Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

Historically speaking, the show jumping phase at Carolina International in Raeford, Nc. has produced a healthy number of clear rounds inside the time. In 2021, a total of 14 pairs delivered double clear efforts for a 41% clear rate. The 2019 event (the event was canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19) saw 17 of 43 pairs jump double clear for a 40% clear rate. This year? Four pairs out of 31 starters managed to leave the poles up and stop the clock in time, giving this year’s event a mere 13% clear rate.

Rails were fairly scattered throughout Marc Donovan’s winding track, though a related question at fences 6 and 7AB caused a consistent number of difficulties with eight riders having the upright, narrow bicycle vertical at 6 down and seven riders having 7B, the out of a two-stride, down. Several riders also encountered difficulty in the triple at 10ABC, with 10A coming down most frequently (6).

Time also proved to be a factor, though more combinations stopped the timers inside the optimum despite having one rail than in 2021 — four riders had no rails but were unable to stay inside the time, including overnight leaders Tamie Smith and the Ahearn family and Eric Markell’s Mai Baum (Loredano – Ramira, by Rike), who added .8 time penalties but maintained a healthy cushion in the lead. Originally, she had chosen not to run “Lexus” as the 16-year-old German Sport Horse gelding preps for Badminton in May, but she’s been eyeing Ian Stark’s track with a gleam in her eye all week.

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“Maybe throw in some suspense right now, because I might just give it a go!” she laughed after her show jumping, giving us all a glimmer of hope that we’d get to see her rip and roar around tomorrow after all.

But, a strategy is a strategy, and Tamie informed us later on that as much as she wants to have a crack with Mai Baum tomorrow, she’ll be sticking to her original plan of withdrawing. Instead, she’ll do her last stateside prep run at The Fork at Tryon in early April.

Will Coleman and Dondante. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

This will leave Will Coleman and Team Rebecca LLC’s Dondante (Pachio – Muckno Clover, by Euro Clover) in the driver’s seat, but a clear round will also need to be fast against the optimum time and remember: this event is still a setup for bigger things to come this spring. We’ll find out tomorrow who’s planning to ride for the win and who’s planning to play it safe.

Despite the influence of the show jumping in terms of clear rounds, the original top three after dressage remained unchanged as both Will with Dondante as well as third-placed Doug Payne with Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter’s Starr Witness (Chello II – Carmen, by Veneur) added no penalties to their starting marks.

“Al jumped well today. We were trying a little bit of a different setup and we are sort of still playing around with it getting ready for the Kentucky CCI5* but he is a real trier,” Will said. “Tomorrow is a big test and Ian Stark has laid out a different test this year. It’s big and it is a real 5* prep but that’s why we come here. I am looking forward to having a crack at it.”

Doug Payne also laid down the first double clear of the day with Quantum Leap to “leap” into the top 20 heading into tomorrow (yeah, okay, I know that was a lame one).

“Today I thought the course was really well designed and built. I was certainly appreciative that the ground jury stuck to the snug time allowed as it’s a good preparation for other events this spring,” Doug said. “The horses jumped well and I was really happy with all of them. It was a big atmosphere for them to jump in but that is why we are here. I think tomorrow’s course looks great. Ian Stark has changed up the track and it’s nice to have something a bit different. He does a good job preparing them for the bigger three days to come. The ground is excellent and I am looking forward to it.”

Advancing into the top five after a beautiful round are Marc Grandia and Team Rebecca LLC’s Campari FFF (Camiros – Tanner, by Ariadus), who added 1.6 time penalties but no rails to move from seventh into fourth position. Hailing from Washington State, where he runs Full Gallop Eventing with his wife and fellow eventer/coach Erin, Marc is also an ICP-certified instructor with a full roster of students as well as a licensed cross country course designer.

Marc’s had an extensive competition career, but Campari FFF is the horse that’s brought him to the cusp of his first CCI5*, which he hopes will be at Kentucky next month. They’ve spent a good amount of time competing on the East coast — a test run, Marc called it — finishing fourth in the inaugural CCI4*-S at TerraNova last fall as well as ninth in the CCI4*-S at Tryon in November.

But 2022 has not started off in the most ideal fashion, as Marc originally intended to prep for Kentucky on the West coast. But then, the California EHV-1 outbreak forced the cancellation, out of abundance of caution, of his first Advanced run at Twin Rivers, where he and Erin also base for the winter. So Marc and Erin decided to send eight of the 11 horses they’d brought south back home, taking three on the road to the East coast.

