Classic Eventing Nation

Rachel Lawson: Thoroughbred Champion, Through Thick & Thin

By on Oct 31, 2023 9:30 am -

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo courtesy of Equestly.

As the owner of an opinionated off-the-track Thoroughbred mare, I’ve always been fascinated by eventing’s love affair with the Thoroughbred. Though purebred Thoroughbreds have now gone out of fashion, many top riders, if not all, still choose their five-star mounts based on how much “blood” they have. No, not blood in their veins, but how much Thoroughbred breeding they have in their pedigree. Through four-star eventer Rachel Lawson’s relationship with her OTTB High Tide, you can come to understand why eventing and Thoroughbreds have always gone hand-in-hand, why they’ve drifted apart, and if the breed has a future in the sport.

Rachel Lawson’s name is synonymous with Thoroughbreds. She has built a career off of restarting off-the-track Thoroughbreds for both herself and her clients. She’s still competing the horse that inspired her love of the breed, and for ex-racehorses in particular: High Tide, a 13 year-old OTTB, owned by the rider. Despite their rocky, and sometimes scary, start together, Rachel says she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Tell me about High Tide. What’s he like “behind the stall door?”

High Tide, barn name Kai, was my first off the track and he could not have been more difficult. He was just absolutely wild. Very anxious. He would have these just blind rage kind of anxiety attacks. So I spent about almost two months really just working with him doing natural horsemanship and just rope halter work and forming that bond and communicating with him and speaking with him in his own language. People literally joke that he was basically going to end up in the slaughterhouse, and they’ll say either ‘Thank god he ended up with you’ or ‘He’s gonna kill you one day.’

I just started to really learn that a lot of his antics were because he wanted to do the right job so bad that if he didn’t feel like he was doing his job 100 percent correct, he was almost like a little kid who was hitting his head against a wall saying, ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid.’ He wants to give you 500 percent and if he thinks he’s giving you 499 percent, he just can’t handle it. And I am very similar to him, so it was very easy for me to understand him.

I remember going around our first intermediate together and half way through I had this really emotional moment of thinking to myself, like, ‘Wow, this horse is gonna go all the way. All of my dreams are gonna come true on this horse.’

Since then, we’re constantly learning and it’s never ending and the journey is always continuing. We’re always striving to do better and improve. But he is in a place now where the pieces are in a row and he’s so confident in himself and in what he’s doing.

He’s my buddy and I love him and we just have such a great partnership. We have that great partnership because I just listened to him from day one. And I listened to all the things he was telling me, I understood him, and I took my time.

What was your mindset like when you were training High Tide, particularly through his younger, wilder years?

With High Tide, less is more. So I really kind of had to work on myself, as well as finding my own kind of zen place and peace. I am the same way as High Tide. I am an overthinker and I’m a worrier. With the whole anxiety thing– It was really all about learning how to positively influence him, essentially by removing myself from the equation in some ways, if that makes sense.

Despite all the difficult moments, has Kai inspired you to specialize in retraining ex-racehorses for your clients? Why did you fall in love with this breed?

Oh, absolutely. I mean, my barn is pretty much all Thoroughbreds. I just really love these horses. I think that it’s so incredible that they are purpose-bred to do this one thing, but they end up doing so much more. I mean, you see them in all disciplines across the board and you don’t see other breeds doing that, you know, and they’re just incredible.

They’re so smart and they have the biggest hearts. I will say maybe not all of them, but for the most part, they want to go to work and they want to please and they try so hard to learn all these new things and do the right thing. I think a lot of that is hardwired into their DNA, but also they’re put to work at such an early age and they thrive off of doing something and having a job, especially when they have a good relationship and partnership with their person.

And not all of them are like High Tide. I went to go see one and I looked in the stall and watched them pull him out. He was quiet as can be. No chain in sight. I watched him jog and I picked him up the next day. I typically don’t go for three-year-olds, but I had the space to turn him out for a while. So he got thrown out in the field for about six months and I pulled him back in when he was four and got on him. I mean, he just hacked out on the buckle and you could tell he was just such a good old soul. And he ended up being one of those horses that I would say you could give them off six months and you could go get them in the field bareback and ride them off and you know he would always be the same horse.

So they’re all so different. The brain to me is so so important. But you know, there’s all kinds of Thoroughbreds.

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo by Nicole Binneman.

How does track work translate to eventing? What education do the horses bring with them after getting off the track?

I galloped racehorses and I broke the babies, I did that for years. You definitely get a much greater understanding of the start to their life before they end up in a second career doing that.

So when it comes to the leg, one of two things can happen: they don’t respond to your leg because it doesn’t mean anything to them, or they’re very explosive to your leg. So Kai was very, very, very reactive to the leg. On top of that, you have to be so still and quiet with your hands and your body because on the track, when you move your hand that means go faster.

It’s really just taking everything that they know and how they’ve been started in life and their purpose in life and basically telling them, ‘Okay, clean slate, forget all that. I’m going to teach you a whole other game, a whole other world, a whole other life.’ Some of them have really great brains where they figure it out quickly and some of them are just a lot trickier.

With High Tide, you just always had to really reassure him and make a big deal and make it very clear like yes, like that’s what you’re supposed to do, even if it’s just the thought of what he’s supposed to do for a brief second. But those brief seconds build up and then one day you have 10 seconds and then one day you have five steps and so on and so forth. Once he really figured out what leg meant, moving off the leg when you’re seeing that he’s very sensitive to what you’re seeing guys. Then you get it was the same thing with the groundwork. Then you get to a point where he’s a cool, calm, free dressage horse.

How do you work with OTTBs before getting on them for the first time?

My mom loves natural horsemanship, and that was a huge part of my education growing up. She loved John Lyons and Monty Roberts. So that was kind of already a little bit in my repertoire, which carried over to when I first got Kai, Handling him on the ground, he was wild. He was rude. He was pushy. He had no personal space. Anything would make him nervous. I mean, like lights are on but nobody was home kind of just blacked out about things.

When he came to me he had been let down for about 10 days. And so we just started, you know, trying to do all the rope halter, just groundwork, I mean, the kind of the basic Parelli routine, getting him to ring back to work on a circle, change directions off your body language, and it was a nightmare. He was just so bad and so awful, he ripped away from me so many times and went galivanting around the property.

That’s where you could really start to read if he wasn’t sure of what he was supposed to do, his go to move was just a mental breakdown. That took a really long time to just kind of get through to him. Some days we’re about two hours of just trying to get him to turn the light on on the rounds, or just to take one step backwards. So it took a lot of patience, and it’s just about being very clear. Ask a very clear question and make a big deal about it when they give you even the slightest hint of the correct answer. And, you know, those that answer eventually it gets clearer and clearer and then you have this really, you know, well oiled second language that both you and the horse understand and that translates massively under saddle.

Where do you think the stereotype that Thoroughbreds are crazy comes from?

There’s a lot of people who want a horse. Thoroughbreds in the US are a dime a dozen off the track. They don’t have a big price tag on them. They get scooped up by maybe not the right homes, or the most educated homes, so they kind of end up getting a bad or a false reputation.

The last thing you should do when you get a Thoroughbred is just put pressure on them. You cannot pressurize them. It’s like sealing a tarp on a volcano. It’s gonna blow and that’s where it goes downhill. They’re a completely different animal than any other horse.

I think you see them shine when they’re in the right homes and then it doesn’t matter what discipline you ride. I’ve seen Thoroughbreds barrel race and in the show hunters. They can do so many different things. It just depends on if they end up with somebody who’s willing to listen and guide them, and let them shine in their own way and at their own pace. Educate them, listen to them, don’t put the pressure on them.

You go back to slowing things down a lot. Can you dive into that a little more? What does that mean in the context of training OTTBs?

So just taking the time and slowly trotting things is one of the best things you can do with any young horse, but especially the off the track ones. Their go-to answer for any question you ask them is speed. That’s all they know. It’s very hard for some of them to learn how to process things by slowing it down, slowing their brain down.

High Tide’s brain, for example, always wants to run a million miles an hour. And he had a really hard time trying to process things and slowing down. You can take him to events and he would want to run at the fences and seems so bold and brave and dragging you too much to the fence. But, if you came back around and just tried to slowly walk up to it or trot it, he would have a mental breakdown and he would spin and he would run backwards and not understand it at all.

I spent a lot of time walking cross country fences, which was the most intimidating thing I’ve ever done. In his younger years, I spent more time halting in front of jumps than I actually did jumping them, just to get him to understand ‘Hey, you have to half-halt here.’

So it was a very long process, teaching him that he can do things without speed took a long time, really well into his career I was still working with that. In the jumping phases, more so in the show jumping. I think that’s because when you go out on cross country you can allow them to have a little bit more of a gallop. But, as I said, even around his first beginner novice, he tried to go around it like he was running Kentucky.

Rachel Lawson Dunning and High Tide. Photo courtesy of Equestly.

Why do you think we don’t see many Thoroughbreds at the upper levels of eventing?

This sport used to be dominated by Thoroughbreds. The Thoroughbreds thrived in the long format because that was where they were in their element. I mean, it just comes down to the galloping and the fitness required. When we lost the long format, it allowed the doorway to open for the warm bloods to come in, the more show jumper and dressage-bred horses. The long format was so catered to the Thoroughbred that you wanted to be sitting on a Thoroughbred back then and that’s not necessary anymore.

And the problem is that Thoroughbreds are not for everybody. They’re very specific to the kind of ride that you’re looking for. I think if you’re a Thoroughbred person, you’re a Thoroughbred person. That’s all I want to sit on, you know? But I know people who can get on a Thoroughbred and it just doesn’t work.

Even though they can end up with a false or bad reputation, if we continue to advocate for them and believe in them, I think they’ll start to make more and more of an appearance again. The pendulum I think is kind of swinging back to that middle ground. The coolest thing about eventing though, is there’s so many different breeds. Like there’s not one stamp of a horse that’s an event horse. My first event horse was a Morgan and he was 14.3! I mean, you see Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods and Connemaras. I mean you can have a Heinz 57. There’s a place for all of them.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking at an OTTB for the first time?

Take your time, be patient, be quiet, listen to what the horse has to say. Let them tell you what they’re ready for. Don’t get greedy– I can’t stress that enough.

Because there’s so many equestrians who start off with an ex-racehorse and they’re like, ‘Okay, well, let’s go cross country schooling. Let’s go do that. Let’s go do this.’ And the horse does it because that’s what they know how to do. They know how to do what you ask them to do.

I think the best thing that you can do with an off the track Thoroughbred is just take your time and don’t get greedy, because it can be very easy to do. And I don’t think that that sets them up for success. I think that sets them up for being over faced or insecure and losing confidence.

This article was sponsored by Equestly. Check out their new app or shop their full line of equestrian gear on equestly.com. For her part, Rachel sings praises about Equestly. “I have two of the Lux 2-in-1 Jackets now and I wear them every single day, throughout the whole winter. But I think the first day that I wore my first pair of Equestly breeches, I didn’t want to take them off and that’s usually the first thing I want to do at the end of the day. But honestly, there’s not one thing that I can say is my favorite. It’s just all wonderful, great stuff. I mean I live in their stuff every single day.”

Click here to discover the full collection of Equestly products.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Oct 31, 2023 6:31 am -

 

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We’re delighted to be able to share the news with you that, after a frightening fall on course at Pau that necessitated a long hold, Austria’s Lea Siegl and her horse, DSP Fighting Line, are absolutely fine. Poor Lea does have a couple of broken ribs and has needed a bit of sewing back up after sustaining a wound to her face, but there’ll be no long-term damage and after a bit of healing time, she’ll be back out kicking ass and taking names as Austria’s leading superstar. We look forward to seeing you again next season, Lea — now, get those feet up and enjoy a bit of r&r!

