Buck Davidson and The Apprentice are leading the Advanced at The Fork.
Good morning from The Fork! It’s 42 degrees and raining here, but the good news is it’s supposed to be warm and lovely for the rest of the weekend. I’m following the Advanced dressage tests this morning, as many of the entrants are entered at Rolex and using The Fork as their final prep event. Will Coleman and Twizzel kicked things off this morning in the Advanced division. Always a professional, Twizzel performed a very accurate test for a 31.9 to currently sit in second just behind Buck Davidson and The Apprentice. Rolex will be the finale of this horse’s career, and Will seemed very determined to give him the best ride possible in preparation for Kentucky. After the test, he sat ring-side studying a video of his ride on an iPad. I say well done, and I’m so looking forward to seeing this pair perform the final dressage test of their wonderful partnership at Rolex.
Will Coleman and Twizzel are sitting in second at the Advanced division at The Fork.
Boyd Martin and Master Frisky were next. The test rolled along smoothly until the horse reared a bit during the turn on the haunches. But that error didn’t penalize them too badly; they earned a 36.3 to sit tied for third. Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek were next, performing a very accurate test with an exuberant flying change to sit tied for third. Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Eagle rode fourth in the lineup, with Michael Barisone and David O’Connor watching the test closely. You might hear a bit of Michael’s commentary during the rest in the video I shot. Michael seemed very pleased with the test, saying that the horse’s first flying change was the best Michael has ever seen from him. Aside from being crooked in the rein back, the test was very obedient; Phillip should be pleased with that going into Rolex. He and Fernhill Eagle are currently sitting in fifth place on a 36.9.
Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek are tied for third in the Advanced.
Buck Davidson and The Apprentice were next, performing a very accurate test to just edge Will Coleman and Twizzel with a 31.3 to move into first place. This is not one of the three horses that Buck is taking to Rolex, but he performed incredibly well. Aside from a slight bobble in the canter work when it looked like the horse spooked a bit, as well as a sticky change, the test looked lovely. Madeline Blackman and Gordonstown, who are also Rolex bound, were the last of the morning rides I watched. The horse seemed tense from the start and never quite settled, spooking at the beginning of the canter work and coming to a complete halt. Madeline struggled to regain control after that; they are sitting in seventh on a 45.3. Tests are running all the way through the afternoon with no breaks, so I’ll be trying to catch as many rides as I can while still bringing you updates on the action. Go eventing.
Current scores in Advanced at The Fork
