Caroline Pamukcu and King’s Especiale. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
After yesterday’s many withdrawals at the MARS Great Meadow International, seven pairs out of 22 were left to tackle the 4* cross country course today, designed by David O’Connor.
Caroline Pamukcu stayed in the lead with the 8-year-old King’s Especiale (Connect – Cha Cha Special, owned by HX Group Redfield Kings), picking up only 10.8 time penalties to finish on a score of 44.2. Caroline also won the 3*-S with HSH Vamonos (owned by Sherrie Martin RAH Resources LLC), ending on their dressage score of 28.9.
“They’re the best horses I’ve ever had; this is the best string I could ever think of and there’s so much work that goes into them and we have such good owners,” she said.
King’s Especiale, although only eight, stands at a tall 18 hands. “Because I’ve had him since he was a five-year-old and I’ve done every single cross country jump on him, he makes it feel so easy. I know him inside and out, he knows me inside and out. It really makes a difference when you have them from babies.”
Overall, the course ran smoothly for the pair, with some combinations needing extra preparation because some of the distances were on the shorter side.
Next on the calendar for the pair is the 4*-L at Morven in October. “You just take it show by show and week by week. They’re eight and they’re getting stronger in their body and they’re growing a little bit, so if I feel like maybe they don’t need to, they don’t have to go [to Morven].”
Lillian Heard Wood and Dassett Olympus. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
Lillian Heard Wood took second place with Dassett Olympus (Lancelot – Cruising, owned by Debby Greenspan), adding 19.2 time penalties to end with a score of 55.6.
“I thought all these people are withdrawing, should I not run? I don’t want to hurt my horse, the ground is hard. And then I just said to myself, ‘Ok, I’m just not going to go fast, I’ll run, I can get to do all the combinatons. It would be really good education for him, but I just won’t hustle him really hard between the jumps.’”
You’ll see this pair at Morven in the 4*-L, but up until then, Lillian will continue working on lowering their dressage scores and keeping Dassett Olympus fit so he’ll be ready for the 10 minute course at Morven in October.
Tim Bourke and Monbeg Libertine (Womanizer – Chill Lady, owned by Lisa Takada) moved into third, picking up the least amount of time out of the top three, 10.4 penalties, and finished on a score of 61.1. Tim said that the cross country course was straightforward and ran well considering the conditions. “They did a good job in the back half of the course aerating it and having it ready,” he said.
Tim took some time off for a little over a year and a half with a broken leg last year, so he’s getting back into the swing of things. Because of the new FEI categorization rules, he’s working on getting back to being an A categorized rider, so the rest of the fall will be spent on getting more 4*-S under Tim and Monbeg Libertine’s belts to hopefully go 4*-L by the end of the year.
“The organizers did a great job for the conditions that were put to them. And I think us, as riders, we’ve got to do everything we can to support these shows so they don’t disappear off our schedule.”
That wraps up the action from MARS Great Meadow International, and now we’ll kick on for the upcoming action at American Eventing Championships as well as Burghley this coming week.
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