Events Opening Today: None! We’ve reached that time of year, folks…

Events Closing Today: The Event at TerraNova, Ram Tap H.T. & Classic 3-Day

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

There are few better ways to end the season than a spin round a classic three-day. I love how much more prevalent these have become across the lower levels, making them an accessible goal for most riders — and one they’ll learn tonnes from, too. Meet a couple of winners from Hagyard Midsouth and find out why they wanted to focus their attentions on eventing’s “old school”.

There are some concepts that transcend disciplines — and lightness and feel are two of them. See what legendary hunter trainer and judge Geoff Teall has to say on the topic, and how he trains both horses and riders to attain both, here.

Another great way to end the season? With a win and a qualification for Badminton’s Grassroots Championship — and that’s even more exciting if you’re only thirteen years old! Meet the champ in this sweet piece from H&H.

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sponsor Corner: Les 5 Etoiles de Pau is known to have an atmosphere like no other, complete with flash mobs and patriotic parachutists. Despite the raucous atmosphere, Ros Canter and the mildly overwhelmed Izilot DHI have come home a winner. Pau coverage was brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, creator of high-quality supplements to better your horse’s quality of life.

Watch This:

Us Brits love nothing more than a Shetland race. I’m glad to see that this, from Maryland, proves that the trend is spreading. Look, we all know the tiny hairy ones will take over the world eventually — let’s not fight it.

Monday Video: Boyd and Bruno Beat the Clock at Pau

By on Oct 30, 2023 4:30 pm -

I unfortunately couldn’t watch Les 5 Etoiles de Pau cross country livestream this Saturday, but I could tell from the pinging of messages flying through the EN team Slack channel that it was an absolute doozy.

Thanks to EN team superhero Cheg Darlington running live updates, I was able to fully catch up with all the drama on course but my first real glimpse of the action has just come via this video of Boyd Martin and the Goodwin family’s Federman B‘s catty and FAST run across Pierre Michelet’s bold course.

Boyd and “Bruno” were the only pair to meet the optimum time out of all 54 pairs to leave the start box that day. While they did trigger a MIM-clip at fence 13B, their quick round still saw them climb from 16th to 9th after this phase, and then a double clear jumping round the following day would see them complete the event in 8th — that’s two for two top ten five-star finishes for Bruno now.

Enjoy their full cross country round above!

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Results] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Weekend Winners: Chattahoochee, Waredaca, & YEH

By on Oct 30, 2023 12:30 pm -

We hope that you all had a Happy Halloweekend, celebrating the spooky season with your friends and family, both two legged and four. It was a productive weekend for Eventers, despite only three events running. We saw competition through the 4* level at Chattahoochee, celebrated and enjoyed the long format at Waredaca, and highlighted the upcoming talent at the YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier.

Congrats to all on successful outings! As always, an extra special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Mia Soules and Nirvana, who scored an impressive 21.8 in the Beginner Novice Rider division at Chattahoochee!

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website][Scores]

CCI4*S: Sara Kozumplik and Rock Phantom (41.5)
CCI3*S: Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill (27.9)
CCI2*S: Leslie Law and Lady Chatterley (25.7)
CCI1*S: Candace Elizabeth Bell and Fernhill Fuerst (28.0)
Advanced: Matthew Ulmer and Wellview Mister Lux (82.5)
Open Intermediate: Mary Bess Davis and Imperio Magic (31.2)
Open Preliminary: Ariel Grald and Kingston Van Meerzicht (26.3)
Open Modified: Chelsey Sawtell and Toto’s Weather Tamer (32.0)
Open Training A: Madison Manley and NDR’s Fez (30.1)
Open Training B: Melanie Smith and Ballynoecastle TD (28.9)
Training Rider: Brie Murray and Fernhill Ranga Tanga (28.0)
Novice Rider A: Celia White and To Infinity and Beyond DASH (31.7)
Novice Rider B: April Hays and Anteros HSH (25.6)
Open Novice A: Ariel Grald and Sunhill Cobrio (27.3)
Open Novice B: Tessa Geven and Ameristan (25.0)
Beginner Novice Rider: Mia Soules and Nirvana (21.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Margaret Stocker and Smilla’s Sense of Snow (22.7)

Waredaca Classic Three Day Event & H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website][Scores]

Modified Three Day: Kate Nolfi and Wild Pioneer (36.6)
Training Three Day: Danielle Downing and Caribe PCH (28.5)
Novice Three Day: Nancy T. Read and Classic Chrome PCH (25.0)
Beginner Novice Three Day: Emma Whitaker and HSH Golden Boy (26.0)
Open Preliminary: Shannon P. Lilley and Ideal HX (31.7)
Modified Rider: Bailey Kent and Scooby Dooby Doo (38.3)
Open Modified: Martin Douzant and Caspers Run (25.5)
Open Training: Isabelle Bosley and Conner (24.7)
Training Rider: Madison Markley and Olney Uncle Sam (28.3)
Novice Rider A: Silvio Pappalardo and Pure Biz (31.1)
Novice Rider B: Emma Makovitch and Twoggeron (32.5)
Open Novice: Tracey Bienemann and After Eight (27.5)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Sophia Tews and Carson Too (29.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Lindsey Morris and Lucky Charm (27.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Martin Douzant and Beall Spring Chanel (26.6)

YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (Paso Robles, CA) [Website][Scores]

Dutta Corp. USEA YEH 4 Y.O. West Coast Ch.: Amber Birtcil and Oxford K (83.1)
Dutta Corp. USEA YEH 5 Y.O. West Coast Ch.: Andrea Baxter and Camelot PJ (85.9)
Young Event Horse 4 year Old LCQ: Amber Birtcil and Oriental Star (88.3)
Young Event Horse 5 Year Old LCQ: Jordan Linstedt and LS Crown Royal (90.9)

Camelot PJ and Oxford K Deliver Fairytale Finishes at Young Event Horse West Coast Championships

By on Oct 30, 2023 11:30 am -

The 2023 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) West Coast Championships came down to the final rides in both the 4- and 5-year-old divisions to crown a champion. Camelot PJ and Andrea Baxter recorded the best jumping score on Saturday’s second day of competition at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to move from sixth to first to win the 5-year-old championship. Oxford K and Amber Birtcil also had the best jumping score for the 4-year-olds to break the tie Birtcil had with another of her horses in Oriental Star after dressage and conformation on day one to win the 4-year-old championship.

This year’s YEH West Coast Championships continued to raise the bar for the top eventing prospects on the West Coast. The 32 horses made up of 18 5-year-olds and 14 4-year-olds represented the largest field since the West Coast Championships were first held as a standalone event at Twin Rivers in 2020.

Baxter, who has experienced eventing success up to the five-star level, said she was particularly proud of this victory because of her passion for working with young horses and serving on the USEA’s Young Event Horse committee.

“This program has been very special to me,” Baxter said. “I remember being able to compete Indy 500 when we first hosted the YEH championships at Twin Rivers in 2011, and that was so valuable early in her journey to becoming a five-star horse. When we gave the West Coast championships their own home here starting in 2020, we decided to turn it into a real FEI event where the young horses get to be showcased in the forelight. It gives them an opportunity that hopefully prepares them for what they hopefully will become.”

Andrea Baxter and Camelot PJ. Tina Fitch Photography.

Camelot PJ’s victory with a score of 85.94 out of a possible 100 was highlighted by having the best score from championship judges Marilyn Payne from the United States and Christian Schacht from Germany among the 5-year-olds for cross-country efforts (26.4 out of 30) and for overall evaluation for rideability, between fences, and open gallop (13.75 out of 15). Camelot PJ also had the second-best score for conformation (8.9 out of 10), show-jumping efforts (12.3 out of 15), and general impression as a potential four- or five-star event horse (9.2 out of 10). The overall score represents a weighted total of each mark with 10 percent for conformation, 20 percent for dressage, and 70 percent for jumping and galloping.

“To ride him, he is just effortless,” Baxter said. “He jumps with scope for days. He lands light as a feather. He gallops. He’s a beautiful mover. He’s the smartest horse you’ll ever come across. He’s a little suspicious, a little spooky, and quirky, but just everything about it is self-awareness, and he loves the job. He just plays with the jumps, and he’s the type of horse that, if we all had horses like this, we’d be winning medals. So, in my eyes, he’s just unbeatable, and it’s cool that the judges could see that, too.”

The bay roan Hanoverian gelding (Colman x Evita) goes by the barn of “The Hustler” because of his attitude, with Baxter saying that his theme songs are “Hustlin’” by Rick Ross and “You Can Do It” by Ice Cube.

“He’s tricky, he’s quirky, but he’s very self-aware and very brave at the jumps,” Baxter said. “He loves the job and loves the game.”

Birtcil finished second the 5-year-old championship with the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Nevada (Il Est Balou x Onile W), culminating a big weekend for her highlighted by the win in the 4 year-old championship with the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Oxford K (Grand Slam VDL x Walzing Patty). Her Cellar Farm Corp owned six horses in the 4-year-old championship—four ridden by Birtcil and two ridden by Bec Braitling—with all six finishing in the top-seven placings.

Amber Birtcil and Nevada. Tina Fitch Photography.

“Oh, I love it,” Birtcil said. “I think it’s the best. I mean, to go in the Flag Ring and the flags get going for dressage, and they have to cope with that. But, it’s such a laidback, easygoing atmosphere that’s it’s so inviting for them. And, it’s decorated so beautifully. They really make it such a big deal here that I think it’s the perfect thing. That’s why anything that’s 4 and 5 in my barn I drag out and has to come.”

Oxford K’s sire, Grand Slam VDL, is also the sire of the 8-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding
Kuno SMH, who competed in the CCI4*-S 8/9-Year-Old class at the Blenheim Palace International in
Great Britain in September. His dam, Walzing Patty, is the dam of three show jumpers that have
competed at 1.40 meters—one based in California, one in Europe, and one in Iran.

Amber Birtcil and Oxford K. Tina Fitch Photography.

“Oxford” won with a finishing score of won with a finishing score of 83.06 and recorded the highest score among the 4-year-olds for conformation (8.4 out of 10), for general impression as a future four- or five-star eventer (9.0 out of 10), for cross-country efforts (26.1 out of 30), and for overall evaluation for rideability, between fences, and open gallop (13.0 out of 15).

“He’s super quirky,” Birtcil said. “He’s hard to get on. He’s a bit of an odd duck. Those ones tend to stay. He does suit me. He’s very comfortable. I do like his personality even though he is odd, but the easy ones are the easy ones I generally sell.”

Braitling rode the Cellar Farm Corp’s bay Dutch Warmblood mare Olalandra (Falaise De Muze x
Gilandra) to second-place in the 4-year-old championship.

“I was riding them for Amber, and I hadn’t jumped them until today with the warmup jumps,” Braitling said of her two catch rides. “I had no plan. It’s kind of almost more fun doing it that way on 4-year-olds. Basically, I think riding 4-year-olds is like having no plan anyways, so it’s perfect.”

Olalandra was the lone mare in the 4-year-old field against 13 geldings.

“It’s funny, and I think it goes in rotations,” Braitling said. “I was just in Europe, and I feel like all there were were a million mares at the top level. I think one deterrent for me if you’re importing is that it’s expensive to bring mares in. But she was phenomenal. She’s an old soul that one.”

Bec Braitling and Olalandra. Tina Fitch Photography.

Sophie Stocks and her bay Irish Sport Horse gelding Rosco (Tyson x Kah Lasina) finished third. Birtcil and the Cellar Farm Corp’s chestnut Thoroughbred gelding Smarter World (Smart Bid x Circle the World) won The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program Award as the highest-placing former racehorse in seventh overall. The bay Thoroughbred gelding Check the Boxes (Box Score x Multiplyingtheheat) ridden by Tommy Greengard and co-owned by Greengard and Andrea Pfeiffer won The Go Get ’Em Award, In Memory of Don Trotter for the best gallop score with a perfect 10 for his gallop.

