Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
The first big test of the newer partnership of Boyd Martin and Liz Halliday’s Paris horse, Cooley Nutcracker, came this weekend as the pair contested their first CCI4*-L together at the Yanmar America Tryon International. Boyd’s taken the reins on “Bali”, who is owned by the Nutcracker Syndicate, while Liz continues to make strides in her recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained at the AEC in August of 2024 (see the most recent update on Liz here), and he’s taken his time establishing himself with this new-to-him ride over the past few months. This weekend is their first Long format together, and Boyd navigated to a fast double clear cross country Saturday, coming home 10 seconds inside the optimum to move into the lead and delivered a double clear show jumping on Sunday to finish on a winning score of 32.7.
“It’s been a real privilege and honor to have Cooley Nutcracker in work,” Boyd said. “Obviously, he’s Liz’s Olympic champion horse, and he’s taking a bit of time to get the hang of it. [Yesterday] was sort of the first time I’ve opened him up and pressed him on in the cross country, and he was sensational. He gave me a fantastic, fantastic round where he was just bold and brave the whole way round.”
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
For Boyd, the process of forming a partnership with this horse has been, as he puts it, “somewhat embarrassing” because he knows what the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding has accomplished with Liz. He wants to do the horse and his original rider justice, but it takes time. “It’s not from lack of trying,” he laughed. “Obviously she had a wonderful partnership with Bali. And you know what, I think in the cross country phase, that’s the one part where we really clicked right out of the gate. In the dressage and show jumping it’s been sort of a bit of work getting to gel together, but then in the cross country, right from our first event, our first Prelim Horse Trial at Pine Top in February, we’re definitely on the same page. He’s a fantastic cross country horse with that monster stride and scope to spare.”
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Dressage leader Woods Baughman knew he may not make the time with Hopak de Greenbay Z, but the primary goal for the weekend was achieving a qualifying result for 5*, should Woods decide that’s the next step for the 12-year-old Zanghersheide gelding owned by Manderly LLC. Woods intimated that his goal for cross country would be a clear round, as quickly as he could go. They achieved that and their MER, collecting 19.2 seconds yesterday and one rail today to drop down into seventh on the final standings.
Phillip Dutton and Jewelent. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Phillip Dutton and the Jewelent Group’s Jewelent, who also secured a double clear cross country to move from sixth into second just behind Boyd yesterday, also jumped clear today to secure their podium position on a 35.2. Buck Davidson and Cassandra Segal’s Cooley Candyman also moved up a spot, from fourth into third, yesterday with 8 time penalties jumped double clear today to finish on a 41.2.
Buck Davidson and Cooley Candyman. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
One pair, Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri, who were on a re-route after encountering trouble at Kentucky, were recorded as a horse fall in this division yesterday on cross country, and Laine Ashker also fell with Lovedance in the 4*-S; both horses and riders are reported to be ok.
Sharon White and Jaguars Duende. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Looking to the CCI4*-S, it was the Sharon White show as she navigated her rising superstar, Jaguars Duende, to the victory — despite having, initially, two pins activated on cross country. The first pin was taken off by the Ground Jury after it was deemed to not have fully activated and therefore not changed the dimension of the jump, as per the FEI Eventing Rules, though the second was upheld. Sharon had enough cushion thanks to a quick turn of foot, though, and secured “Jag’s” first win at the level (in her second start at 4*) on a final score of 46.6.
“My goal is always just to make her continue to feel as confident as she is,” Sharon said. “The footing was amazing, so I didn’t mind going quickly, and I just did efficient lines, right? Like, I did very efficient lines. And she’s so easy to steer, and it’s not like I have to do a lot of setting up. So it’s just — it’s very easy to be quick on her, and the ground was so good. So the goal is just to get her very confident at the level.”
Jaguars Duende has been one of the top-rated young horses in the world throughout her career, but Sharon’s in no hurry to push for the next step. For her, it’s about the big picture. Instead of aiming for a 4*-L this part of the year, Sharon will likely let “Jag” take the time to absorb the new things she’s learned and continue to develop her strength at home and at jumping and dressage shows.
“You have to look big picture, right? Like, you have to look big picture,” she said. “If you look at big picture, you’re like, “Oh shit, there’s no hurry here.” If I’m looking at LA, there’s actually no hurry. And the more I do with her, the less chance I have her in the future. Every jump you jump on them is one less at the other end.”
Kim Severson and Cooley Corraghy Diamond. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Second in the 4*-S are Kim Severson with her exciting newest Advanced horse, Cooley Corraghy Diamond (owned by Roz and Bill Johnson), who moved from equal ninth into second on a finishing score of 50.6 also in a sophomore 4*-S effort. She’s joined on the podium by Cole Horn and MBF Cooley Permission To Land, also making just their second 4*-S start, on a final score of 51.5 that saw them move up from sixth place initially.
Here’s a look at the rest of the FEI division winners this weekend at Tryon:
CCI3*-L: Devon Brown and Hickstead (40.7)
CCI3*-S: Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Connor (28.7)
CCI2*-L: Meghan O’Donoghue and Global Eros (24.8)
CCI2*-S: Ashley Kehoe and Daktaris (35.1)
CCI1*-S: Will Faudree and Ardeo Taycan (33.0)
Tryon International Three-Day Event (NC): [Website] [Scores]