“I think I called everybody I know, and the consensus was that all the events out here in the spring are good, but if you want to go to something hard — which I wanted my horse to do — then I should come to Carolina,” Marc said.

Marc calls Campari FFF, who was purchased by Team Rebecca LLC as a five-year-old and has been produced from his first Novice event on by Marc, “a career-changer” as he eyes his big goal next month. He’s not here to win this weekend, he says, but he hopes a nice test will set them up well for their 5* debut, and the first two phases of the weekend have encouraged him — despite all the changes in plans.

“I’m not quite sure how to describe it when you have to travel all the way across the country and send the other horses back home,” Marc said. “But to come out and still have all systems firing feels really good.”

Completing the top five and still locked in a tie that began yesterday, Sydney Elliott and Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire (Diarado – Lantana, by Sandro Hit) and Will Faudree aboard Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables’ Pfun (Tadmus – Celerina, by Cento) each lowered one rail for a two-phase score of 32.8.

Looking to the other divisions that jumped today, here are your leaders:

CCI3*-S: Caroline Martin and Redfield Champion (27.0)

Caroline Martin and Redfield Champion. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

“I was really pleased with all of my horses today and their efforts in the show jumping phase,” Caroline said. “I have been taking lessons with my longtime show jumping coaches, Anne Kursinski, Kim Perlman, and Erik Duvander, who have really helped me develop the horses and get them stronger at the level. It was great to be able to carry everything we have been working on at home to the warm up and then into the ring. I think the cross country courses look strong yet fair. The ground is perfect, and the team here has done an incredible job so I am looking forward to having a crack at it tomorrow.”

CCI2*-S: Dom Schramm and Quadrocana (25.2)

Dom Schramm and Quadrocana. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

“Quodrocana was incredible today and I think she is the best horse in the United States with really great owners as well,” Dom said. “The course for tomorrow looks good and educational. I like them to be able to answer these questions in preparation for long formats later in the season and I think the way they have changed the flow of the course really encourages them to get in a good rhythm. I was looking for something that was going to really boost her confidence and it is very much true to the level.”

CCI1*-S: Olivia Coolidge and Bold Impression (28.7)

Olivia Coolidge and Bold Impression. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

“This is our first FEI, and my horse was amazing today,” Olivia said. “It was super fun and a big atmosphere, but my horse really showed up. He jumped the moon for me, and it was such a good feeling. Andrew McConnon has been helping us and his guidance has been so helpful. Tomorrow’s course is pretty open and there are a lot of good questions and lots of galloping so it should be fun.”

And finally, there is also a small-but-mighty Advanced division running this week, and Boyd Martin currently holds the top three positions after dressage with Contessa, Fedarman B, and Fernhill Prezley:

All eyes will now turn to the test Ian Stark has laid out for tomorrow. You can take a look at it in more detail in our preview, which includes the full virtual tour from CourseWalkApp. All FEI cross country will be streamed live on Horse & Country — click here to access the feed.

Division start times are as follows:

CCI3*-S: 9:15 a.m. ET
CCI4*-S: 11:20 a.m. ET
Advanced: 1:07 p.m. ET
CCI2*-S: 2:10 p.m. ET
CCI1*-S: 3:20 p.m. ET

If you’ve missed out on any of our coverage from this weekend, click here to catch up. Go Eventing!

Many thanks to Mikaela Kantorowski and Brant Gamma Photography for the media support this weekend, all sponsored by Ride EquiSafe!

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Official Photographer]

Click the image to view the full course.

Ian Stark has a few new tricks up his sleeve for this year’s iteration of the Setter’s Run CCI4*-S at Carolina International, held annually as a popular spring three-day prep in Raeford, Nc.

Carolina would be an event many riders circle on the calendar as a spot to give their horses a proper test before their spring 5*, whether that be Kentucky or Badminton. Its late-March timeline also means we’re beginning to see higher levels of fitness (this usually manifests on dressage day, which seems to be perennially cool and wet here — real funny, eventing gods), and Ian’s track is the perfect place for a good lung-opening run.

The NorthState Bank On It question at 15ABC. Photo courtesy of CrossCountryApp.