For the 5-year-olds, third-place went to Jordan Linstedt and her bay Hanoverian gelding LS Crown
Royal (by Comte). Ashley Horowitz and her grey Irish Sport Horse gelding Monbeg Salt Fever
(Womanizer x Eden Breeze) in fourth were the highest-finishing pair that also competed in the 2022 USEA YEH West Coast Championships, with “Salty” also finishing fourth as a 4-year-old. There were six horses from last year’s YEH 4-year-old championship, as well as the 4-year-old champion and reserve champion from last year’s USEA Future Event Horse West Coast Championships that were in this year’s YEH 5-year-old championship.

The special awards for the 5-year-old championship were The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program Award won by the chestnut Thoroughbred gelding Wynnville (Lakerville x Tebowing) ridden by Ella Garcia. The Big Easy, a chestnut Irish Sport Horse gelding (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q) ridden by Baxter, won The Safe Harbor Award given to the 5-year-old with the most graceful and rider friendly performance throughout the competition.

“The Big Easy couldn’t be a more fitting winner,” Baxter said. “Nicknamed ‘Yoda,’ he displayed his perfection by standing like a total gentleman in the middle of the ring while everyone else victory galloped around him. He’s a gentle giant with scope, talent, and mental capacity for any sport. He’s the barn favorite.”

As for her overall winner, Camelot PJ, Baxter said, “The sky is the limit.”

Links Results | Website

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Oct 30, 2023 7:08 am -

 

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Without wanting to sound like a broken record: WHAT a weekend. I’ve scarcely caught my breath from the whirlwind that was Pau — you can check out my probably faintly insane coverage at the link below — and now I’m diving straight back in time to catch up on all the finer points of the Pan American Games to find out what I missed. On both sides of the pond, yesterday was definitely a day of high-stress, high-stakes jumping — and now, I reckon we’ll all be heading into the off season glad for a bit of a breather (in a dark room, for my sanity, I think).

National Holiday: It’s National Checklist Day. At this end of the season, I’m pretty sure I need a checklist to remember even the most basic things, like remembering to inhale and exhale, or wear underwear. The struggle is… well, you know.

Major International Events

#Santiago2023: [Website] [Sport Schedule] [FEI Info Hub] [Live Stream] [Results] [EN’s Coverage]

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Results] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Results]

Waredaca Classic Three Day Event & H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Results]

YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

Head behind the stall door with fluffy-eared, smoking-jacket-wearing Claus 63, the Pan Ams ride of Sharon White. The big German boy will absolutely win your heart with this one — he’s a banana-munching doofus who just loves his job and his people. Dive in here.

When it comes to preventing or treating lameness, we’ve never had more tech on our side. Sometimes, that’s a pretty overwhelming thing — what should you be putting your money into for diagnostics or treatment, and at what point to do stop feeding the money pit? This enlightening article clears up, at least, some of the options. 

Surprise, surprise — there’s another story coming out of endurance concerning doping. This time, the evasion of doping tests, which is a totally normal, absolutely sane thing to do.

Morning Viewing:

Join me in reliving the thrill of Ros Canter’s winning round at Pau — now, I reckon I can watch it without my knees shaking, which is nice.

 

Canada Books Paris Ticket + Team Gold, Caroline Pamukcu Wins Individual Gold to Conclude Pan Ams Eventing

By on Oct 29, 2023 7:39 pm -

Team Canada for the gold! Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We went to sleep last night feeling fairly secure in the U.S. team’s position ahead of show jumping at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. But, as we all know, this is sport and this is horses, and with that combination anything is always possible.

Following a dramatic conclusion to eventing competition today in the show jumping, we now see a majorly shuffled leaderboard, though one thing remained the same: Caroline Pamukcu won individual gold, earning this in her senior team debut aboard the exciting 8-year-old HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan).

In the team competition, it was Canada’s day to shine, validating the country’s hard work, improved organization and high performance leadership structure with three clear rounds to secure a come-from-behind gold medal. It’s Canada’s first team gold in eventing at the Pan Ams since 1991, and this win also stamps the country’s ticket to the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Team Canada wins gold, USA wins silver, Brazil wins bronze in Santiago. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Big Changes at the Top

Let’s go back to the start of the day. The U.S. team came into today with a cumulative score of 86.2, with 3 rails and some time in hand over silver-placed Brazil. Canada was also well in the hunt, less than a rail off of Brazil’s score.

The rails were flying early, and it took us until Brazil’s Ruy Fonseca and Ballypatrick SRS‘s (Pacino – Ballypatrick Romance, by Clover Hill) turn to see a pair leave all the fences up. One second of time would prevent a double clear. That honor would go to Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye (Goldfever – Cascade, by Contendro), who in their spare time like to jump in the grand prix ring. That practice paid off, as Colleen and “Goldie” were the sole double clear of the entire day. This effort moved Colleen up into sixth in the final standings and put the pressure on Brazil. While Brazil did produce two clear rounds, a combination of time penalties and poles down for Rafael Losano and Carlos Parro would drop the team into bronze overall.

Additional clear rounds from Mike Winter and eventual individual bronze medalist Lindsay Traisnel sealed the deal for Canada to at least earn its Olympic spot, and two rails down for Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo would not endanger their finish.

Sharon White and Claus 63. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

As the reverse starting order ticked down and the first U.S. riders entered the buzzy main stadium, there were about seven rails in play. No one expected what came next.

Sydney Elliott and Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire (Diarado – Lantana, by Sandro Hit) entered as the first of the U.S. to see, lowering two rails and adding 3 seconds of time. With one score to drop (the Pan Ams are run on the older Olympic system of four riders to a team, with one drop score), the pressure mounted but wasn’t quite boiling yet.

Sharon White, in individual bronze after cross country, was the next to jump with her own Claus 63 (Catoo – Tina II, by Levisto). This pair lowered a shocking four rails, including a heartbreaker at the final fence, and added one second of time, dropping out of individual contention but still leaving the team gold intact. Liz Halliday was next in with Ocala Horse Properties’ and Deborah Palmer’s Miks Master C (Mighty Magic – Qui Lumba CBF, by Quite Easy), going for individual silver. This round was also something of a shock, as Liz and “Mikki” had three rails down. And with that, the U.S.’ seven-rail padding was erased, sending Caroline Pamukcu into the arena with ten times the pressure than she’d started the day with riding on her shoulders.

That pressure may have seeped through one tiny bit, as Caroline and HSH Blake miscommunicated at an oxer off a turn, swimming through it and adding 4 penalties. Without any further rails in hand, that rail gave Canada the team win, but Caroline did have those penalties in hand to keep her individual gold. Punching the air after clearing the last, Caroline capped off a stellar senior team debut and subsequently was the last woman standing for the U.S. on the individual podium.

So with all that dust settled, we have Canada in team gold, the U.S. in silver, and Brazil in bronze. Shuffled, the individual podium was Caroline Pamukcu (HSH Blake), Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge (Castle Howard Casanova), and Canada’s Lindsay Traisnel (Bacyrouge).

Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Canada Shows Up

For the Canadians, this weekend’s performance comes after a huge amount of reorganization of leadership and structure that began before the World Championships in 2022. Installing a High Performance Advisory Group tasked with laying out not just a “let’s get to this Championship” plan but a “let’s establish a multi-year pathway” plan, Canadian eventing now enjoys some fruits of its labor.

Rebecca Howard, a member of the last Olympic team Canada fielded in Rio de Janeiro (2016), is one of the newer leadership members, taking on the chef d’equipe role and immediately establishing herself as a shrewd leader with extensive experience in these high-pressure situations.

“It was unexpected, to be honest,” she said in a post-ceremony interview. “I mean, the way the guys performed wasn’t unexpected, but the actual outcome to be standing at the top of the podium was an extra bonus. Really the message of the week was really just for the guys to go and do what they do. It’s nothing extraordinary. It’s just literally doing what they’ve done all year. The way they’re performing was going to produce a good result, and that’s exactly exactly what happened. They went in there and performed the way they can, which we believed in them and knew they could do, and then also, luck fell our way. And that even added a better result than we were expecting. We’re absolutely obviously thrilled. The number one goal was was the first qualification. And we got a bonus on top of that.”

Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“I hope so!” she said when asked if eventing in Canada was in its RED ERA [she wasn’t actually asked that, but had I been there, that’s how I would have phrased it]. “I mean, we’ve got a super group of people involved that really wants what’s best for Canadian eventing and I think spirits are high and momentum I hope we can continue to build on. I’m sure there’ll be, you know, peaks and valleys to come, and that’s the way these things go. But we just keep plugging away and with a super group of people and great group of riders and horses.”

[You can read more about Canada’s new structure in this article Amanda Chance wrote earlier this year.]

After missing out on the Tokyo Olympics team competition, sending individuals instead, Canada can now firmly set its sights on Paris. Two Olympic berths were to be given out at Santiago this year, meaning the two top-placed teams not already qualified would stamp their tickets.

“This is the culmination of a year and a half, two years of complete high performance restructuring,” Mike Winter, who produced a clear round with El Mundo (Numero Uno – Calvaro’s Bria Z, by Calvaro Z) as the second Canadian in the ring. “It goes so much more — we executed today, but that foundation, what we’re surrounded by is so important.”

“I think what we’ve done is we’ve tried to align training pathways culture, mentality, and competitive execution,” Mike continued. “And Rebecca Howard [is] there to enable all our training pathways, whether it be with our own individual coaches, or her as our primary coach. It’s just been a really positive environment, and it’s allowed us all to do our best and be able to perform to our best. And I think that’s so key — it’s so key. It’s not one thing that sort of magical or exceptional, that does it — it’s all the sort of small things that come together, and everybody is so dedicated to that process.”

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Debriefing the Day for Team USA

This obviously wasn’t the result the U.S. team wanted — I doubt anyone would’ve pegged Liz or Sharon to have the rails they did. Is it reason to panic? Absolutely not.

For starters, all pairs on this team are well-proven in this phase. Liz and Miks Master C have had two rails down, at one of their first FEI competitions together last year, but have otherwise had single-rail or clear rounds on their international record. The same for Sharon and Claus — they had two rails down at the 4* level during Claus’ first season at the level in 2021 and have just 5 rails in total across 12 other starts at 4*L/S.

“I think there’s probably a lot of ‘if only’s’ going on right now in our own heads,” Sharon White said. “So, so close. But you know, we fought hard to the bitter end and today was obviously a little bit disappointing, but I think all of us are so proud of Caroline, and they’ll all have learned so much. It means everyone’s already planning how we’re going to fight hard to get it done better next time.”

“I think I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was a bit gutted right now — I think we all are,” Liz Halliday said. “It’s certainly not the result we came here to do. Sometimes that’s how things go with horses. So we have to take it on the chin and stand up and be proud of what we did achieve already. And just looking at ways that we can keep fighting hard to be better, because I believe that the USA has really strong riders and horses right now. We’re just going to keep pushing.”

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Sydney Elliott said. “I think for me, I was very proud of our weekend. Being alongside these ladies — it was a great experience.”

At the end of the day, this is sports and in that realm exist a myriad of variables and “what ifs”. Was it the pressure? Was it first timer-itis? Was it the fact that most riders agreed that yesterday’s 3*-L-spec cross country didn’t quite back their horses off enough, resulting in a lack of rideability today, or were the horses more tired than typical today? We won’t definitively know, but chef d’equipe Bobby Costello did observe what could have been more fatigue than usual from some of the horses.

“First and foremost, we’re thrilled for Caroline, and all of her owners and her support group,” Bobby said at the outset of his post interview. “She was great this weekend. So that is first and foremost.

“I think everybody was a little bit surprised that a couple of horses jumped seemingly a little bit more tired today,” he continued. “I thought the riders rode well, but the horses just weren’t their usual buoyant, you know, jumping out of their skin [selves]…we think that they’re maybe a little bit more tired. But, you know, it’s hard to, in the moment, look back — I think we all have to just think about it for a couple of days and I think with that comes a little bit of clarity what we can do going forward.”

