Classic Eventing Nation

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Jennie Brannigan and Tim and Nina Gardner’s Cambalda keep bringing home these emotional wins. With “Ping” looking on his toes across Mike Etherington-Smith’s brand new cross country course at the $30,000 Land Rover Great Meadow International, Jennie and her longtime partner delivered a clear trip with 8 time penalties to win the inaugural CIC3* on a score of 47.4.

Numbers don’t lie — Jennie and Ping are the most consistent three-star combination in the country — but it’s not like you can pull three-star wins out of a hat. And the past nine months haven’t exactly been a walk in the park for Jennie and her team.

After winning the National CCI3* Championship at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International last fall, it seemed like stars were finally aligning. Then the USEF High Performance Winter/Spring Training Lists were released a few weeks later, with Jennie and Ping’s names notably absent.

The rollercoaster continued as they finished third in the Red Hills CIC3* and won The Fork CIC3* this past spring, finally recorded the first CCI4* completion of their careers at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and were unexpectedly named as alternates to the U.S. Pan American Games team.

How do you cope with that mentally? “I came back to Pennsylvania and completely put my mind back to working with my young horses and galloping for Michael (Matz) — which in all honestly completely keeps me sane — and not thinking about it. I support our country; I want the best team to go (to the Pan Ams). I think (the selectors) picked a great team. I think my horse deserves to be on that team, but that does not mean that I don’t think the team they picked is great,” Jennie said.

“I think it does put you in a little bit of an odd position. For me mentally, I backed off of training on Ping. I put one of my younger employees on him to keep him fit, and I trained him very specifically to do certain things on certain days, and I’ve taken the pressure off of him, which has taken the pressure of myself so I could focus on the other amazing things I have going on in my life, and that’s kept me very good mentally going into this.

Colleen Rutledge, Jennie Brannigan and Lynn Symansky celebrate at #LandRoverGMI. Photo by Jenni Autry.

“When I came here this weekend, I knew I was ready to play this game, but not in a way that made me overly aggressive. I just felt like it’s time. For me with the Pan Ams, it’s got Ping’s name on it. So I just figured I would go out there and show everyone what he is, which is a consistent player. You can’t fault him in his three-star record.

“I completely see where (the selectors) are coming from — they want to see me step up to the plate and be the real deal, and I plan to. I have a pipeline of horses coming, and I love producing my own horses. That’s very important to me. And I will continue to try to do the best job I can on every horse I have in my barn and produce them to the highest level I can.”

Tim and Nina Gardner, Jennie’s longtime supporters and owners of Cambalda, also play a big role in her story. “I don’t think you could get better owners. It’s emotional to talk about them because they prove that you can still make it and not have a bunch of money,” Jennie said. “They’re special; I wouldn’t be anything without them. I’m just lucky. I think God, or whoever, put them in my life for a reason, and I want to do them proud.”

So what’s next for Jennie and Ping after their second CIC3* win of the season? The horse was vetted this afternoon along with the other alternates, and we are now awaiting the announcement of which combination will serve as the traveling reserve for the U.S. Pan American Games team. At the same time, Jennie and Ping have received a Land Rover Competition Grant to compete at the Rebecca Farm CCI3* next month, and she would also like to use her the free flight she won at Fair Hill to go to Pau.

“I want the horses that got named to the team to go. If I travel, hopefully I learn from that experience, then maybe the horse gets a break and can go to Pau. And if not, we run Rebecca Farm and go from there. At the end of the day, I can’t think of a greater honor that what it would be to represent our country, and I just hope that this is a step to that,” Jennie said.

“If I get the honor of being the first alternate, hopefully it will help me pave the way to being there in the future in another team event. If I ever get a pinque coat, I’ll be crying, because that’s really special to me.”

Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.

In looking at the rest of the leaderboard, Lynn Symansky and The Donner Syndicate’s Donner finished second in the CIC3* on a score of 50.4 after jumping clear with 7.6 time penalties. This was The Flying Deer’s first cross country run since completing the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event for a second time in April and his second time jumping on this hallowed turf at Great Meadow, as he ran the World Equestrian Games Prep Trials here last year.

“It was actually pretty cool to run this year compared to last year. I expected the course to ride well, and I trust Mike’s courses. I thought it was a great run for Donner. The footing was fantastic,” Lynn said. “It was a little bit of a tough lead up, as last week I hurt my back, and I actually was unable to ride and really prepare for this week how I would usually work him, so I was just planning to try to get through dressage, but my back was cooperating, so I took it by day, and he stepped up the plate. I couldn’t be happier with him. He felt fantastic.”