With a bit of rain falling Thursday but no more forecasted through the weekend, the going should be good for riders to open up on Saturday. “I should think that the going will be perfect, so from that point of view I expect horses to be able to gallop on it rather well and stay open,” Ian commented on Thursday. “There’s a little but of turning back and forth at the beginning, but the rest of the course is more committed and more open…We’ve opened up more and more of the tracks so there’s less tight turns and more galloping.”

This year’s track is quite different than its previous versions, a key change being that the riders will start and finish in the derby field that serves as the show jumping arena. From the start, they’ll wind down toward the far side of the track where the course used to start and end before turning back and heading into the woods and over the hills that feature at the Carolina Horse Park.

You can view a fence-by-fence virtual tour of the course, which features 22 numbered questions and 34 total jumping efforts set on an optimum time of 6 minutes, 37 seconds, on Cross Country App here.

A few typically influential questions have been updated, reversed direction, or otherwise changed for 2022, including the Ride EquiSafe Hollow, pictured below. The always exciting Cloud 11 Montrose Pool will also feature a new look this year, and is immediately followed by another ABC combination at fence 19, the Lumbee River Viaduct.

“My feeling for this year’s course is that I’m really looking for a good competition at four-star,” Ian commented. “It’s a really good run and a preparation for Kentucky…what we really want is a first class event and get the horses ready for wherever they’re heading.”

Most of the rider sentiments seem to echo Ian’s thoughts. Ian wouldn’t be known for building an unassuming track, but while riders always widen their eyes when describing the size of the fences, they typically note the track’s fairness all the same. It’s a core value of Ian’s design philosophy: he doesn’t take issue with the riders losing a bit of sleep the night before, but he wants the horses to understand the questions he’s asked and be able to answer them safely.

Time will be an influential factor, as is historically the case here — in 2021, for example, eventual winners Will Coleman and Off the Record were the only pair out of 34 starters to come home inside the optimum time.

You can tune in live on Horse & Country all weekend here. The CCI4*-S will tackle the track beginning at 11:20 a.m. ET, with the top 10 following show jumping running in reverse order of standing at the end of the division.

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Volunteer]

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

As Tamie Smith and the Ahearn family’s Mai Baum (Loredano – Ramira, by Rike) came trotting from warm-up to competition ring this afternoon, one of the final pairs to see in the Setters’ Run CCI4*-S at Carolina International, other riders, judges, grooms, and spectators gathered around to watch the poetry in motion we’ve all come to anticipate.

“Harmony” is the word that has replaced the former collective marks on the dressage tests, both at National and FEI levels, and it’s what we see epitomized during a test like this. Riding in front of Peter Gray and Christina Klingspor, two members of this year’s FEI World Championships for Eventing, to be held in Italy this fall, Tamie and the 16-year-old “Lexus” danced and wove their way to a new record for this event: a 20.7 to shave just .10 off Kim Severson’s 2018 record with Cooley Cross Border.

“It’s awesome having [Mai Baum] as a long time partner,” Tamie said after her test. “Dressage is very enjoyable when I ride him now…he feels so strong this year and through and I’ve gotten better and he just feels amazing.”

Tamie has worked with highly sought-after coach Johann Hinnemann off and on for the last decade, but in the past few seasons has begun working with him on a more regular basis. Last year during her trip overseas, Tamie based with Johann for some additional help on the flat, and she says that mentorship has really helped her develop her partnerships further.

“Training with Jo has been game-changing,” Tamie said. “He’s a legend. My flatwork, my horses, and the feeling of them in their suppleness and throughness — I’ve learned so much. I learn almost more from just having conversations with him after our lessons and I feel grateful to have him part of my team.”

Tamie is basing with Will Faudree during her remaining time on the East coast before heading to Badminton with Mai Baum and has four of her other horses in tow while the rest of her team keeps the ship running back at home in southern California. Julianne Guariglia’s Solaguayre California (29.8 – 6th), Judith McSwain’s Fleeceworks Royal (32.0 – 12th), and the Elliot V Partnership’s Elliot V (25.7 – 18th) are all also competing in the 4*S this weekend.