For me, outcomes like this — especially when the final margin of loss was .1 penalty — are more of an opportunity for learning and empathy than disappointment and blame. Am I an eternal optimist? Of course — you have to be, in this sport. It’s also imperative to remember that no matter what preparation and mental fortitude one has, this is a sport involving horses, who give us what they can every day and who can’t always be predicted.

Bobby remains pragmatic.

“The last few of these competitions have been very exciting, come down to the very last, you know, tenth of a point or hundredth of a point. And sometimes you’re on the right side of that, and sometimes you’re not.

“It’s good to be disappointed with silver because that means that you just want to be better. And we’re all good friends with the Canadians and so we’re super happy, genuinely happy for those guys. They deserved it — they absolutely deserved it. And it was great to see Brazil up on the both the team and individual podium. So I think for the sport and the growth of the sport, it was a good weekend. And we’ll just have to, as a team, go away and come back even stronger.”

Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Castle Howard Casanova. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Brazil Stamps a Ticket to Paris

Brazil also earns their way to Paris with a strong team performance this weekend. They’ll also need to do some work in the show jumping phase with a total of six rails down, but now the focus moves to the next stop on the championship tour.

Ruy Fonseca, four times a medalist at the Pan American Games and a two-time Olympian, piloted Ballypatrick SRS to a smooth clear, the first clear of the day, with some time to add to his overall finishing score. Two rails from fellow Pan Ams medalist and Olympian Rafael Mamprin Losano and Withington (Wolkenderry – Unnamed mare, by Loughahoe Guy xx) as well as four down from Olympian and Pan Ams double gold medalist Carlos Parro and Safira (Spring’s Spirit – Hidden Sapphire, by Uptons Deli Circus) added some unnecessary penalties to the team score, but a healthy amount of penalties in hand and stylish clear from Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Castle Howard Romeo (Womanizer – K Cavalier Belle, by Cavalier Royale) secured the final result.

It’s an exciting time for Brazil, whose riders benefit from the expertise of British Olympian William Fox-Pitt. All four riders were on horses aged 12 of younger, showcasing the talent that is poised to peak and have a strong showing at the upcoming Olympics. As with many countries that lack expansive competition and training opportunities, these Brazilian riders (and a large number of other competitors from this Pan Ams field) do not live and train in their home country. They’ve relocated, primarily to the UK and Europe, with some spending time in the U.S. as well, to pursue their competitive aspirations. This type of commitment is almost required in order to gain competitive edge, and it’s a true display of drive for excellence and love of the sport that will always have our respect.

Individual medalists: Caroline Pamukcu (USA – HSH Blake), Marcio Carvalho Jorge (BRA – Castle Howard Casanova), Lindsay Traisnel (CAN – Bacyrouge). Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Individual Medalists Highlight Rising Talent

Caroline Pamukcu has been vocal about her intentions this year from the outset: she wanted a chance to represent the U.S. on a senior team. After winning silver as a team in Strzegom’s FEI Nations Cup event (June) and second as an individual, Caroline hoped she’d done enough to get some notice for the Pan American Games. HSH Blake was the most obvious choice, having strong results starting with the YEH Young Event Horse program (he won the 2020 East Coast Championships as a 5-year-old) and continuing with the receipt of the Holekamp/Turner Le Lion Grant to compete as a 6-year-old at Le Lion d’Angers. Caroline and Blake, who is owned by Caroline, her mother Sherrie, and Luann McElduff, finished 10th at Le Lion.

“I just have to say I’m really, really grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “I’m really grateful for having such great teammates, [they] take me under their wing and just support me and just again, the opportunity to come here and just show off our country and represent what the U.S. [has] and what we’re building. There’s a pipeline in our country at the moment. That’s exciting for us. There’s so many horses at home — there’s really [a lot of] depth in our string at the moment between young horses, older horses, older riders and younger riders.”

“I get a little bit eager sometimes and you know, that was definitely showing my age there!” Caroline said ruefully of her near-miss in the show jumping. “But I’m grateful for a great horse who saved me. I just saw one, and I sent it — I drank way too much Red Bull! I feel awful, if I didn’t have that silly rail, it cost us the gold. But, you know, I promise I won’t make such a silly mistake again. I can’t wait ’til I’m like 50 and I’m like, ‘do you remember that? I swung and missed so hard, I almost fell off — it was amazing!'”

Individual silver medalist Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Castle Howard Casanova, owned in partnership with Arabella and Hugo Mackenzie Smith and Annabel Vere Nicoll, are another pair that frequent the show jumping circuit, competing up through the CSI4* level on this year’s Sunshine Tour in Spain to get their season started. Marcio bases in the UK full-time, and now this long journey becomes even sweeter as this medal is Marcio’s first individual podium finish. He’s a multi-Olympian and also represented Brazil at the World Championships last year.

“This is a really special horse, he’s a really good jumper and really smart as well and I hope he will be ready to be competitive in Paris next year,” Marcio said in the mixed zone after his round.

Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Lindsay Traisnel was asked repeatedly if she expected to end up on the individual podium this week. If you’ve watched her prepare Bacyrouge for this event, you wouldn’t be surprised to see this result. Lindsay flies a bit under the radar, not having a ton of horses at the top levels and also basing herself in Europe for multiple years before moving back to Canada in 2017.

“Dreamy”, as Bacyrouge is known at home, was originally put into Lindsay’s program while she was based with Lucy (Wiegersma) McCarthy, intended to be a resale project. He quickly showed that he intended to stay, was taken off the market and is now owned by Lindsay and her parents. Lindsay started competing Bacyrouge in FEI competition after moving back to North America (2017), steadily making progress though the levels until stepping up to 4* at Bromont in 2021. They’ve since finished second and third in the 4*-L at Bromont, arguably one of the toughest 4*s in the U.S. and Canada, en route to this first team selection.

“I would say it’s a little unexpected that I have an amazing horse and a great team,” Lindsay said following the medal ceremony. “So it was really just riding him well, and I knew he was dependable and would do the job.”

Individual celebrations almost seem a bit of an aferthought given the “all hands on deck” team mentality, particularly when an Olympic spot is on the line. “The focus was the team this week and I’m just so excited,” Lindsay said. “We got our Paris qualification and I’m so happy to be part of this group.”

With that, a thrilling week of eventing concludes in Santiago as the final equestrian showdown — show jumping — of the Games gets underway next. There will be plenty in play for the U.S. jumping team, as this is their final chance to qualify for the Olympics next year.

I know I, for one, had some major FOMO watching these Pan Ams from afar. The sell-out crowds in Chile showcased just how impactful this sport can be, and I truly enjoyed being a witness to a stellar week of sport. Safe travels to all on their respective journeys home, and Go Eventing.

Catch up on EN’s coverage of the Pan American Games, presented by Ocala Horse Properties, here. We also recommend following @usefeventing on Instagram and Facebook as well as @canadianeventingteam for more content from on the ground, as well as roving photographer Shannon Brinkman here. To follow along with more from the jumping competition at Pan Ams, follow @usajumping on Instagram.

#Santiago2023: [Website] [Eventing Timing & Scoring] [Final Individual Results] [Final Team Results] [Live Stream. Replays] [EN’s Coverage]

“It’s All About Belief and Trust”: Mercurial Debutant Seals Dream Pau Finale with Ros Canter

By on Oct 29, 2023 5:16 pm -

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau has always been renowned for a few things: twisty, technical cross-country courses; ringside entertainment that borders on deranged; and showjumping tracks that eclipse any other in terms of difficulty at the five-star level. This year has been no different — if anything, the cross-country was somehow even twistier and even more technical than usual; the little chaps in horse costumes were joined by a truly arrhythmic flash mob clapping on one and three and sometimes no beat at all to Freed From Desire and a troupe of very patriotic parachutists, who somehow managed to land right in the main arena; and, though just 34 competitors came to the showjumping finale today, 59 poles had already fallen by the time overnight leader Ros Canter entered the ring with Izilot DHI.

Had she entered an equivalent ring at, say, Badminton or Burghley, it would have been to a hush that hangs like a blanket over the arena, and practically vibrates with silent tension. But this is France, a country that does eventing like other countries do festivals, and so instead, she entered to raucous applause and cheers and vocal support that were only amplified as the commentator egged his audience on, listing the European Champion’s numerous accolades and encouraging ever-louder shouts — despite Ros’s desperate attempt to signal to the grandstands that her quirky ten-year-old debutant could really do with a bit less noise.

And so, as she had on Friday, when Izilot DHI spooked repeatedly at a cameraman before beginning his test, and as she had yesterday, when dealing with a hold on course and the surprise distraction of another cameraman driving alongside her horse at the start of the course, Ros simply got on with it, and trusted that the foundations she’d laid with the KWPN gelding, who she co-owns with Alex Moody, would help him overcome the many bids for his attention.

Knees to nose: Izilot DHI shows why he hasn’t had a rail since his first-ever FEI event. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

They did — and even when ‘Isaac’ had to pass a particularly spooky arena decoration, which he’d shied away from in his opening circle, en route to the oxer at fence 6, the leggy son of Zavall VDL never faltered in his stride, nor his focus on the fences. They’d been gifted a rail and time in hand, thanks to a rail down from formerly second-placed Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, but in the end, they barely needed to touch it: they crossed the finish line clear and just three seconds over the 81 second time allowed to finish on a score of 28.7 and take the win — Ros’s second at the level this season.

“It’s absolutely amazing, but I don’t think it’s really sunk in, to be honest,” laughs Ros, who began her day as the first in the ring aboard Pencos Crown Jewel, who tipped two rails to finish in 24th place. In the 32 rounds between that one and her second, winning ride, Ros was militant in keeping herself focused on the task at hand.

“I think sometimes I don’t really appreciate it until it’s over, because I am very, very careful on days like this in how I manage myself,” she explains. “I don’t let myself dream — it’s bad for me to let myself dream. It’s very easy for me to chatter to everybody else about how they’re how they’re going to ride their horses, and then when I get on I think, ‘golly, I haven’t actually focused on myself’. So I had to be really strict today. I think particularly at this event, I’ve made the mistake in the past, because there’s nowhere really like grandstand-y to sit for us — we’re all very bunched here [by the ringside]. I did my round, obviously, and went and watched a few more, had a chat to Chris [Bartle] and then took myself away. I’ve made the mistake in the past  of staying here for too long, and never really focusing on myself. So there’s such a big part of that bit for me that sometimes when I finish I’m just thinking, ‘Oh, thank goodness I didn’t mess up!'”

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Perhaps one of the main reasons the glorious reality of the thing hasn’t quite hit Ros yet is that she never actually intended to try to win Pau this week with the famously quirky debutant, who also won Blenheim’s CCI4*-L last month.

“We just wanted to come here and give him a nice experience, but he’s absolutely amazing,” she says. “I was very open-minded today; I thought yesterday was kind of the dream for me and his owners. It’s what we came here to do — to tick that box of him going around the cross country — so it wasn’t really about today. But he’s an exceptional jumper, and now I can manage the spook and relax with the spook, hopefully, even if he’s off his line, if he knows he’s jumping a jump, he’ll go for it.”

Realistically, she continues, “even six months ago, this probably would have been a step too far for him, so I’m unbelievably proud of him. I mean, when you think back to Thoresby [at the start of the season], when we did an about turn at some pink haylage bales for about 45 seconds, and then Bramham when we spooked at fence 3 on the cross country [and had 20 penalties while in the lead], it was a little bit of a shaky start to the season! But then he’s been absolutely class. It’s all about me learning to ride him and learning to believe in him and just learning to be a partnership, is definitely what it is with him. I don’t think anyone else could just hop on straightaway and ride him, because he wouldn’t let you do that. But it’s all about the belief and the trust. I’m just grateful for him. I’ve learned so much more than I’ve learned from riding any other horse.”