After Donner’s good performance today, Lynn said the next step in their season is to wait to see who receives USEF fall grants; applications are due this Friday. “I’m really thinking about the schedule and would like to go to Europe in the fall, likely Burghley, maybe Aachen. It depends on grants. Hopefully I can get a grant to send him overseas,” Lynn said.

“It would be pretty cool to be able to go to Aachen, but I also think he would be an unbelievable Burghley horse. In the meantime, I’ll be giving him some time off and then keep working on the dressage and show jumping and hopefully have an exciting fall over in Europe.”

Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Colleen Rutledge also had her first run back with her own Covert Rights after Rolex, and he had the fastest time in the division to move up from 12th to third place thanks to jumping clear with just 0.8 time penalties. “He was fantastic. He sees the fences so well now, and he looks for his flags so much better than he did at the beginning of the year,” Colleen said.

“It’s very gratifying for me to have him come out on a course like this and to have him really and truly be looking for his flags and be willing to gallop on. He handled the footing really well, and he was just really happily galloping around the course.”

Colleen is another rider whose fall plans are up in the air pending grant allocations. “I would love to go to Burghley. If the team decides that they’d like me to go to Aachen, that sounds like fun, but it’s not a make or break for me. Burghley is more of my end goal. I’m super happy with him even if we don’t get a grant. For our first run back after Rolex, I’m thrilled with it.”

Mike Etherington-Smith’s course rode well for the most part, with about 70 percent of the CIC3* field jumping clear. Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, who were sitting in second place after show jumping, picked up an unfortunate technical elimination after the jump judge said they missed a flag at the skinny at 9c at the George Mason Steps and went on to jump the next fence.

The angled brushes at fence 4 caused numerous problems, and the steps at fence 9 also caught out experienced combinations. Justine Dutton fell from Jollybo at the brushes, and Michael Pollard and Cyrano and Maggie Deatrick and Divine Comedy picked up a runout there. Rolex veterans Boyd Martin and Crackerjack picked up 20 jumping penalties at the steps. Sally Cousins and Abecca GS fell at the offset cabins just one fence from home; thankfully both are totally fine.

Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Looking to the Pan American Games prep trials division, Lauren Kieffer and Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett clinched the win after jumping clear with 6 time penalties to finish on a final score of 49.3. Marilyn Little and Raylyn Farms’ and Phoebe and Michael Manders’ RF Scandalous had the fastest time in the class to come home with 4.8 time penalties to finish second on 50.4. Boyd Martin and the Pancho Villa Syndicate’s Pancho Villa round out the top three on 53.9 after jumping clear with 10 time penalties.

We have much more to bring you from #LandRoverGMI, including comments from our U.S. Pan American Games team, U.S. Coach David O’Connor and Great Meadow Foundation President Rob Banner. You can relive all the cross country action in our open thread, and we’ll let you know when the video replay is ready to view on USEF Network.

Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage from the Land Rover Great Meadow International. Kudos to Great Meadow and Land Rover for pulling off such a lovely event, and thank you to the volunteers for enduring everything from extreme heat to hurricane-like conditions over the course of the past few days. That’s eventing for you, and it keeps us coming back for more. Thanks to everyone who followed along with our coverage this weekend. Go Eventing.

Great Meadow: Website, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, USEF Network, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram

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Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Good morning and thanks for joining us for the Land Rover Great Meadow International cross country phase. Keep refreshing this page for updates all morning as a star-studded list of riders tackle Mike Etherington-Smith’s new course. The CIC3* will head out on course first followed by the Pan Ams division after a 20 minute break.

Despite last night’s torrential downpour, the footing has reportedly held up pretty well and the grounds crew has been hard at work laying down stone dust on either side of the fences. It is sunny and warm this morning in The Plains, Virginia which is a big help to dry out the ground.

Mike has designed a gorgeous course on what Jennie Brannigan said is probably the best turf in the country, and we’ve been anticipating eventing’s return to Great Meadow for a long time. You can see the full course in pictures here and a drone flyover here.

Jennie Brannigan and Tim and Nina Gardner’s Cambalda lead the CIC3* on a career best score of 39.8 followed closely by Buck Davidson and Carl and Cassie Segal’s Ballynoe Castle RM. Lauren Kieffer and Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett moved into the lead in the Pan Ams divisions after show jumping. Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa are 0.6 penalty points behind in second place.

