Boyd Martin and Trading Aces took the lead in the CIC3* after show jumping with a beautiful clear.
Marc Donovan’s show jumping course shook up the leaderboard this afternoon in the CIC3* at Richland Park, with just eight riders jumping double clear rounds out of the 46 in the division. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces moved up from second to take the lead thanks to their double clear trip. Oscar jumped beautifully across a course that required a forward, almost aggressive ride at points over the sloping grass show jumping field. Phillip Dutton and Ben dropped one rail to move from first to second, while Michael Pollard and Mensa moved up from fourth place to third with a double clear show jumping trip. Buck Davidson and Petite Flower also turned in a double clear round to move from eighth to fourth, while Will Faudree and Andromaque jumped clear with one time penalty to round out the top five.
Phillip Dutton and Ben
With the time ultimately proving so difficult to make, riders had to make every second count, which factored heavily into how they decided to ride Marc’s option at fences six and seven. Riders could take the direct route over a black plank vertical with navy rails to a max liverpool, which required a big jumping effort but saved precious seconds, or they could jump a blue and white oxer to a patriotic vertical, which saved on energy but required a longer gallop back around to the remaining fences on course. The vast majority of riders took the more direct route, while some combined the two options, taking a bending line from the blue and white oxer to the liverpool. Marc’s course demanded that riders hash out a very accurate plan and then commit to it, which worked well for some and caught out others.
Michael Pollard and Mensa
The CIC3* show jumping course started out a bit rocky for several riders, with Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott giving us a scare at the third fence, a black and yellow oxer with butterfly standards. Cave added a stride at the last minute and scrambled over the jump, nearly unseating Phillip, who somehow held on in a very athletic display, climbed back into the saddle and proceeded to jump the rest of the course with just one stirrup, as the other was stuck up under his saddle. It was a very impressive Mr. Stickability moment we can attribute to the fact that Phillip was trying out a new bit on Cave, who jumped well around the rest of the course. Phillip and Cave had been sitting in fifth place after dressage and unfortunately dropped down to 31st after factoring in the jumping and time penalties.
Buck Davidson and Petite Flower
Caitlin Silliman and Catch A Star also ran into trouble early in the course, when Hoku stopped at the first fence, jumped sticky over the second and third, and stopped again at the fourth, leading to elimination. I’m just gutted for Caitlin, who has worked through Hoku’s show jumping demons with such patience and positivity. I’m sure I speak for all her fans when I say that I hope we can chalk this up to an anomaly on a course that rode really tough for a number of riders. Twenty-three riders — many of whom typically put in clear show jumping performances — had two or more rails, and time also played a major factor, with 17 riders completing the course with at least one time penalty.
Will Faudree and Andromaque
Considering how difficult the course proved to be, I have to give a shoutout to the other riders who jumped double clear: Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights, Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe, Jolie Wentworth and Goodknight, Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz, and Jimmie Schramm and Bellamy. Peter Barry and Kilrodan Abbott and Selena O’Hanlon and A First Romance also jumped clear but picked up one time penalty. Jolie and Ari moved all the way up from 27th to ninth on the merits of their performance, and Michael and Mango moved from 30th to 12th. Another shoutout has to go to Colleen and CR, who jumped beautifully and moved up to sixth in the horse’s first CIC3*; they’re having a dream weekend so far. Stay tuned for much more from Richland!
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