All smiles for Ros and Isaac after a five-star win to end the season. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ros has had the ride on mercurial Isaac since he was a five-year-old, and he’s always been a tricky character — but throughout, she explains, she never lost faith in the talent that rumbled beneath the weirdness.

“To be fair to him, he has always performed, all the way through,” she says, looking back over a career that’s already seen him pick up nine FEI wins in 20 runs, with wins at every level. “Yeah, there’s been bumps in the road for sure. But I don’t think I’ve ever thought ‘oh, he’s not going to do it.'”

Sarah Charnley, who takes leave from her full-time job to groom for Ros at major events, celebrates with Isaac. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Eventing success takes a village, and Isaac’s — and Ros’s — village is extensive, made up of myriad crucial cogs that keep the wheel in motion and help to architect the tricky days into dream-making ones.

“I’ve had a huge amount of help along the way: [dressage coach] Ian Woodhead obviously sourced him, so I think this is a very proud day for him, but he’s also been absolutely instrumental in teaching me how to ride him. [Dressage rider] Amy Woodhead, she lives down the road from me, and anytime I’ve had a wobble with him, or I’ve not understood him, or things have gone a bit wrong, she’s always been there to hop on and show me how to do it a little bit. Caroline Moore has also been a huge help; we go to Vale View a lot [to work with her]. We spend a lot of time with him, and everybody does, and Chris Bartle has been amazing as well. So a huge amount of people have been involved in this horse’s journey.”

A result like this, says the rider whose own extraordinary season has included a first five-star win, at Badminton this spring, and the European Championship title, both with Lordships Graffalo, is a reward for every single one of the people who ebb and flow in and out of the gelding’s orbit.

“It makes all the hard work at home worthwhile,” she smiles. “We have a few hairy moments at home, particularly in the winter, with him. I get a little bit nervous and I have to call upon the help of all my members of staff to help keep me on the straight and narrow. So,  I think it’s definitely a team process here, and there has been hours and hours going into this. So it’s great that he’s been able to reward us!”

And, she continues, it’s a testament to working together to build something extraordinary.

“I think it’s amazing, really. My mum is is unbelievable; she works so hard. She’s just a farmer from Louth, and I’m just her daughter. We love horses, and we’ve managed to achieve this. So a huge amount of it is down to her, particularly now I’ve had [my daughter] Ziggy. My part in this story is riding the horse, and there are many other people that do all of the other jobs for me to enable me to have my daughter and be the mum I want to be, as well as ride the horses, and it’s really working. I think it’s just an amazing journey that we’ve been on.”

Oliver Townend and Tregilder. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

That one rail down for Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, who had sat in first after dressage and second after cross-country, opened the door for Oliver Townend and Tregilder to take the runner-up position after a round free of jumping or time penalties, which finalised a climb from first-phase fifth. It also put to bed any demons from the pairs run of bad luck, which saw them tumble at the penultimate fence while up on the clock at Burghley last year, pull up at two-thirds of the way around the course this year due to a broken rein, and then fall in their CCI4*-S prep for Pau at Little Downham.

“I’m incredibly proud of my horse and my team, and I’m incredibly happy for the owners, who have been with me for nineteen years,” says Oliver. “A podium finish in a 5* is a dream for them. He’s a genuine horse; always straightforward, and always doing his best in all three tests. This performance is the fruit of the work of the whole team that looks after him, especially at the stable, which enables him to achieve results like this.”

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tom McEwen, too, put “a shitty year” to bed with a super result with the former Nicola Wilson ride JL Dublin, and though he’s probably learned to be careful what he wishes for — he’d hoped to end his bout of ‘seconditis’, but probably didn’t intend for that to result in a third place finish instead — he was delighted with the Holsteiner gelding and the progression their still-fairly-new partnership has made.

“It’s been a great weekend, and probably the time to [have a rail] is when Rozzie is about to nail a beautiful round, and not to come second again,” he laughs. “He’s been amazing — he warmed up too well to be honest; he was fantastic and I just had a relaxed pole down, which was a shame in a very nice round, but we came to do we needed to do and he’s been fantastic.”

Though Tom’s troubles this year have been spread across events and horses, rather than just woven into the fabric of his partnership with ‘Dubs’, he did have a couple of tricky, prominent competitions midway through the year that he’s chosen to use as a springboard for improvement. Notable, and first, of those was at CHIO Aachen, where, just a couple of months after taking second at Kentucky CCI5*, they had a late run-out while fighting for the top spot; later in the year, at the European Championships, Tom suffered a surprise fall from the gelding in the influential final water at the European Championships, where many horses stumbled through the day.

“Aachen is basically a 5* short on steroids: you go flat out,” says Tom. “I went for learning experience. I know I could have gone and  hidden away at Aston le Walls and done really well there, but I wanted to go and find out a bit more about him, and that’s what I’ve done. When you put them under sheer pressure at speed, speed causes problems, and if you’re okay, hacking around and doing things in your time, then actually you can get most things done and resolved but actually, speed just catches out those little things that you haven’t quite covered or haven’t understood about each other. It shows the brainwaves that you’ve together. We’d had a fantastic round up to that point at Aachen and I never expected that, so it’s just learning bits and bobs. That’s come to fruition here — he was one of the quickest horses that didn’t get stopped on course yesterday, and I think that was a massive influence. His dressage was just fantastic, and for me, it [deserved] a lot better mark than his 23. So it’s all come together really, which is very good.”

Piggy March and Coolparks Sarco. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It was a good day in the office for former rides of the 2021 European Champion Nicola Wilson, who was supporting from afar while coaching, demoing, and mentoring in the Isle of Man over the weekend, and for Jo and James Lambert, who co-own Dubs with Deirdre Johnston and own the fourth place finisher, too. That was the ride of Piggy March, the five-star first-timer Coolparks Sarco, who jumped a faultless round to move up one place from last night’s standings, and three from his first-phase placing.

“I’m thrilled, but I also feel a bit lucky — I was only a little bit in the time, even though I didn’t feel like I was hanging around!” says Piggy, who won Millstreet’s CCI4*-L with the gelding earlier this year. “He jumped really very well, but I probably was a quarter of a second in the air more than I meant to be. He was really getting up in the air and flicking his tail, which was very nearly a rider error. But god, he felt fantastic! What a lovely horse; I’m very lucky. Hopefully we did Nic-Noc proud, too, because it’s been a big weekend here for her with both Jeremy and ‘Dubs’. We’re in the same camp; it’s very good.”

Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Kylie Roddy and the Fox family’s SRS Kan Do made good on the gelding’s return to the event where he made his five-star debut — and took eleventh place — two years ago, finishing fifth with a faultless round today to complete their climb from sixteenth after dressage and add a second five-star top-ten finish to their resume.

“You work so hard year-round for days like this,” beams Kylie. “And not just for me — for the team at home; for the owners — it’s a magic day. And it’s the last event of the season, so we’ve finished the year on a high. You can’t ask for more.”

Kylie celebrates with ‘Gorgeous George’. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

For Kylie, who used to sweep up hair in her mother’s salon to make money to ride and stepped up to five-star in her forties, every great result is a beacon for riders who can relate to her – but even this ineffably positive and much-loved mainstay of the upper levels has had her darker days, wondering if the high points will come again

“Sometimes you stop believing it can happen. I think Austin [O’Connor] said that about his horse [Colorado Blue at Maryland],” she says, reflecting on her Badminton run with ‘George’ last year, where they had to pull up during a great run due to two lost shoes. “You start to think, ‘what is it that I need to change? Am I not riding well enough? Is it that my management’s not good enough?’ But sometimes you do need a bit of luck on the day, and as the horses get older, they get stronger — I’d like to think he’s coming into his prime, now. He’s always been a fabulous horse, but I really think he’s an absolute superstar.”

Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Kirsty Chabert dropped from third to sixth after tipping two rails with the excellent Classic VI, who had sped home with just 0.8 time penalties yesterday, while Jonelle Price was the highest-place non-Brit in seventh with the debutant Hiarado, who climbed from first-phase 13th with a fault-free round.

Boyd Martin and Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Boyd Martin, too, added nothing to his scorecard with the Goodwin family’s Fedarman B, moving them up to a final eighth place from first-phase sixteenth, and giving the horse his second top-ten finish in as many runs at the level. Maxime Livio‘s Carouzo Bois Marotin did the same, but in his case, it’s now three for three where top ten placings and five-star runs are concerned. The top ten was rounded out by Kiwi James Avery and his smart first-timer MBF Connection, who tipped two rails but nevertheless completed their rise from an initial 30th place.

Cosby Green and Copper Beach. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Both Allie Knowles and Morswood and Cosby Green and the former Buck Davidson ride Copper Beach had a smattering of poles but retained top twenty places thanks to their excellent efforts across the week’s competition; Cosby took sixteenth in her debut at the level with three fences down today, while Allie took eighteenth after tipping four.

Allie Knowles and Morswood. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

And so, windswept, whiplashed, and a little bit waterlogged, we arrive, skidding, at the end of the 2023 five-star season — and the end of my season, full stop, of reporting on events. It’s been a wild ride this year, and its memorable quirks — endless rain, mostly — were crystallised so well into this emotional, turbulent final event. We’ll bring you more from behind the scenes at Pau over the coming week, but for now, with tired eyes and a heart full of horses, it’s adieu from us. Go Eventing — even when there’s no more to go to.

The final top ten at Pau 2023.

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Les 5 Etoiles de Pau is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

Phillip Dutton Headlines Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge at The Royal

By on Oct 29, 2023 11:48 am -

Canadian Show Jumping Championships Highlight Opening Weekend in Toronto

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Phillip Dutton will headline the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge taking place on opening weekend of the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, in Toronto, ON, from November 3 to 12, 2023.

The heart-pounding Indoor Eventing Challenge, presented by Mad Barn, has become a fan favorite at the Royal Horse Show. Riders and horses attempt to clear a mix of cross-country obstacles and traditional show jumping fences in the fastest fault-free time to claim the overall title and the winner’s share of the $20,000 prize money on offer. Fans are encouraged to cheer for the competitors as they race around the course set in the Coca-Cola Coliseum by Captain Mark Phillips himself, an Olympic team gold medalist for his native Great Britain.

Two-time Olympic team gold medalist Phillip Dutton of the United States riding Quasi Cool will headline the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge on opening weekend of the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON. Photo by Randolph PR.

Dutton is no stranger to The Royal and is looking forward to returning for the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge. He will be bringing Quasi Cool, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Caroline Moran, in the hopes of securing victory.

“I have competed at The Royal before and it was an incredible experience,” said Dutton, a six-time Olympian based out of his True Prospect Farm in West Grove, Pennsylvania. “It was a very exciting competition with a great and knowledgeable crowd!”

Unlike traditional eventing, which is held outdoors and features three separate phases of competition held over multiple days, Indoor Eventing puts the skills of horses and riders alike to the test with a fast-paced round against the clock. The fences come up quickly, and riders must be lightning fast with their reactions.

“Indoor Eventing is even more exciting and action-packed than the regular sport of eventing, largely because the crowd gets to be so close to the action,” explained Dutton. “It really makes for a great experience, and it can be a great introduction to our sport for those who might not be familiar with eventing.”

Canada’s own Holly Jacks of Hillsburgh, ON, riding Josephine will be back to defend their title in the $20,000 Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge at the Royal Horse Show. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography.

Dutton will be competing alongside his 22-year-old daughter, Olivia Dutton, who has followed in his footsteps as a high-performance eventing athlete. Last year’s winner, Holly Jacks, will be back to defend her title riding Josephine while Colleen Loach and Jessica Phoenix, both two-time Olympians, will be among the other Canadian competitors that are sure to have the crowd cheering.

The Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge will kick off the evening performances of the Royal Horse Show on Friday, November 3, and Saturday, November 4. Both nights will be followed by the two-phase $150,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championships, presented by Henry Equestrian. Reigning Canadian Champion Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, will be back to defend her title riding Bonita vh Keizershof Z. She will face stiff competition from 2018 Canadian Champion and local favorite Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, while Canadian Olympians Yann Candele of Orangeville, ON, and Jay Hayes of Mono, ON, will also be among those looking to claim the national title. As in past years, the top two riders in the overall Canadian Championship standings not already qualified will be invited to contest the Royal Horse Show’s CSI4*-W international division from November 8 to 11, 2023.

Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, riding Bonita vh Keizershof Z returns to this year’s Royal Horse Show to defend her title in the Canadian Show Jumping Championships, presented by Henry Equestrian. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography.

Held over four nights, the Royal Horse Show’s international division culminates in the prestigious Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Toronto on Saturday evening, November 11. Last year’s winner, Daniel Coyle of Ireland, will be back to defend his title riding Legacy. Currently ranked 11th in the Longines World Rider Rankings, Coyle will be joined by other past winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Toronto including U.S. Olympic team medalists Kent Farrington and McLain Ward, who are currently ranked seventh and eighth respectively.

Several Canadian Olympians will be looking to add their names to the 2023 trophy, however. Tiffany Foster of Langley, BC, came tantalizingly close last year with a third-place finish while Quebec native Mario Deslauriers, who remains the youngest rider to ever win the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final at the age of 19, will put his best foot forward. Olympic team silver medalist Mac Cone of King City, ON, will be in the hunt alongside 2016 Rio Olympian Amy Millar of Perth, ON. They will be joined in the international division by fellow Canadians Sean Jobin, Vanessa Mannix, and Nicole Walker.

“We’ve curated a dynamic 10-day schedule of events that will appeal to horse lovers of all ages,” said Christine Reupke, Director of Equestrian and Breed Sport for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. “We love seeing our ‘Loyal Royals,’ many of whom plan their holidays and vacations around The Royal each year, as well as those experiencing the Royal Horse Show for the first time. The overwhelming feedback we receive from competitors and fans alike is that there is truly no other horse show that compares to The Royal.”

Showcasing a wide variety of disciplines and breeds, the Royal Horse Show also features numerous other competitions and special features for horse sport fans. “Polo at The Royal” will thrill spectators on Wednesday evening, November 8, while the “Battle of the Breeds” will see various breeds going head-to-head as they demonstrate their various qualities during evening performances on November 9, 10, and 11. Throughout the 10-day Royal Horse Show, popular Australian horseman, entertainer, and bush poet Guy McLean will be delighting audiences with his team of liberty horses during select performances.

The Royal offers numerous hospitality experiences including the Royal Terrace for VIP and corporate hosting and the Coliseum’s Sky Suites which offer stables and groups their own private suites. The Tanbark Club will continue to welcome Gold and Platinum VIP ticket holders. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for full details.

About The Royal

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the world’s largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian event. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs November 3-12, 2023, at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada. For competition schedules, live webcasting, results, and to purchase tickets, please visit royalfair.org.

For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including daily schedules and to purchase tickets, visit here. Also download the new Royal Agricultural Winter Fair app for more news and information at your fingertips!

The Finale of the Final 5* Star of 2023: Show Jumping Live Updates from Les 5 Etoiles de Pau

By on Oct 29, 2023 9:42 am -

Ears pricked and eyes on the prize: Ros Canter and Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After a cross country day that saw leaderboard updates with more twists and turns than the track itself, it turned out that the top two placings would remain the same, albeit switched around. Initially on the same score but with one closer to the time than the other, therefore taking top spot, even after all the riders had retreated to their various celebrations, reflections and commiserations, there was still one more twist to come.

It turns out, the person we saw running across the track in front of Ros Canter and Izilot DHI as they made their way to the final combination (Fence 28ABCD), was actually removing the crossing string that had accidentally been left up and was blocking Ros and Isaac’s path. Thank goodness Ros saw it and slowed up, but taking that necessary pull added seconds to their round that wouldn’t otherwise have been there, and when the scores are so tight, even a fraction of a second can make all the difference.

And so, Ros’ time was adjusted after the event and she now holds the lead with a score of 27.5, with Tom McEwen and JL Dublin in second on 31.1.

Less than a rail separates the top two, and then there’s less than a rail between the second and fourth placed combinations. It’s a similar story as we make our way down the entire top ten, and as we’ve seen, anything can – and seemingly will – happen, meaning it’s all to play for at Pau.

Here’s a look at the top ten as we head into the final phase:

Best of the US as things stand is Boyd Martin with Fedarman B, who sit in 9th place after posting the fastest round of the day – the only combination to cross the finish inside the time. The double clear eluded them however, as they picked up 11 penalties at the B element of Fence 13. Cosby Green and Copper Beach also added 11 penalties in an otherwise brilliant round which left them in 14th place. Allie Knowles and Morswood had a super spin across the country, adding only time penalties to their first-phase score to hold 13th place coming into the final phase. Phillip Dutton and Z didn’t come forward for the Final Horse Inspection, so won’t be jumping this afternoon.

34 competitors will now move forward to the show jumping, going in reverse order through the standings, except for Ros Canter and Pippa Funnell, the only two-horse riders bringing both their entries forward to the final phase. Ros is first to go with Pencos Crown Jewel, Pippa second with Billy Walk On.

I’ll be bringing you updates of all the action as it happens, so if you’re following along live, remember to refresh this post periodically.

If you’re reading this later, the round-up of Ros’ first round will be at the bottom of this post, so if you’re of the variety that likes to keep things in order, scroll down ⬇️ and read up ⬆️.

If you want to catch up on what went down in the dressage and how things played out in yesterday’s cross country, we’ve got you covered. From live updates to Tilly’s round-up reports, we’ve left no stone unturned and no stride out. Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to know:

Dressage Live Updates: [Day One] [Day Two]
Dressage Round-up Reports: [Day One] [Day Two]
Cross Country: [Live Updates] [Round-up report]

We’ve got loads of great IG content happening courtesy of Tilly and her other half @goeventing, who have boots on the ground in Pau, and if you want to follow along with the form this afternoon, you’ll find EN’s 5* Form Guide here.

It’s time to sit back – or perch on the edge of your seat, depending on how excitable you are – and see what happens as we enjoy the finale of the final 5* of 2023. Let’s go eventing.

Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Les 5 Etoiles de Pau is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

4:46pm And that’s it! Pau has been won and the final 5* of the season is over. What a week it’s been.

I’ve had a blast bringing you live updates of each phase, thanks for coming along for the ride.

Stay tuned for Tilly’s full round-up report – coming soon!

Go eventing – or for a nap after all that excitement – but mainly, go eventing!

4:45pm It’s a British top six as the final 5* of the 2023 season comes to an end:

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI have taken the win, finishing on a score of 28.7. (They had 1.2 time penalties in the show jumping that I missed in my excitement, but they made not one jot of difference in the end.)

In second is Oliver Townend and Tregilder, who finish on a score of 34.4.

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin dropped a pole this afternoon, dropping them to 3rd on a score of 35.1.

Piggy March and Coolparks Sarco finish in 4th on 36.5.

Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do are in 5th on 39.7.

And Kirsty Chabert finishes in 6th with Classic VI on 41.4.

Next up we have New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and Hiarado who are 7th on a score of 42.4.

And best of the Americans, Boyd Martin and Fedarman B had a brilliant clear round to finish in 8th place on 42.7.

French rider Maxime Livio is best of the home nation, in 9th on a score of 46.5 with Carouzo Bois Marotin.

And rounding out the top ten is New Zealand’s James Avery with MBF Connection on a score of 59.4.

The USA’s Cosby Green ended up in 16th with Copper Beach on a score of 71.3, and Allie Knowles is 18th with Morswood on 73.3.

4:40pm After a foot perfect three phases, Izilot DHI has come out for his first 5*, and won. It’s a huge testament to Ros’ superb horsemanship, and to the horse’s talent, and is a fantastic result for the whole team, who are, of course, really emotional as they celebrate the win. Ros’ little girl is waving her arms around and gives her mom a massive hug. Great scenes and a popular win. What a fantastic sport we’re involved in.

Leaderboard to follow…

4:39pm

This is it! The final round!

Reigning European Champion and World No. 2, Great Britain’s Ros Canter and Izilot DHI have a clean record in this phase – eyes on 👀

They scored 24.3 in the first phase and sat in second at they set off from the start box yesterday. A brilliant clear and quick round from this young horse saw them add just 3.2 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 27.5 and into the lead.

Show jumping form 📋 Their clear round form is mighty impressive – not a single pole since they’ve been together. Zero.

Ros asks the crowd to stay quiet. Isaac is super spooky and she wants to keep him as calm as possible. The crowd listens and they quieten down. They set off. They clear the first. And the second. I’m holding my breath! The third stays up, and the fourth. They clear the vertical at five. Six is no trouble, and the treble at seven comes up perfectly for them. The Liverpool and the planks at nine stay in the cups. They clear the rest. The final fence…stays up! CLEAR ROUND!!!

ROS CANTER AND IZILOT DHI HAVE WON PAU!

4:36pm

Top 2!

Kentucky runners up, Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are flying the flag for Britain as they come forward to the final phase this afternoon.

They scored 23.1 in the first phase, leaving them as clubhouse leaders as they set out onto the track yesterday. They jumped clear, adding just 8 time penalties, enough to drop them a place into 2nd. They come forward on a total score of 31.1, less then a fence behind the leader.

Show jumping form 📈 They’re on a run of four consecutive clear rounds, including at Kentucky on their way to 2nd place. With both Tom and former rider Nicola Wilson, there are far more clears on Dubs’ record than poles, just the odd four faults.

Boy, this competition is exciting! Tom looks calm as he waits for the bell to go. Dubs looks beautiful as usual. They clear the first, and the second. The crowd seems to be holding its breath. They clear three and four, and five. Dubs is jumping out of his skin. Oh no! The first part of the treble goes, Tom’s now below Oliver. They rub the first part of the double at eleven but it stays up, and they manage the rest without fault. What a shame for them, but Dubs jumped great and Tom rode brilliantly. Just a bit unlucky today, and they stay on the podium, but below Oliver now. Four penalties for them.

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin complete on a score of 35.1.

4:33pm

And now, the top 3!

Britain’s Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI will be hoping to get back to their clear round form this afternoon – will they do it?

They scored 32.6 in the first phase, and a super speedy spin ‘round the track yesterday saw them tantalizingly close to the time, but not quite on it – they added 0.8 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 33.4, in 3rd place.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled two poles last time out, breaking their run of five consecutive clear rounds, one of which was at Kentucky in the spring. It was two down for them here at Pau last year.

Kirsty also looks totally focused as she comes into the ring. They clear the first two but then, oh no, Classic drifts left as they take off for the third and they have it down. They clear the fourth but the fifth goes. They’re clear up to the planks, and then clear that really easily, no trouble through the treble at eleven either. This round got better as it went, such a real shame about those early poles. Two down for them, 8 penalties. Disappointing for them. Oliver’s now on the podium.

Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI complete on a score of 41.4.

4:30pm

World No. 1, Britain’s Oliver Townend is here with Tregilder after coming third at Maryland last weekend.

They scored 27.2 in the first phase, which saw them in 5th place going into yesterday’s cross country, where they put in a solid clear jumping round, adding just 7.2 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 34.4, and up a place into 4th.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled two poles at Luhmuhlen on their way to 9th place, and two at the pop-up 5* at Bicton in 2021, their other 5* completion. They regularly go clear at the short format though.

Oliver looks very serious as he comes into the ring – total focus and concentration on his face. They clear the first, and the second. They’ve set off in a very forward canter and find the next couple of jumps easy. They’re clear through fence six. They turn in tight to the treble at seven and there’s a tap to the first part but it stays. They tap the second part of the double at eleven, too, but that stays. They’re still clear as they come to the last and then over that and it’s a CLEAR ROUND!!! Oliver punches the air, he’ll finish no worse than fourth with Tregilder.