Great Meadow: Website, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, USEF Network, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram

12:42 p.m. EST: Morgan McCue has reported on Facebook that Abecca GS, owned by Lance McCue, and her rider Sally Cousins are A-OK after parting ways on course in the CIC3* division. The live scores initially reported a rider fall and then changed to a horse fall. According to Morgan, Sally popped out of the tack at the offset cabins near the end of the course, and Becca walked back to the vet box before stopping to munch on grass. Good to know they’re both just fine!

Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry.

11:40 a.m. EST: Our entire Pan Am team finish in the top five at Great Meadow. CAN’T WAIT for Toronto. USA! USA!

11:39 a.m. EST: Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett are the winners! Clear round with just 6 time penalties; they finish on a 49! Marilyn and RF Scandalous are second with a 50.4.

11:38 a.m. EST: Lovely round by Lauren and Scarlett. Lauren looks really pleased crossing the finish!

11:37 a.m. EST: 10 time faults for Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa to finish on 53.9. That moves them down below Marilyn and RF Scandalous.

11:35 a.m. EST: Lauren rides through the step combination on a long rein. Very smooth and nicely done.

11:34 a.m. EST: Will Faudree and Pfun finish with 18.8 time despite 20 penalties at 9.

11:32 a.m. EST: Our top two after show jumping are on course now. Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa are having a good round so far. Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett are clear through the pond at 5. Ears pricked and focused!

11:31 a.m. EST: 12.4 time penalties for Matthew Brown and BCF Belicoso. They finish on 57.6.

11:28 a.m. EST: Pan Am American alternates Will Faudree and Pfun have a runout at 9C after the step. Sinead and Jimmy said Will took a tug down the hill and the horse took his eye off the fence.

11:26 a.m. EST: 4.8 time penalties for Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. They move into the lead!

11:25 a.m. EST: Really positive riding at the steps from Matt Brown. He’s giving BCF Belicoso a great round.

11:23 a.m. EST: The scoreboard has updated Sally Cousins’ score to reflect a horse fall. We will update you on the condition of Abecca GS as soon as we know.

11:21 a.m. EST: Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive have moved into the lead with a clear round and 11.2 time faults.

11:19 a.m. EST: Guillermo de Campo had one refusal and 30.8 time. Daniela Moguel gallops right past the Angled Brushes at 4 with Agave. They would have told the ground jury earlier that they will do so and use this as a training round.

11:17 a.m. EST: Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous are having a truly gorgeous round. They’re moving right along and may be the first to get close to the time.

11:14 a.m. EST: Sinead Halpin says Guillermo De Campo’s Quelite looks like a really happy horse!

11:13 a.m EST: Daniela Moguel and Cecelia are clear with 17.2 time. Lauren and Vermiculus were clear with 12.4. Looks like Abraham had a third refusal on course resulting in elimination.

Donner finishes second at the #landroverGMI CIC3* with a beautiful cross-country run. #ottb #eventing #flyingdeer

A photo posted by Lynn Symansky (@lynn.symansky.equestrian) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:46am PDT

11:07 a.m. EST: Muggle runs out to the right twice at the Angled Brush at 4. The horses didn’t appear to understand the question so Moreira da Silva retires.

11:05 a.m. EST: Abraham Ojeda and Obusero have a hard stop at the table at 3. They’re clear on the second attempt and picked up another stop at 4. Abraham is carrying on and is clear through the pond at 5.

11:03 a.m. EST: Lauren Kieffer gives Vermiculus a really positive ride through the steps at 9.

11:00 a.m. EST: We’re underway with the Pan Ams division. Daniela Moguel and Cecelia are the first on course. She went to take the long route at the step at 9. The horse tripped around the turn but recovered and is clear through the combination.

10:41 a.m. EST: Sinead Halpin is in the commentator’s booth and says the footing is brilliant despite the rain yesterday. That’s great news! James Wofford says there is a very good drainage system at Great Meadow that has contributed to that.

10:40 a.m. EST: Here’s the top 10 for the CIC3*. The Pan Ams division gets underway at 10:57 a.m. EST.

10:38 a.m. EST: Jennie and Ping are the CIC3* winners! They picked up 8 time penalties for a final score of 47.

10:36 a.m. EST: We’re being told Reggie didn’t get his shoulders through the flags of the skinny at fence 9C, but Buck carried on, resulting in a technical elimination.

10:34 a.m. EST: According to the live scores Buck and Reggie received a technical elimination for missing a jump. That’s really unfortunate.

