CCI3* First-Timer Kylie Lyman is First and Third After Cross Country at Bromont

Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Before today, Kylie Lyman had never ridden around a CCI three-star. But at day’s end, she had piloted two horses — both of whom are also CCI3* first timers — to double clear rounds around Derek di Grazia’s cross country course at Bromont and now holds the lead with Lup the Loop. She also moved from 15th to third with her second mount, Sacramento. There were five double clear rounds in the division, and Kylie’s horses produced two of them.

Joan Nichols’ 8-year-old Lup the Loop and Cristin O’Hara’s 10-year-old Sacramento, each of them Irish Sport Horses, moved up to Advanced this year, and both have spring wins under their belts: Lup the Loop saw victory in Advanced at the Carolina International, and Sacramento won the CIC3* at Jersey Fresh just last month.

There was a significant amount of shuffling on the leaderboard by the conclusion of the division. Those who went clear and fast moved well up the standings with time penalties having a significant impact on the overall results.

Ryan Wood blazed around the course with his and Curran Simpson’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse Woodstock Bennett, finishing double clear and moving up from sixth to second place. He’s put the pressure on and ensured that Kylie will not have a rail in-hand going into show jumping. Rachel McDonough and her own 17-year-old Thoroughbred Irish Rhythm made a big move, catapulting from 15th to fourth with a classy double clear. We hear poor Rachel was up all night with her dog Cooper, attempting to bathe the smell of skunk off of him!

Ryan Wood and Woodstock Bennett. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Buck Davidson and The Apprentice were the division trailblazers and overnight leaders after dressage. They jumped clear but 14.4 time penalties dropped them to seventh place. Jennie Brannigan and Catalina picked up ten time penalties but managed to retain a top-five position. Waylon Roberts and Kelecyn Cognac now sit within 10 points of first place, having added 3.2 time penalties and moving up to sixth.

Erin Sylvester, who is leading the CCI* with Mister Optimistic after a double clear this morning, was just two seconds over the time in the CCI3* with Mettraise, who was the winner of the Bromont CCI2* in 2013. They moved up 11 places from 19th to eighth with their performance today.

The biggest movers in the current top ten are Savannah Fulton and Captain Jack, who added 1.6 time penalties to move from 21st to ninth place in their second CCI3*. Cooley On Show jumped out of his skin for Sharon White, and they bettered their placing by one, moving into the top ten with 8.8 time penalties added to their initial score.

There were no horse or rider falls in the CCI3* and only a few problems spread out around the course. Will Faudree and Pfun, second after dressage, picked up an unfortunate runout at the triple combination at 13, but they finished without any other problems and looked very well through the tough corner combination on the back of the course.

Matthew Brown and Talking Point BCF, seventh after dressage, retired after two refusals at the final fence on course. Diana Burnett and Bonner’s Chief II retired after incurring 20 penalties at the water combination at fence 4.

Kylie Lyman and Sacramento. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

CIC3* Stuart R. Horne Canadian Eventing Championships

Ryan Wood and Frankie have leapt into the lead after a clear round just one second over the time. Overnight leader Hannah Sue Burnett and Jacqueline Mars’ Cooley Dream added 8.8 time penalties to move down to third place. In second is Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges. They added 2.8 time penalties and may put the pressure on Ryan tomorrow with less than a point separating the two.

Carolina Martin and Effervescent moved up a place to fourth with 5.2 penalties to add. The only double clear round in the division came from Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie, for which they were rewarded a big move from 11th to fifth.

Jessica Phoenix, who was second and third after dressage with Don Good’s Bentley’s Best and Pavarotti, withdrew both of these horses before the start of cross country. She and Abbey GS fell at the A element of the offset brushes at fence 6, but both are reportedly okay. Jessica ended up withdrawing A Little Romance. Buck Davidson also fell with Tiger Lion at an open oxer at 11, but they are reportedly fine.

We’re all griping about the rain now, but the conditions were pretty perfect for the horses early on: cloudy and comfortably cool. We’ve heard good things about the footing, and it’s nice to see the locals out and enjoying the horses. We’ll find out more when we talk to our riders during this evening’s press conference. Stay tuned for much more from Bromont!