Oliver Townend and Tregilder complete on a score of 34.4.

4:27pm

We’re into the top 5!

British favorite Piggy March brings Coolparks Sarco forward on a score of 36.5

They scored 28.1 in the first phase leaving them in 7th place overnight, then jumped a brilliant clear yesterday with just 8.4 time penalties, leaving them in 5th coming into the final phase.

Show jumping form 📋 With both Piggy and former rider Nicola Wilson, Coolparks Sarco has generally jumped clear. There are a couple of fours on his record, but no more.

They get off to a great start and they’re clear over the first five fences, and then over six. They rattle the first part of the treble at seven but it stays in the cups. They continue on and fly the double at eleven. Still clear so far, and they stay clear. CLEAR ROUND!!! Guaranteed top 5 for them.

Piggy March and Coolparks Sarco complete on a score of 36.5.

4:24pm

Great Britain’s 5* winner and Olympic medalist Pippa Funnell is back in the ring with MCS Maverick.

They scored 26.4 in the first phase to sit in third overnight, jumping clear yesterday and adding 13.2 time, putting them on a total score of 39.6, in 6th place.

Show jumping form 📈 In their five international events together, they’ve had faults at just the first, and kept it to one pole.

Well, as Pippa comes into the ring, we already know that we’ll have a British winner here at Pau today. Kylie Roddy’s in the lead and there are only Brits left to go.

Unfortunately Pippa and Maverick have the second fence, but then carry on in fine form over the next few. Ah, the first part of the treble at seven’s gone, and then they just tip the planks. Ah, and then ten goes too. The first part of the double at eleven’s down. That was a disappointing round for Pippa, but they came into today with a great cross country round yesterday, and a great dressage, so overall, not a bad event for them. Five down for 20 penalties and they drop out of the top 10.

Pippa Funnell and MCS Maverick complete on a score of 59.6

4:21pm

Britain’s Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do are looking to get back to their clear round form this afternoon.

They scored 31.7 in the first phase, and stormed round the cross country, adding no jumping penalties and just 8 time, putting them on a total score of 39.7 and into 7th place.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled one pole at Luhmuhlen last year on their way to 6th place. They jumped clear here in 2021, when they finished 11th. They’ve had a run of clears recently at the short format, although they rolled a pole last time out.

It’s so exciting to see Kylie come into the ring with SRS Kan Do after their super round yesterday. Kylie looks like she means business and they’re quickly over the first five. They come round to the treble at seven and it comes up perfectly for them. They’re in a great rhythm and are really together, which is showing up in how flawless this round is so far. One to go, they’re clear over that. CLEAR ROUND!!! They’ll finish no worse than 7th after a great three phases.

Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do complete on a score of 39.7.

4:18pm

Kiwi rider extraordinaire Jonelle Price is on a clear streak with Hiarado – will they keep it up? Eyes on 👀

They scored 30.4 in the first phase, and jumped a superb clear for this mare’s first time at the level, adding just 12 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 42.4 and into 8th place.

Show jumping form 📈 Jonelle has taken this mare pure show jumping and well as eventing, and you can tell – they’re currently on a run of seven consecutive clear rounds!

Jonelle and ‘Jools’ clear the first and put in an enormous jump at the second, and then they angle the third, but it stays in tact. They manage the fourth without bother. They fly through the treble at seven, opening up the stride afterwards to clear the oxer at eight. Jools has got such a powerful jump, really springy. They clear the last. CLEAR ROUND!!! A first 5* completion for Jools, and done in fine style. They’ll finish no worse that 8th.

Jonelle Price and Hiarado complete on a score of 42.2.

4:15pm

US Olympian, two-time 5* winner and World No. 3 Boyd Martin brings clear round expert Fedarman B forward to hopefully add to his clear round form. This is a combo you won’t want to miss 👀

They scored 31.7 in the first phase, and were the only combination to make the time yesterday, coming in 6 seconds under. They did have an 11 penalties though, and come into the ring today on a total score of 42.7, in 9th place.

Show jumping form 📈 In his twelve international runs since 2020, ‘Bruno’ has tipped just a single pole. One. That came at Luhmuhlen this year on his way the 8th place.

Boyd sets off with Bruno. I’m holding my breath! They’re clear over the first, and the second, and the third. Will they keep it clear over the fourth? Yes! They’re still clear as they come to the treble at seven – and clear through that. Bruno is jumping for job. No problem at the planks, Boyd steadies for the double at eleven. He jumps the triple bar, one more. CLEAR ROUND!!! Brilliant. So much class on show. He’ll finish no worse than 9th.

Boyd Martin and Fedarman B complete on a total score of 42.7.

4:12pm

We’re into the top 10 now!

France’s World Championships team bronze medalist and former Pau winner Maxime Livio brings Carouzo Bois Marotin into the show jumping looking for a clear round to finish off their Pau in the same style they completed Kentucky in the spring.

They scored 34.1 in the first phase, and a clear round with 12.4 time penalties saw them climb right up the leaderboard, on a total score of 46.5 and into 10th place.

Show jumping form 📋 Maxime takes this horse pure show jumping as well as eventing. He’s a one or none kind of horse – it was one here at Pau last year, but clear at Kentucky in the spring.

The crowd is very enthusiastic for Maxime, hopefully they’ll settle down a bit. Maxime’s get Carouzo in a quiet canter as they go around the ring, and they’re clear over five. They clear the treble at seven without so much of a rub. He opens the canter up for the Liverpool at eight, and they clear that easily. They carry on clear and fly the last. CLEAR ROUND!!! The crowd are loving it and Maxime is too. He looks delighted and so he should, a super finish for him, no worse than tenth.

Maxime Livio and Carouzo Bois Marotin complete on a final score of 46.5.

4:09pm

New Zealand’s James Avery and MBF Connection are on a clear round streak as they come into the final phase here today.

They scored 33.8 in the first phase, and a clear jumping round with 17.6 time penalties shot them almost twenty places up the leaderboard, on a total score of 51.4, in 11th place.

Show jumping form 📈 They’re on a run of four consecutive clears, including one in the 4*-L at Bramham. Will they continue their clear round form?

James and MBF Connection set off in a great rhythm and clear the first four fences very easily. They lost a little straightness at the vertical heading towards the crowd at five and have it down. Connection is jumping really well though and they fly the planks at nine. But then they drop onto fence ten and it’s got no chance of staying up. Two down for them, 8 penalties and a 5* completion.

James Avery and MBF Connection complete on a score of 59.4.

4:06pm

Britain’s Libby Seed and Heartbreaker Star Quality are on an impressive clear round streak – will they keep it up? Eyes on this one 👀

They scored 33 in the first phase, and jumped clear with 18.8 time penalties yesterday, putting them on a total score of 51.8 and into 12th place.

Show jumping form 📈 They’re on a run of nine consecutive clear rounds – nine! Will they make it ten today?
Wow, Heartbreaker jumps really big, almost too big. They drop fence three and then four. He jumps really big over the middle part of the treble at seven and ends up having it down. They have the first part of the double at eleven also. They add a stride into the triple bar at the end of the course, but clear the last. Four down for them and 0.4 time.

Libby Seed and Heartbreaker Star Quality complete on a score of 68.2.

4:03pm

The USA’s Allie Knowles and Morswood come forward for the final phase on a score of 57.3.

They scored 33.8 in the first phase, and had a great spin across the country, jumping clear with 24 time penalties, putting them into 13th place after the two phases.

Show jumping form 📋 They jumped clear on their last run at the long format, but before that you’d have said that ‘Ginge’ is a 4 or 8 kind of guy. They kept it to one at Maryland last year and jumped clear there the year before.

Allie looks to mean business as she sets off with Ginge. They’re clear over the first three but then fence four is on the floor once again. Ginge is really jumping nicely as he makes his way though the treble at seven, but then the Liverpool at eight goes, and then nine goes as well. This is a shame. They have the second part of the double at eleven, but clear the rest. Disappointing, but again, no 5* completion can really be too disappointing. Four down for them today.

Allie Knowles and Morswood complete on a score of 73.3.

4pm

Newly UK-based Americans Cosby Green and Copper Beach come forward into the final phase of their first 5* on a score of 59.3.

They scored 35.1.in the first phase, adding 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device and 13.2 time penalties yesterday, rocketing themselves up the leaderboard twenty place into 14th place.

Show jumping form 📋 Copper Beach is generally a four or eight kind of horse, although he did jump clear in the 4*-S at Little Downham last month.

Cosby and Copper Beach get off to a nice start and are clear over the first, but then the second goes. They have the fourth also. Cosby’s riding really nicely though. They rattle all three elements of the treble at seven but they all stay up. They have a great jump over the Liverpool at eight, but then fence nine goes. They’re clear over the rest and are over the finished. She looks a little disappointed but she’s got a great 5* finish under her belt and has really shown what an exciting young rider she is. Three down for them.

Cosby Green and Copper Beach complete on a score of 71.3.

3:57pm

France’s Florian Ganneval and Blue Bird de Beaufour come forward to the final phase on a total score of 59.3.

They scored 33.7 in the first phase, and jumped clear yesterday with 25.6 time penalties, ending the day in 15th place.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled four poles last time out, and two at Luhmuhlen. They haven’t had a clear in an international competition, yet.

The crowd welcomes Florian with great enthusiasm, but then quieten down as he starts his round. They clear the first but then take the back rail of the oxer at fence two. They clear the difficult fence at four though. Blue Bird finds the distance in the treble at seven a bit tricky and he takes the middle part. Fence ten goes as well. They clear the rest though and are clear over the last. 12 jumping penalties and just over the time for 0.8 penalties there.

Florian Ganneval and Blue Bird de Beaufour complete on a score of 72.1.

3:54pm

New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ come forward for the final phase of the gelding’s first 5*.

They scored 28.8 in the first phase and sat inside the top 10 going into yesterday’s cross country. They jumped clear over the fences and added 32.4 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 61.2, in 16th place.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled just one pole in their last long format run, and two in the 4*-S in Aachen. There are plenty of clears on their record, but mainly at short format.

Sooty jumps brilliantly at the beginning of the round, easily clearing the tricky fence four. He’s really jumping his socks off. He’s really accurate through the treble at seven. Sam’s riding really purposefully and they are motoring round this course. They’re clear to the final fence, and over it. CLEAR ROUND!!! Nothing to add for them, great stuff!

Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ complete on a score of 61.2.

3:51pm

Britain’s Tom Jackson and Farndon are on a clear round streak – will they keep it up today?

They scored 33.2 in the first phase, adding 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device and 17.6 time out on course yesterday, putting them on a total score of 61.8, in 17th place.

Show jumping form 📈 They’re on a run of four consecutive clear rounds, including at Luhmuhlen on their way to 6th place.

Tom and Farndon set off in a nice rhythm over the first, but then they have the oxer at fence two. Fence four also falls. They continue on though and clear the treble really nicely. Tom takes an outside line to the Liverpool and they jump it well. But the first part of the double at 11 goes. They have 1.2 time also. Three down for them, but a 5* completion.

Tom Jackson and Farndon complete on a score of 75.

3:48pm

French rider Camille Lejeune brings Dame Decoeur Tardonne to the show jumping to complete the mare’s first attempt at 5*.

They scored 35.2 in the first phase, and were cheered round the course by the home crowd, jumping clear and adding 28 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 63.2 and up the leaderboard into 18th place.

Show jumping form 📈 They had two poles last time out, and two in their last long format run. There are plenty of clears on their record in short formats though.

They happily clear the first three and then make light work of the fourth. There’s really a lot of atmosphere and this 5* debutant horse is doing a really pro job in there. They’re clear through the treble at seven and then the Liverpool. They fly through the double at eleven. They’re clear over the last and it’s a CLEAR ROUND!!! Inside the time. The French crowd are going wild and Camille laps it up. A great finish for them.

