Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Tamie Smith again dominated the day’s news and results. Going late in The Event at Rebecca Farm’s top international division, the CCI4*-L, she and Lillet 3 caused Spectator Hill to collectively gasp. The reason was their smooth short cut from the Duck-to-Angled Brushes combination at 14ABC to the fence #15 Water Pipe right under the VIP tent.
The pair’s 28.1 dressage score was already leading the pack. They enhanced that by finishing 12 seconds under the course’s 10:58 optimal time – a time expected to be hard to make over this unusually long route.
Smith figured the shortcut shaved 5-6 seconds off their time and, in hindsight, she wished she’d done it with Kynan, the horse she rode first in the class. “I’d been mulling it over, and when I saw people struggling with the time, I decided I would do it if the one-stride rode right.”
It rode right for the “nippy, quick mare” owned by student Molly Duda, and Smith went for it.
Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Boldness, precision and plenty of pace were course designer Jay Hambly’s priorities throughout the six international levels of cross-country competition today. This was phase-two of The Event at Rebecca Farm’s international competition in the Olympic equestrian sport of Three Day Eventing. The international divisions conclude Sunday, July 20, with show jumping in the Farm’s marquee Arena 1, starting at 9 a.m.
“She was foot perfect the rest of the way,” Smith continued of Lillet’s performance. The ascent to Lillet’s debut at the level has involved some struggle to “understand what kind of ride she needs and what kind of step she has,” Smith shared. “Sometimes I’ve gotten into trouble because I don’t believe her step is as big as it is, because she’s so nimble and quick. It’s been all coming together and especially today,” Smith concluded.
Riding an efficient track is a skill Smith credits to Mai Baum. Her international partner for the last 10 years, Mai Baum leads the CCI4*-S and will retire from competition after the end of FEI show jumping. “Mai Baum is not a fast horse, so he taught me to be efficient, smooth and slick.”
Will Coleman and Fahrenheit Addict. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Smith’s Team USA teammate Will Coleman admitted that his first trip to Rebecca Farm is “long overdue.” The Florida and Virginia-based horseman made the most of it by jumping clear in the CCI4*-L and exactly nailing the optimal time with Fahrenheit Addict. Coleman rides the horse for Team Rebecca, LLC, and said he was enjoying the fruits of their labors over the last 18 months together. That included stepping the horse back few levels to rebuild the foundation of his training and build up confidence.
Pinpoint control was required in combinations where steeply angled lines between fences had to be navigated in just a few strides. Coleman’s smooth riding epitomized what it takes to maintain that control without losing speed.
Last year’s CCI4*-L winner Jennie Brannigan, on Kismet, was the third rider to finish within the time. They moved into third on a 35.8. Brannigan, a longtime Rebecca Farm advocate and another Team USA veteran, also sits 4th with Connory, with a 37.7. Smith and Kynan are 5th on a 38.9.
Smith and Lillet have a show jumping rail in hand for tomorrow’s show jumping finish, but there is not much wiggle room in the standings behind that.
Praise for the Course
Jennie Brannigan and Kismet. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
The Event’s new course designer Jay Hambly was widely praised. “I think everybody will be really happy with what their horses come away with on the track,” Coleman said.
“It’s easy to take over somebody else’s course and maybe back off or keep it a bit the same,” Smith observed. “Jay didn’t play it safe. He beefed it up. It was up to the standard and the time was hard to make. I think he did an outstanding job, and I was really impressed.”
After one elimination, the CCI4*-L is now a field of 13 pairs to face the show jumping finish designed by Chris Barnard. CCI4*-L show jumping starts at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Mai Baum Leads the CCI4*-S
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Smith stayed in the limelight as Mai Baum stayed in a solid lead of this division, cruising to minimal time faults and a 27.6. They are one rail up over Smith’s second horse in the division, Jutopia, on a 35.3.
A hush fell over Spectator Hill as Smith and Mai Baum left the start box, the crowd swarming en masse to see and cheer every seeable effort from that great vantage point. Going last in the class, the pair fittingly had the course to themselves. This included the quiet stretches galloping on their own on meticulously groomed tracks through yellow-blooming canola fields.
“When I was by myself with Mai Baum, I was actually laughing the whole way,” Smith shared. “It was so easy and effortless, yet he has his own unique style that I have grown accustomed to.” They had not gone cross-country together since last fall and Mai Baum’s singular sensations at the gallop stirred up the memories.
Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
“It’s not always the greatest feeling,” Smith revealed. “He’s kind of a little bit always behind my leg. A little bit always over jumping and a little bit always going the same speed.” Feeling all that again, and for the last time, “I was like, ‘What are you doing?’” Smith shared with a wistful smile at day’s end.
