Classic Eventing Nation

Boyd Martin and Contestor. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Cross country proved to be the deciding factor in the CIC2* and both CIC* divisions today at the Bromont CIC Three-Day Event, with time penalties shuffling the standings to give us new faces across all three leaderboards.

Boyd Martin had a solid day across the board here in Quebec, finishing all three of his CIC3* rides inside the top 15 and taking the win in the CIC2*. He piloted Denise Lahey and Pierre Colin’s Contestor, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding (Contango X Jer’s Princess, by Killer Jer), to the win on his dressage score of 32.2.

After overnight leaders Jessica Phoenix and Bentley’s Best were eliminated on refusals, Boyd and “Cortez” could afford to be 1 second over the optimum time of 5 minutes, 50 seconds and still take the win. But they didn’t need it, cruising around 2 seconds inside the time to seal the deal.

The win is especially impressive considering things did not go to plan for Cortez at Millbrook two weeks ago, where he was withdrawn following show jumping due to a rocky round. Boyd went back to the drawing board with his coach Richard Picken and very nearly took a victory lap yesterday after Cortez delivered a super clear show jumping round.

“It was a fantastic performance by my old mate Cortez. He’s had the comeback of all comebacks after a disaster at Millbrook,” Boyd said. “To come back and win at Bromont — it goes to show what two weeks of training can do. He’s a wonderful galloper and great jumper. He’s owned by the breeders, Denise and Pierre, and is one of their favorite horses. I’m very lucky to have them on board.”

Only four pairs made the optimum time in the CIC2*. Erin Sylvester and Frank McEntee’s Paddy The Caddy, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Azamore X Slamy, by Grand Slam), beat the clock to move up from seventh after show jumping and finish second on 33.8.

Michael Nolan and Andrew Walker’s SBT Good Guy, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Loughehoe Guy X Watervalley Dawn Diamond, by Glidawn Diamond), added 4.8 time penalties to finish third on a final score of 37.4. Click here to view full scores from the CIC*.

Waylon Roberts and Wil Celtic Charlie. Photo by Cealy Tetley/Bromont.

No pairs caught the time in the CIC*, but Waylon Roberts and Aletta Martin’s Wil Celtic Charlie delivered an impressive clear with 1.6 time penalties in the horse’s FEI debut to take the win on a final score of 28.0.

“Charlie,” a 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Porsche, just stepped up to Preliminary level this season and struggled a bit in the extreme heat and humidity in his last run at the Horse Park of New Jersey.

“I did a lot of work to get him fitter and able to run a little faster, and he felt a lot better today,” Waylon said. “I walked all three courses, and for the level the fitness on the one-star was the hardest of the three; it had the most uphill pulls. I was 4 seconds over, and I really did go as fast as I could go on him.”

After winning his CIC* debut, Charlie will return to Canada later this month for his first CCI* at Foshay International, the country’s newest FEI event in New Brunswick. Waylon was on the fence about whether he would compete at Foshay due to the possibility of Kelecyn Cognac being selected for the Canadian World Equestrian Games team. Sadly, Waylon has withdrawn “Dan” from consideration for WEG.

“Dan just didn’t feel right in show jumping yesterday,” Waylon said. “It’s time for him to step back from the level. … I love the horse, and he’s done so much for me. It would be folly to keep pushing at this point, so we’re going to back off. He’s ready to go back down to a lower level.”

In typical kick-on eventer form, Waylon is staying optimistic and looking ahead to the future. Considering how well Charlie handled his first CIC* at Bromont, he is thinking of the horse as an option for the Canadian team at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Looking to the rest of the CIC* leaderboard, Lindsay Traisnel and Patricia Pearce’s Bacyrouge, a 7-year-old Selle Francais (Mylord Carthago X Lelia, by Clyde de la Combe), jumped clear with 1.2 time penalties to finish second on 29.9.

Colleen Loach and Peter Barry’s Foreign Quality, a 7-year-old KPWN gelding (Warrant X Orsina II, by Calvados), led after show jumping and added 5.2 time penalties to finish third on 31.1. Click here to view final scores in the CIC*.