Camille Lejeune and Dame Decoeur Tardonne complete on a score of 63.2.

3:45pm

We’re into the top 20 now with British rider Tom Rowland, who pilots KND Steel Pulse for the gelding’s first 5*.

They scored 35.3 in the first phase, and jumped clear across the country yesterday, adding 28 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 63.3, just inside the top 20.

Show jumping form 📈 They’ve had two poles in each of their last three runs, and one in each of their four runs before that.

Oh dear, Tom and Steel Pulse have the first fence down, and also the butterfly fence at three. They rub the final part of the treble but it stays up. The planks are no bother but then they have the first part of the double at eleven down. They rub the last but it stays up. Three down for them, 12 penalties in total. But a 5* completion.

Tom Rowland and KND Steel Pulse complete on a score of 75.3.

3:42pm

Irish Olympian Sarah Ennis brings Grantstown Jackson forward on a score of 71.3.

They scored 36.9 in the first phase, and added 20 jumping and 14.4 time penalties yesterday.

Show jumping form 📈 They lowered two poles in their last long format run but were clear in the 4*-L at Boekelo last year. Their clear rate is around 50/50.

They set off in a really nice rhythm and easily clear the first five fences. Grantstown Jackson has a relatively high head carriage, but Sarah lets him go in his style and it clearly works. The middle part of the treble at seven goes, a bit of bad luck there. They clear the rest with no problems, although they’re two seconds over the time and get 0.8 penalties for that.

Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson complete on a score of 76.1.

3:39pm

Lithuanian rider Aistis Vitkauskas has re-routed from Burghley with Commander VG hoping to add another 5* completion to their record.

They scored 38.1 in the first phase, and had 20 jumping penalties out on course yesterday and 16 time, putting them on a total score of 74.1.

Show jumping form 📋 They lowered one pole here at Pau last year and have a clear, a four, an eight and a twelve on their record this season.

Aistis and Commander clear the first three, will they manage the fourth? Yes! A tiny clip but no problems there. They make the distances in the treble look easy and the planks are no trouble either. This is a really great jumping round from Aisitis and Commander. They’re CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME! A great end to their competition.

Aistis Vitkauskas and Commander VG complete on a score of 74.1.

3:36pm

Britain’s Helen Bates and Carpe Diem are ones to watch in this phase, for sure 👀

They scored 37.7 in the first phase, and jumped a super clear across the country yesterday, adding 38.4 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 76.1.

Show jumping form 📈 There’s not a single pole on this combo’s international record – not one! Just a whole bunch of 0s.

Ooo, I’m so excited to watch this pair! Carpe Diem absolutely flies the second fence, giving it about two feet of air. This is a horse that loves to jump. They easily clear the fourth fence that’s been causing a bit of bother. Carpe Diem’s jumping for fun. They fly into the planks, Helen sees a stride and they bound over it. They’re clear over the last. CLEAR AND INSIDE THE TIME! Their record stays in tact. Fabulous.

Helen Bates and Carpe Diem complete on a score of 76.1.

3:33pm

Swiss rider Nadja Minder brings her Young Riders horse Toblerone forward for the final phase of their first 5*.

They scored 30.5 in the first phase which left them in 14th place overnight. Like a few other riders, they added 20 penalties at the C element of the water at Fence 9, as well as 26 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 76.5.

Show jumping form 📋 They’ve jumped clear in their last three international competitions, including at the European Championships. Their recent form is clear more often than not, although they do tip the odd pole here and there.

This is such an exciting partnership and they come into the ring looking like they’re really meaning business today. They easily clear that difficult fence at four. Toblerone’s really motoring along and jumping brilliantly. They fly over the Liverpool at eight but then have the plank at nine. They’re clear from there to the finish though and they fly over the line. A brilliant 5* completion for them. Just the 4 penalties for them.

Nadja Minder and Toblerone complete on a score of 80.5.

3:30pm

Great Britain’s India Wishart is here as a 5* debutant with seventeen-year-old Diamond Sundance.

They scored 35.1 in the first phase, and had a great clear round across the country yesterday, adding 45.6 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 80.7.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled two poles last time out in the 4*-L at Blenheim and one in the 4*-L at Millstreet. Mostly they keep it to one pole, and they do jump clear at the short format.

They get off to a nice start, but then fence four goes again. They’re great through the first two parts of the treble at seven, but then have the final part. The first part of the double at eleven goes as well. Sunny’s really jumping nicely though and is such a great ambassador for older horses at the top of their sport. 12 jumping and 1.2 time for them.

India Wishart and Diamond Sundance complete on a score of 93.9.

3:27pm

Ireland’s Joseph Murphy and Barrichello come forward on a score of 85.1.

They scored 34.1 in the first phase, and added 11 penalties for activating a frangible device out on course yesterday as well as 40 time penalties.

Show jumping form 📋 Barichello has been pure show jumping with his previous rider Cathal Daniels. He’s only been with Joseph for this season, and they have two clears, one four and one eight on their record from their time together.

Joseph and Barricello get off to a great start and clear that tricky fourth fence, but then fence five goes. They clear the treble at seven really nicely. They rub the first part of the double at eleven but it stays up. Oh dear, the last has gone. 8 jumping and 0.4 time penalties for them.

Joseph Murphy and Barrichello complete on a score of 93.5.

3:24pm

Belgian rider Julien Despontin comes forward for the final phase with Honeyblue.

They scored 37.6 in the first phase, and added 15 penalties for a missed flag and 33.6 time yesterday, putting them on a total score of 86.2.

Show jumping form 📋 We have to go back to 2021 to find a long format on their international record – they rolled two poles that day. It’s a similar story in their most recent runs in short format competitions – two, or sometimes three poles, occasionally more.

Unfortunately they have the first fence, and then the fourth fence hits the deck again. They clear the treble at seven well but then have the fence after that. They get really deep to the double at nine and take the first part, but manage to squirrel their way over the second part. Four down for them, and 0.4 time.

Julien Despontin and Honeyblue complete on a score of 102.6.

3:21pm

France’s Gaspard Maksud and Kan-do 2 are rounding off the gelding’s first 5* this afternoon.

They scored 37.1 in the first phase, and added 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device and 39.2 time penalties yesterday, putting them on a total score of 87.3.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled four poles last time out in the 4*-L at Blenheim, but generally keep it to one or two.

Gaspard and Kan-do 2 clear the first but then have the second, and then the fourth, and the fifth. Not a great start but this is a young gelding taking on his first 5* track. He settles into a rhythm and clears the rest of the fences. Three down for them and a 5* completion.

Gaspard Maksud and Kan-do 2 complete on a score of 99.3.

3:18pm

British rider Phil Brown brings Harry Robinson forward for the final phase at his first overseas 5*.

They scored 40.3 in the first phase, and jumped clear across the country with 48.4 time penalties, putting them on a total score of 88.7.

Show jumping form 📈 They rolled four poles at Burghley last year, their debut at the level. It was 2 last time out in the 4*-S at Hartpury.

Phil and Harry are great mates and it really shows when you see them working together in the ring, and across the country. They clear that tricky fourth fence, good for them. Harry’s jumping his socks off. Ah, but then the sixth goes, and the second part of the treble at seven. Fence nine goes as well. He’s clipping most of the fences, they stay up but then the second part of the double at eleven goes, and then the last two. But another 5* completion under their girths. Five down and 0.8 time.

Phil Brown and Harry Robinson complete on a score of 109.5.

3:15pm

Irish rider Ian Cassells brings Master Point forward for the final phase of the gelding’s first 5*.

They scored 32.3 in the first phase. They added 30 penalties for two missed flags and 32.8 time on the cross country, putting them on a total score of 92.1.

Show jumping form 📋 They rolled a pole last time out in the 4*-L at Blenheim. More often than not it’s more than one. In the 4*-S at Burgham they had an automatic elimination for lowering five poles.

Master Point gives the first a little rattle but it stays in the cups. He puts a trot stride in before the oxer at two but picks up and they clear it. He seems to be getting into a rhythm now. He clears the treble at seven, and is clear through the double at eleven. Oh no, the final fence goes, what a shame for them, but a great 5* finish for Master Point.

Ian Cassells and Master Point complete on a score of 101.5

3:12pm

Britain’s Isabella Innes Ker and Highway come forward for the final phase of the gelding’s first 5*.

They scored 36.7 in the first phase, and added 20 jumping and 39.2 time penalties yesterday, putting them on a total score of 95.9.

Show jumping form 📋 They’ve rolled a pole in their last three international competitions, two in their last long format.

They clear the first but the back rail of fence two comes down. Four comes down again, seems to be a tricky line to that one. They continue on clear through to fence eight, but then nine comes down. And the last goes also. They add 1.6 time penalties too. 16 jumping penalties for them. But a 5* completion.

Isabella Innes Ker and Highway complete on a score of 113.5.

3:09pm

Great Britain’s Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier come forward looking for a first 5* completion for the gelding.

They scored 35.5 in the first phase, and added 20 jumping and 40.4 time on yesterday’s cross country, putting them on a total score of 95.9.

Show jumping form 📋 They jumped clear in their last two runs, but they were short format 3*s. In their last long format they had one pole. Based on form, they look like a one or none combination.

They’re clear over the first three as a helicopter or airplane goes over the ring. The fourth fence is down once more. They clear the treble at 7. A dog’s barking now! Poor Alex is having a lot to deal with. He holds this 5* debutant together though and they finish up with just the one pole.

Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier complete on a score of 99.9.

3:06pm

Kiwi rider extraordinaire Tim Price brings 5* first-timer Viscount Viktor forward on a score of 120.8.

They scored 28 in the first phase but two late refusals at the B element of the final combination added 60 jumping penalties to their score, as well as 32.8 time.

Show jumping form 📋 They jumped clear in their last long format run but have rolled a pole in each of their short format runs this season.

Viktor looks to be taking the atmosphere in his stride as he comes into the ring. He’s clear over the first three but the fourth fence goes. He focuses well through the treble and is clear through there. He’s looks well within himself. He clips the tenth behind but it stays up. The last goes but this is a great completion for a first time at the level for Viktor who held himself together well in that buzzy ring.

Tim Price and Viscount Viktor complete on a score of 128.8.

3:03pm

The only other rider coming forward to the final phase with two rides, British eventing hero Pippa Funnell brings homebred Billy Walk On forward.

They scored 29.6 in the first phase leaving them in 10th place overnight, but a problem at the log dropping into the water at Fence 20 yesterday saw them add 20 jumping penalties, along with 20 time, putting them on a total score of 69.6 and dropping them to 20th place.

Show jumping form 📋 They jumped clear at Burghley on the final day last year on their way to 8th place. They rolled one last time out, but more often than not it’s none.

Pippa comes into the ring. Wow, there’s a lot of atmosphere in there. They’re clear over the first five fences and are going ‘round in a really great rhythm. Billy’s got his ears pricked and is jumping his socks off. This is a really great round. They’re over the last and it’s a CLEAR ROUND!

Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On complete on a score of 69.6.

3pm

Getting things underway, jumping out of order as she has two rides in this final phase, we have this year’s Badminton winner and World No. 2, Great Britain’s Ros Canter, who brings her Badminton ride’s half-sister Pencos Crown Jewel forward on a total score of 70.7.

They scored 28.3 in the first phase and sat in 8th place overnight, but a glance off in the water at the B element of Fence 20 yesterday and 22.4 time penalties dropped them down the order to 21st after the first two phases.

Show jumping form 📈 They rolled two poles at Badminton, and three at Burghley last year. There are lots of clears on their record though, at both long and short formats.

Ros enters the arena to a massive cheer as we kick things off this afternoon. Unfortunately the first fence goes, and then the fourth. They clear the treble though and seem to be in a nice rhythm now. They clip the planks but it stays in the cups. Over the last and they finish on 8 penalties.

Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel complete on a score of 78.7.

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