Classic Eventing Nation

Mara DePuy and Congo Brazzaville C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Mara DePuy and Congo Brazzaville C got off to a blazing start at Fair Hill last month, snatching the dressage lead and enjoying the cross country run of their lives before taking an unlucky dunking at the final water. Mara figured that was that for the year, but Congo had other ideas.

After Fair Hill, Mara says, “My horse had about 10 days completely off. What made the decision was that he was squealing and running around his field and normally Congo would be having naps after a hard event. So he definitely was not ready to be done.”

Between Congo’s behavior, consulting with her team, and a cross country school with Phillip Dutton, all signs pointed to a redemption mission in Ocala: “I put him back into hacking and hacked and flatted for a week, did one cross country school, one gallop, and here we are.”

“Phillip is an advisor of mine, we talked about it — I’m the one who kind of threw it out there,” she says. “He just basically suggested that I need more practice going fast, which is true, but I need practice going fast in competition. And the fact that my horse came out of it so well — if at any point he told me he was tired or sore or whatever after Fair Hill, I would have waited until next year.”

In our “By the Numbers” Ocala Jockey Club preview, we noted that, despite leading the pack at Fair Hill after the first phase on a 28.5, this pair had yet to score in the twenties at two consecutive events despite breaking that mark in 30% of their starts over the last two years. That stat no longer applies after their test today at Ocala Jockey Club, where they scored a 28.6 to take the CCI4*-L dressage lead.

Of their performance, with her own and David and Mary Regamey’s 12-year-old Dutch gelding (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Mexico M, by Highline), Mara says, “The test was good enough — I still think it can always be better. My horse was good, he didn’t do anything wrong, I just didn’t feel like he was quite as through maybe as he was at Fair Hill. But still, very correct and still good.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross country test, Mara reflects, “This venue is amazing. I’ve never been to this event before, and it’s so not typical what you’d think of Florida. The land is amazing and it’s a proper, proper four-star — there’s certainly enough to do. Obviously it’s a good course, there are fair questions, I think there’s a lot to do out there, and it’s even a little bit longer than Fair Hill. The ground is perfect of course too.”

As for her game plan, she says, “I didn’t come down here just to canter around. I need to think about what the horse can do and how he feels, but I’ll give it a shot.”

Phillip Dutton and Long Island T. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In second on 29.0 is Phillip Dutton with Long Island T, a 13-year-old Oldenburg/Thoroughbred gelding (Ludwig von Bayern x Haupstsbuch Highlight, Heraldik xx) owned by the Long Island T Syndicate. Phillip has the ride on “Ludwig” while Boyd recovers from, what is it this time, his hip? His leg? I couldn’t remember, so I typed “broken boyd Martin” into the EN website search field and this is what came up:

Which is to say, his most recent broken body part doesn’t even populate because he’s had so many. (But for the record, this time it’s his pelvis.)

This guy, seriously. From “Who Broke It Best? Thumbs Up Edition” in 2015.

Anyway, Phillip is piloting Long Island T this week, and so far things are going well. It’s the horse’s first international outing since Fair Hill International last year, where he finished 2nd in the CCI4*-L, although Boyd and Ludwig did enjoy a high profile Adequan Advanced Final win at the American Eventing Championships in September.

Phillip got to know the horse at Virginia Horse Trials, where they placed 3rd in Open Intermediate having taken their time around the cross country.

Phillip Dutton and Long Island T. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

“I was ecstatic with Ludwig this morning, he went really well,” Phillip said of today’s test. “Silva and Boyd have done a great job with him, he just gets in the arena and understands what he has to do and goes about it in a pretty matter-of-fact way. There’s obviously a bit of improvement there but overall we haven’t been together too long so I was really pleased.

“It was helpful having Boyd here for my final warm-up: He told me Ludwig sometimes gets a little nervous in the halts, and that he thought he would come down a little lower in front once he got in the ring so that was useful to know as every horse reacts differently.”

Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In third on 31.1 is Lynn Symansky with RF Cool Play, a 10-year-old German Sport Horse (Condors Champion x Roxana, by Radscha) owned by The Donner Syndicate.

Lynn reflected, “I thought he was a good boy, he tried in there. I thought his trot work was quite good and his walk would be his weakest gait. I think this arena — there’s a lot of atmosphere with the flags and all the tents around, but I think it’s very hard for the horses to have that fishbowl feel when you’re doing your walk back towards that hill. I think that’s why a lot of them light up more than normal.