Cole Horn and Cooley Sligo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Four pairs beat the clock in the CIC*-Under 25 division, with Cole Horn and Cooley Sligo storming around 10 seconds inside the time to take the win on a final score of 33.5 in the horse’s FEI debut.

Cole has produced “Sligo,” a 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Sligo Candy Boy X Town Land Pride, by Townrath Pride), from a 4-year-old and said he was thrilled with how the horse handled Derek di Grazia’s course.

“Everything rode really well. I just stuck to my plan that I had going into it and came home well under the time with that,” Cole said. “There was no hesitation from him. He was in it for the whole run and kept on going.”

Cole has worked for Ryan Wood for nearly three years and said he has been instrumental in helping to produce the horse to this point in his career. “Ryan has taught me everything I know about how to ride cross country and show jumping,” Cole said. “I wouldn’t be anywhere without him.”

Sligo will be listed for sale soon as Cole works to build the funding to ultimately start his own business. He is looking forward to producing his next superstar, 4-year-old MBF Cooley Permission to Land, who is gearing up to compete in his first event this fall.

Olivia Hayes and Tracy Zack’s Astrana de la Galerna, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Mystic Replica X Alisas de la Galerna, by Windstar), added 0.8 time penalties to finish second on 36.0.

Bradley Champagne and his own Wallaroo W, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred cross (Staccatto X Brilliant Invader, added 0.4 time penalties to finish third on 38.6.

That’s a wrap on Bromont! Stay tuned for some special editions of Who Jumped It Best. Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage. Thank you to Sue Ockendon and her fantastic team for a super weekend in Canada. Go Eventing.

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Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Jenni Autry.

No one caught the optimum time today on Derek di Grazia’s CIC3* course at the Bromont CIC Three-Day Event, but Selena O’Hanlon and John and Judy Rumble’s Foxwood High delivered one of the fastest rounds of the day to clinch the win on 30.4.

Selena and “Woody,” a 15-year-old Canadian Sport Horse bred by Epstein Equestrian (Rio Bronco W X Evita II), started the day in a three-way tie for fourth place and rose to the top of the leaderboard thanks to crossing the finish with just 2.4 time penalties.

“I found this course very twisty in comparison to normal Bromonts, and there were a couple of places where I lost time. The footing was superb and the fences were built just beautifully. The terrain was going to be a little bit of a test for Woody because I don’t really have hills at home, but he felt really fit at the end,” Selena said.

“He felt fantastic and pulled up really nice — he was wondering where the rest of the course was! This was his first run since Badminton. He was very adjustable and listening and looking at his job and locking on.”

Now Selena and the other Canadian WEG hopefuls will be waiting on pins and needles ahead of the team announcement, which is expected to be released early in the week. Selena and Woody represented Canada at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, and she hopes his winning form here at Bromont will seal the deal on a team slot for Tryon.

“I hope that I get picked for the team for Woody’s sake and for his owner’s sake. He works really hard, and his owners are 100% behind him and always have been. I have the attitude of ‘one horse show at a time’ and ‘don’t count your chickens until they’ve hatched’ and I hope for the best, but I think after how he performed on cross country and the way he proved himself this weekend, I would be surprised if he was left off the team.”

Selena echoed the sentiments of all the riders when she praised Sue Ockendon and the team at Bromont for stepping in to run the August CIC, which provided an ideal prep run for horses heading to WEG.

“It was a safe course with safe footing and a good confidence-building round, and a fitness round with the hills,” Selena said. “I’m so grateful we got this event to replace Richland because there aren’t many venues that could replace Richland, and this is one of them.”

Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lynn Symansky and Mary Ann Ghadban’s Under Suspection were one of the pairs tied for fourth after show jumping, and the 14-year-old Holsteiner mare (Contender X Naomagic I, Exorbitant xx) skipped around with 4.0 time penalties to finish in second place on 32.0.