Smith’s partner in 2nd place so far, Jutopia, will be returned after the mare’s summer schooling to owner, Molly Duda. But Smith has enjoyed and maximized their three outings together. “I could see where she was a bit green in some places, but she is such a class mare and she was just awesome.”
James Alliston and Alliston Equestrian’s Paper Jam are third on a 38.3, incurring just .8 time penalties.
A fall and a retirement on course brought this CCI4*-S field to 8. They show jump Sunday starting at 3:05 p.m.
Pelligrini Stays Atop the CCI3*-L
Meg Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Coach Will Coleman described 20-year-old Meg Pellegrini’s two rides in this division as “well beyond her years. I’m so proud of her poise out there and it reflects the incredible amount of work she puts into it.”
With both her leading horse, Falcon Crown Z, and his 4th-seated stable mate, Cooley Wish Upon A Star, the day was “harder than I expected it to be,” Pellegrini said. “Not because of the course but because both horses were really feeling it.”
“Falcon was bucking and broncing in the warm-up ring,” she shared. “Out of the box I was expecting him to be spooky, but he was so game. So, I had to change my plan a few times and bring him back to me in a few places.” Hitting her minute markers consistently on both horses, she was thrilled to finish double clear on both – even enjoying breaks in intensity where she could “let them breathe and calm down.”
“The course rode beautifully,” Pellegrini added. “The ground felt amazing and we were really lucky with the weather.”
James Alliston and Anna Nicholas’ HMR Rolan were also double clear to maintain their 2nd spot in the standings, on a 28.9. Lucienne Bellissimo and Horse Scout Eventing’s Qatar M incurred only .8 time penalties to sit third on a 30.9. Alliston and Grace Brownrigg’s Irish Pop had minor time penalties to be 4th on a 34.7.
Two rider falls, two retirements and an elimination pared the CCI3*-L to a 7-horse field for show jumping, which starts at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday.
Tommy Greengard Takes Over CCI3*-S Lead
Tommy Greengard and Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
“He decided I’m his person,” said Tommy Greengard of how Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad went from struggling at Training level here last year to leading this division on a 31.5, with just 4 time penalties. Owned by Patricia Culleton, the horse was “spectacular,” said the young professional with Chocolate Horse Farm in Northern California.
As the first FEI division on this cool, misting morning, the division got off to a slightly rocky start. There were five eliminations and a retirement. In addition to the technical challenges of the tracks between fences, Rebecca Farm’s courses are famous for their colorful and creative jumps. In this division, the Up Bank to Moose complex at 11AB gave several horses particular pause.
Southern California professional Erin Kellerhouse finished clear on two of her own horses –Bon Vivant GWF moves up into 2nd on a 39.1 and Ringwood Adios Amigo is 3rd on a 40.1.
Bon Vivant and Amigo are 10 and 9, respectively, and Kellerhouse started working with both when they were 4. This was their second year at The Event and, while they were up to the physical tasks, the atmosphere was a lot to handle – especially for the spookier Amigo. Both rose to the occasion today and confirmed the Swift Ridge Eventing owner’s abilities with young horses.
Both horses are on track to fulfill Kellerhouse’s goal of qualifying them for the USEA’s American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena. This year’s AEC will be held at Kellerhouse’s Galway Downs home base in Southern California’s Temecula, in late August. Today’s course was super prep for both, she said. “The courses had a lot of hard stuff on them, but they looked fun and doable and they were!”
The now 14-horse CCI3*-S begins show jumping at 12:35 p.m. on Sunday.
Gabriella Ringer Stays Ahead in the CCI2*-L
The top three stayed put in this division, with 21-year-old Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild going double clear – 28 seconds under the time – to stay on their 25.2. The pair have been together since Get Wild was 5 and Ringer was 13. After a terrific dressage performance on Thursday, Ringer said today’s goal was to build confidence and have some fun and they clearly accomplished that.
Colorado professional Dani Sussman was also double clear with Water Valley Royal Guy to stay in second on a 27.4. Right behind them, again, is another accomplished Young Rider pair – Hanni Sreenan and Ebenholtz sit third on a 27.5.
The CCI2*-L’s 21 pairs start show jumping at 10:30 a.m. time Sunday.
Alyssa Phillips In the CCI1*-L Lead
Pennsylvania professional Alyssa Phillips and her own 6-year-old, Centerfold, stayed atop this division on their 31.5 dressage score. Brianna Rasmussen and del la Renta moved into 2nd with 2.4 time penalties for a 37.6 score. And Renata Price and She Owns the Room move up into 3rd after a double clear cross-country effort.
CCI*-L pairs start show jumping at 9 a.m. time Sunday.
Free Spectator Fun, Food and Excitement
Spectators are welcome at no charge. The Event’s Shopping Fair and Festival are open Sunday, including the free Kids Zone from 10 to 3.
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