“This would be their first time out at a big event,” Tamie said of her string to Frankie Thieriot-Stutes on the live broadcast. “Fleeceworks Royal hasn’t been out in a really atmosphere type event for a couple of years, she’s just been kind of running locally at home and I was traveling a lot so she didn’t get a lot of runs last year. The others are green — [Elliot V] is green, I was really proud of him in the ring and how he composed himself, and Solaguayre California is a super promising young horse who had some green mistakes, but she’s stunning. So we’re training and kind of assessing where they’re at and going to go from there. With Lexus, it’s just getting him in the ring — I wish you could’ve seen his warm-up because he was just so excited to be at an event. He always makes me a little bit nervous these days because he gets quite excited, but we’re here training even though we’re competing.”

As Tamie continues her prep for Badminton in May, she told Practical Horseman she does not plan to run Mai Baum cross country on Saturday.

You can watch Tamie and Mai Baum’s full test below, thanks to our friends at Horse & Country:

Will Coleman and Dondante. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

Will Coleman all but punched the air with satisfaction after a near-flawless ride aboard Team Rebecca LLC’s Dondante (Pachio – Muckno Clover, by Euro Clover), who earned a personal best at the level and improved on his previous lowest by 5.3 penalty points for a 27.4 and second place early on. The striking Irish Sport Horse gelding is 12 this year and looks to be in his finest form yet here on day one; this is a wonderful partnership to have watched develop since the horse’s Young Event Horse days, and even Will told The Chronicle in 2019 that Dondante wouldn’t necessarily blow anyone away on the flat — look at him now!

“I was really pleased with Dondante today,” Will commented. “He is feeling a little bit more established and confident and while there are always some areas we can clean up, he was great today. My team and I have been quietly confident that he was capable of getting some better marks and I am just thrilled for his owners, Team Rebecca and the Four Star Eventing Group who have been a part of his career from the start.”

Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

Another busy rider in the 4*S this weekend is Doug Payne, whose 2019 Pan American Games partner Starr Witness (Chello II – Carmen, by Veneur) showed her growing strength and maturity in the ring to lay down a 28.7 that took the lead during the first half of the day. Starr Witness is owned by Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter.

“I’m privileged to have such a great group of horses here,” Doug commented after his test. “Starr Witness was excellent, it’s probably the best test she’s ever done to date.” He describes “the Ginja Ninja” as more on the careful side of the spectrum during the jumping phases, but he’ll have a couple of cracks around Ian Stark’s beefy track ahead of her time to figure out the best plan of attack.

Doug’s Tokyo Olympics partner, Debi Crowley’s Vandiver (Windfall – Visions of Grandeur, by Mystic Replica xx), also put in a solid effort to earn a 30.7 for eighth place overnight. Doug describes Vandiver as “not impressed by anything”, which means we’ll likely see him be the most efficient and quick with his experienced partner come Saturday.

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Sydney Elliott, who rode earlier in the day, took the lead after her test with Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire (Diarado – Lantana, by Sandro Hit), scoring a 28.8 that would eventually be overtaken but still leave this pair tied for fourth overnight. This pair, who represented the U.S. on the silver medal-winning Nations Cup team that traveled to Boekelo in 2021, is headed for their second 5* start at Kentucky next month (they finished inside the top 20 during their first 5* start together in 2021).

“I was super thrilled with Q,” Sydney said. “This is our second outing of the year and we’re getting better so hopefully we continue to trend to Kentucky.”

Speaking on Carolina as a popular prep for Kentucky, Sydney agreed with the general sentiments. “It’s monumental, especially for fitness with our horses. We expect to go quite fast on Saturday and really open up his lungs and have a good run. Even though we have one more event with The Fork, this one will set the tone for Kentucky.”

Will Faudree impressed early on with a relaxed and workmanlike show from Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables’ Pfun (Tadmus – Celerina, by Cento), who scored a 28.8 to tie with Sydney, who is also a member of the “sorority house” Will calls his home these last few weeks (I think “Sigma Tau Faudree” has a nice ring to it), for fourth. “He is just such a dude,” Will said of Pfun. “I’ve had him a really long time, we have a great partnership. This phase is not easy for him. He doesn’t have huge flamboyancy in his movement, but he’s very workmanlike.”

This is a home event for Will, whose Gavilan Farm and Cloud 11 are perennial supporters of Carolina International. “I’m a bit biased because it’s my home event,” he explained. “Carolina Horse Park has done [a lot of work] to ensure top, top footing and a really good track. Ian Stark has designed a really beautiful, tough track. It just is a track you can really attack, and it sets the horses up really well for their five-stars at the end of April.”

