of the National divisions also get underway with dressage. You can catch the show jumping live stream on Horse & Country here.

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Cross Country Maps] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]