10:33 a.m. EST: 7.6 time faults for Lynn Symansky and Donner to finish on 50.4. Jenni is having to really kick through the coffin at 20.

10:32 a.m. EST: Jennie Brannigan and Ping have now passed the area where Buck and Reggie are being held.

10:29 a.m. EST: Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM have been pulled up. We’re not sure why yet.

10:28 a.m. EST: Pan Am alternates Michael Pollard and Cyrano finish with an unfortunate 20 and 31.2 time.

10:27 a.m. EST: Overnight leaders Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda are on course.

10:23 a.m. EST: Tamra and Mai Baum are clear with 8.4 time to move into second.

10:18 a.m. EST: Cyrano another one to duck out at the side on 4B.

10:17 a.m. EST: Kurt and DeLux Z had a cracking round with 17.2 time.

10:13 a.m. EST: Clear round with 8 time for Sydney Conley Elliott and Cisko A. Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon were clear with 15.6 time. We’re into the top six in the CIC3* division now.

10:09 a.m. EST: Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights with 0.8 time. Crackerjack sidles out to the side at the C element after the step at 9.

10:08 a.m. EST: Cisko A just cruising on a long rein with Sydney Conley Elliott. They go beautifully through the main water complex.

10:06 a.m. EST: Ellen and Sir Oberon finish clear with 15.6 time. That moves them up to third in the clubhouse.

10:05 a.m. EST:

That Sir Oberon horse is STUNNING! Love me a good big bay! ♥ — StreamHorseTV (@StreamHorseTV) June 21, 2015

10:01 a.m. EST: Sally Cousins fell somewhere on course but it was not reported on the video. We’ll let you know if we find out more.

9:59 a.m. EST: Sir Oberon trots in the water before the B element but jumps through the combination clear with Ellen Doughty-Hume.

9:56 a.m. EST: Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin’s Token are unfortunately eliminated after a third refusal on course.

9:55 a.m. EST: Abecca GS props a bit between the two Angled Brushes at 4. Sally Cousins makes it happen!

9:54 a.m. EST: Sara Kozumplik-Murphy and Fly Me Courageous had the look of eagles in their eyes at the startbox. They finished with 2.8 time, the fastest clear round so far.

9:53 a.m. EST: Justine Dutton parts ways from Jollybo at the Angled Brush at 4. He jumped the first one and then put on the breaks in the one-stride to B. Justine jumps up right away and she’s fine.

9:51 a.m. EST: Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin’s Token had way too much momentum coming off the bank at 9 and couldn’t find their balance for the skinny at C. They skidded to the side and picked up a second runout. Bobby was going for a third attempt.

9:48 a.m. EST: Buck and Flower were really cooking around the course but they pull in 11.2 time penalties. The ground may be just a bit holding.

9:47 a.m. EST: We’re getting some scores in now. Colleen and Escot 6 finish on 112.7 with a stop and 18 time penalties. Erin Sylvester and Mettraise were clear with 30 time penalties for 112.6 final score. Michael and Ballingowan Pizazz were clear jumping with 17.2 time faults.

9:43 a.m. EST: Rats! Maggie Deatrick and Divine Comedy run out at the Angled Brushes at 4. She jumped through the pond after and retired.

9:42 a.m. EST: Flower’s being very brave and fresh this morning!

9:41 a.m. EST: We’re seeing the horses leave the box and jump the first 8 fences or so on the live stream, but they’re not reporting how they finish.

9:40 a.m. EST: Buck Davidson and Petite Flower leave the box blazing. Flower was bouncing around at the box. She was ready to go!

9: 38 a.m. EST: We’ve seen Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizzaz leave the startbox. Started off fresh but has settled in nicely.

9:33 a.m. EST: Colleen Rutledge and Escot 6 are the first out on course. Erin Sylvester is out with Mettraise. She has withdrawn No Boundaries.

9:26 a.m. EST: We’re just moments from the start of cross country.

Ingrid Klimke and FRH Escada JS, winners of Luhmühlen 2015. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

More on the glorious spectacle that is a German awards ceremony later. First, a rundown of the events leading up to Ingrid and FRH Escada JS‘s CCI4* triumph.

It took a hot minute for anyone to manage a double-clear trip around Captain Mark Phillips‘ testing show jumping course. At long last, Great Britain’s Nicky Roncoroni and her dreamy dapple-grey Stonedge broke the seal.