Boyd Martin and Long Island T, a 12-year-old Oldenburg/Thoroughbred (Ludwig von Bayern x Haupstsbuch Highlight, by Heraldik xx) owned by The Long Island T Syndicate, led after show jumping and added 6.4 time penalties to finish third on 32.0.

Boyd Martin and Long Island T. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred (Quiet American X Edey’s Village, by Silver Deputy) owned by Chase and Darcy Shipka, had the fastest round of the day, coming home with 0.8 time penalties to move up from 15th and finish fourth on 33.5.

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Diamond Roller X Whos Diaz) owned by the Cross Syndicate, added 6.0 time penalties to round out the top five on a final score of 34.0.

Phillip Dutton and his U.S. WEG team mount Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide (Asca X Bellabouche, by Babouche VH Gehucht Z) owned by The Z Partnership, jumped clear with 7.2 time penalties to finish sixth on 34.3.

Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin finished a second ride inside the top 10 in his homebred Ray Price. The 10-year-old Thoroughbred/Dutch gelding (Raise A Stanza X Fair Fiona, by Salute) owned by the Ray Price W Syndicate added 2.4 time penalties to finish seventh on 34.5.

Will Coleman and Off The Record, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse (VDL Arkansas X Drumagoland Bay, by Ard Ohio) owned by the Off the Record Syndicate, added 2.4 time penalties to finish eighth on a final score of 34.6.

Charlotte Collier successfully completed her first CIC3*, adding 3.2 time penalties to finish ninth on 34.6 with Clifford M, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Cristo 5 X Naomi IV, by Carpaccio) owned by Parker Collier.

Lynn Symansky and her U.S. WEG team mount Donner, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred (Gorky Park X Smart Jane, by Smarten) owned by The Donner Syndicate, added 7.6 time penalties to place 10th on 35.7. Click here to view full scores from the CIC3*.

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Derek di Grazia’s CIC3* course rode well across the board, with 22 of 29 starters (76% of the field) delivering clear rounds.

Looking to trouble on course, Cary Chavis and Game On picked up 20 jumping penalties when they crossed their tracks while taking the option at fence 5, the first water complex. Kaelen Speck and Sweet Rebellion and Kaitlin Clasing and Cartender de Nyze both had runouts at 9B, the second corner at the corner combination. Brandon McMechan and Oscar’s Wild received 11 jumping penalties for breaking the frangible pin at 11A, the hanging rail at the coffin. All went on to complete the course.

Laura Welsh and Galactic were eliminated after three refusals on course at the brush corner at 14C, the first skinny at the water at 16B and the triple brush at 18B. Jessica Phoenix retired Dr. Sheldon Cooper after two refusals at 16B.

Marilyn Little sat in second place after show jumping with RF Scandalous, her U.S. WEG mount owned by Jacqueline Mars and Phoebe and Michael Manders, but things did not go to plan today. The mare was raring to go and looked very feisty going into the start box, and she ran right by fence 9A, the open corner at the double corner combination. She successfully jumped the full corner combination on the direct route after re-presenting and went on to complete with 20 jumping penalties and 28.4 time penalties.

“I probably came around the turn too quickly given her level of enthusiasm for her to properly eye in on it, but she is fitter than she’s ever been and she’s quite exhilarated by it,” Marilyn said.

“I have to take that into account going forward, but that is what this final outing before WEG is about — seeing where your horse is, evaluating what needs to be improved, and fine-tuning those improvements over the next month. It was great to see her come in as strong as she did. I’ve got so much to work with, and still a month to make some adjustments before the big day in September.”

The four other U.S. WEG team members all jumped steady clear rounds with time penalties in preparation for Tryon, with Z and Donner finishing in the top 10. Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Tsetserleg added 4.8 time penalties to finish 12th on 37.1. Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’s Vermiculus added 10.4 time penalties to finish 15th on 42.8.

Click here to view final scores after cross country. Keep checking back for more photos. You can relieve all the action in EN’s open thread. Stay tuned for much more from Bromont. Go Eventing.

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