Bits & Bobs:

Ariel Grald is riding with plenty of grit this weekend after losing her front teeth and breaking her nose from a kick to the face in January. She’s a tough nut, that one, and she turned in a lovely test from the impressive-looking Forrest Gump 124 (Fuerst Hymphenburg – Amaterasu, by Amerigo Vespucci xx), earning a 31.4 to tie for ninth. Annie Eldridge’s 11-year-old Hanoverian, “Shrimp” as he’s known at home, is new to this level, having won the CCI3*L at Tryon last fall, and showed some real promise as he continues to develop his strength and understanding of the sport. “I’m so lucky to ride him!” Ariel said. “His nerves and the atmosphere got to him a bit today, but I’m really excited about his future.”

Tamie Smith isn’t the only West coast representative competing at Carolina this weekend. She’s joined by Washington-based Marc Grandia, who comes forward with the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding Campari FFF (Camiros – Tanner, by Ariadus). This pair put in a lovely effort today and were rewarded with a personal 4* best 30.5 to sit in seventh overnight. Recently relocated to Ocala from Washington, Alina Patterson with the 11-year-old German Sport Horse Flashback (Fuerst Fugger – Queen of Joy, by Quaterback) are also competing here this weekend, earning a 34.5 to sit in 16th overnight.

We love to welcome riders back to the top levels after some time away and today we shout out Heather Gillette, who returns to the Advanced and 4* level this year with the big and handsome off-track Thoroughbred, Vincent Chase (Value Plus xx – Her Entourage xx, by Elusive Quality xx). Dressage wouldn’t be “Vinnie’s” favorite part of the job, but he’ll be keen to get out jumping as the weekend progresses. Heather last competed at this level with her former five-star partner, Our Questionnaire, in 2013.

Looking to the other FEI divisions running this weekend, your leaders are:

CCI3*-S: Caroline Martin and Redfield Champion (27.0)

Caroline Martin and Redfield Champion. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

“Redfield Champion is just phenomenal,” Caroline said. “Paul Hendrix sourced him two years ago and he has been brilliant ever since. To have a horse that really wants to come out and win every day is an incredible feeling and it was great to see all his talent reflected in the marks today. He is only eight and both Blake and King are seven having just stepped up to the level this year so to see them all sitting at the top of such a competitive division is so rewarding.”

CCI2*-S: Dom Schramm and Quadrocana (25.2)

Dom Schramm and Quadrocana. Photo by Brant Gamma Photography.

“I thought Quodrocana did a lovely test, and she deserved every mark she got,” Dom said. “She has always been a super nice horse on the flat but for one reason or another something has always popped up. I thought today everything really came together and she did her best test. I’m looking forward to the weekend ahead and jumping on the grass tomorrow as I have found it is good practice and exposure.”

CCI1*-S: Lily Dal Cin and FE Bobby Dazzler (26.4)

Lily Dal Cin and FE Bobby Dazzler. Photo courtesy of Brant Gamma Photography.

“FE Bobby Dazzler was super today, and I am just thrilled with him,” Lily said. “We had an amazing warm up and he was so relaxed going into the ring. He was obedient, and I was thinking he might have been a bit looky once he got into the ring, but he was so focused. This is both of our first FEI’s and he couldn’t have been better. I am really excited to be able to jump in the Derby Field tomorrow and I think the cross country course looks great.”

Next up, riders will take on Marc Donovan’s show jumping track tomorrow, followed by the cross country finale on Saturday. The schedule, updated as of yesterday, can be found here. Show jumping will begin at 10 a.m. ET with the CCI3*-S, followed by the CCI4*-S at 12:00 p.m. ET.

All jumping for the FEI divisions will stream on H&C+ this weekend. I highly recommend signing up for a subscription as H&C+ has a full roster of live streams coming up for 2022, on top of the masses of entertainment and educational content also available. Check out the USEA H&C+ hub here for more information. You can also sneak a peek at Ian Stark’s cross country course here on CrossCountryApp.

That does it for us after an exciting day one at Carolina! We’ll be back tomorrow with much more — thanks for following along, and as ever, Go Eventing.

This post may be updated with additional photos and quotes. Many thanks to Amanda Chance and Mikaela Kantorowski for their contributions to this report, as well as to official photographer Brant Gamma for providing media images.

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Official Photographer]