Nicky Rorcoroni and Stonedge (GBR). Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The double-clears began trickling in after that, beginning with Germany’s Dirk Schrade with Hop and Skip, who jumped from 13th to 8th, and culminating with six of the last seven pairs to go.

Canada’s Rebecca Howard had an unlucky rail but there was just enough scoreboard shuffling that she was able to hang on to her foothold in the top 10. Rupert looked keen and ready to jump some jumps; he had the expression of a kid tearing opening birthday presents throughout his round. Watching him you’d never know he jumped clear and fast around a 4* course the day before.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master (CAN). Photo by Leslie Wylie.

America’s lonely torchbearers, Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen, enjoyed a brilliant finish to their brilliant comeback weekend. Glen jumped his heart out today, moving from 7th to 6th thanks to a double-clear round.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (USA). Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Clark told me Friday that he’d probably sat in a dressage saddle maybe, maybe, a dozen times since Boekelo last October, focusing instead on Glen’s jumping and fitness programs. Their hard work paid off this weekend, certainly, but can you imagine the result if this pair had actually put in some time on the flat?

Imagine this photo, flipped. (Clark, I’m sorry Glen’s naptime ears ruin all your pictures. At least he’s got a buddy in this one.)

Mark Todd, 5th, and Clark Montgomery, 6th, during the awards ceremony. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

The remainder of the leaderboard stayed intact. It was beautiful round after beautiful round from Mark Todd, Christopher Burton, Michael Jung, Jonelle Price and, last but not least, Ingrid Klimke.

It was hard not to root for 3rd placed Michael and Sam, whose seem to float through life in a bubble of hearts. And 2nd placed Jonelle’s light-as-a-feather Faerie Dianimo is a treat to watch.

But if Ingrid won, I knew what was going to happen. And I wanted to witness it.

Germany was going to lose its mind completely.

Ingrid Klimke and FRH Escada JS (GER). Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Wham, bam, thank-you-ma’am and what happened next was everything I dreamed it would be. Having experienced The Ingrid Effect yesterday on cross-country, I had the foresight to turn my iPhone video on as she was heading toward the final jump.

It starts with dead silence — OK, so you can hear a bird chirping somewhere and the girl beside me was quietly clucking — but as soon as Escada has all four hooves back on solid ground….

German eventing, man. It’s for real.

Making Ingrid’s win, on her dressage score of 32.7, even more special was her connection to the place. Her father Dr. Reiner Klimke won Luhmühlen 56 years ago, and her mare was also bred here in Luhmühlen by Jürgen Stuhtmann.

“It was meant to be” Ingrid said. “Escada was fantastic in every sense of the word and I am totally over the moon. Without her and my team I wouldn’t be here. With the show jumping we ended an amazing weekend. She was extraordinary — she never touched a pole.”

Jonelle and Michael were also thrilled with their horses’ performances.

Jonelle said that she was a bit nervous going in the ring.

“My horse is a very careful jumper and will always try her hardest, so any mistake would have been down to me,” she explained. “The time was very tight and having to ride against the clock is not really my thing, so I did feel the pressure today. Therefore I am even more pleased that we stayed clear within the optimum time. All the top riders were extraordinary this weekend and I am extremely proud to be one of them.”

Of his tremendous partner Sam, Michael said, “I am completely happy with Sam’s performance this weekend and we couldn’t do more in the end. The ladies fully deserved to come first and second.”

When Ingrid trotted back into the ring to accept their honor, the real party began. Exhibit A: the awards ceremony.

Is this thing edible?

They just kept bringing out prizes.

Random brooms.

Some artwork.

Tiny trophies and cellophane-wrapped fruit baskets.

A single boot.

And then, out of nowhere, bagpipes. Because of course.

Maybe if I knew more German (or any German, really) I would have had a better grasp of what was going on. But I actually kind of enjoyed being in the dark, the only journalist doubled over with the suspense of not knowing what was going to happen next.

Adorable New Zealand photographer Libby Law later told me that if I thought German award customs were weird, I ought to see the French. Apparently they’re really into giving away kitchen appliances: microwaves, toaster ovens, the like. It makes that dinky watch at Rolex seem pretty boring.

And broadcast commentator John Kyle pointed out that America basically grinds to a halt if a horse wins three races. You’ve got a point, John.

Go Germany. Go Ingrid. Go check out EN’s Great Meadow cross-country live thread.

And, most importantly… Go Eventing.

Luhmühlen: [Website] [Entry List] [Schedule] [Leaderboard]