“It also is quite chilly compared to what the horses down here have been used to. So I thought I gave away some marks in the walk and canter, but he was quite a good boy. He’s been ridden a lot recently, I had a less than ideal lead-up coming into it and then he got here and was quite wild so I’ve been spending most of my time hanging out with him on his back and off his back.”

Looking ahead to cross country, Lynn says, “It looks good. It’s twistier than it has been in years’ past, so I think that’ll have a cumulative effect on them. I do think time will be harder to make than it has in the past because there’s a little bit less galloping. [Clayton Fredericks] has been clever about what he’s done with some of the lanes to ask a little bit of a different question or some of the same questions but just changed around how he gets you there. I think the ground should be good, I think it’s great that we had the rain. That did nothing but help it. It looks like a good track — it doesn’t feel soft for sure. I think there’s questions all the way up until the end.

“He’s a good cross country horse, he’s honest, he’s a little bit light on runs leading up into a 4*-L just because I aimed him at the Pan Ams instead and I missed his final run which was supposed to be Virginia. But he had a jump on Monday and Tuesday and I just have to rely on the fact that he’s a good cross country horse and loves his job.”

Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride and Favian. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In 4th on 31.3 is Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride with Favian.

William Coleman and Chin Tonic. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Looking to the CCI2*-L leaderboard, Will Coleman and Chin Tonic have the early margin on a score of 24.2. Buck Davidson with Cooley Candyman and Will Coleman with Steam Engine are equal 2nd on 27.9.

Phillip Dutton leads the CCI3*-L with Fernhill PickPocket — read our CCI3*-L report here.

Photo gallery from the indomitable Shannon Brinkman:

Go Eventing.

#OJC3DE: Website, Schedule, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

CCI4*-L Dressage Top 10: 

CCI2*-L Dressage Top 10: 

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill PickPocket. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Phillip Dutton wins a lot of events on a lot of horses, but there’s something extra special about the winning streak his been on of late with Fernhill PickPocket. We were all dabbing at our eyes a bit when they swept the MARS Great Meadow International CCI3*-S from start to finish back in August, and then followed that up with two more wire-to-wire CCI3*-S wins at Morven Park and Virginia.

Phillip took over the ride from his stepdaughter, Lee Lee Jones, who is now a part-owner of the horse with her grandmother Annie Jones and Caroline Moran. Here at Ocala Jockey Club International, the pair is once again in the hunt for a win, taking the dressage lead on 28.9.

“It’s a little bit of an emotional relationship because he was actually Lee Lee’s horse, and she bought him originally from Ireland,” Phillip says. “So it’s kind of sad, but it’s also exciting to have him.”

Lee Lee acquired “Ollie,” an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Chacco Blue x Bracklin Mystique, by Solitair), as a 4-year-old from Carol Gee and produced him up to Training level before her accident in 2016. The following spring, Phillip took over the ride, bringing the horse along slowly and methodically.

“We’re really excited about his future,” Phillip says. “He’s a little bit of a volatile horse, he’s not the most laid-back horse you’d ever see and so everybody’s in agreement we’re going to take our time with him and slowly produce him. He’s got the makings of a really top horse. He can move and operate on the flat, but he’s also a good jumper as well.”

Looking ahead to cross country, he says, “It’ll be the longest course he’s done but it should be well within his capabilities at this stage of his career. There’s some quite decent proper jumping efforts there and there’s also some jumps there that are a bit small compared to some of the course. The course varies a lot. He can be a bit of an aggressive jumper, so I’ll just have to make sure that he doesn’t get too flat and low at the smaller stuff so that he’s at his best for when the harder stuff comes.”

Katherine Coleman, winner of the 2018 CCI4*-L, is 13th in the CCI3*-L with Monbed Senna. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In second is Leslie Law with Zick Zack, a 10-year-old Swedish mare (Blue Hors Zack x Mercedes, by Master) owned by Sally Cox, on a score of 30.5. “I thought the test went pretty well, I’m very happy,” Leslie says.

The horse is a new ride for Leslie, who is taking the reins until Ellie O’Neal has her baby in January. The pair got off to a super start, finishing 4th in the CCI3*-S at Stable View in September.

Of tomorrow’s cross country track, Leslie says, “It’s a great course, the terrain is so good here, the setting is so good, the ground will be really good after last night’s rain. It’ll be a good competition. There’s a few lines which are questions as to whether we’re leaving a stride out or adding a stride here or there and so I’ll have to feel my way a little bit since I don’t know the horse inside out so we’ll go out there and see where we are at about fence five or six and hopefully get the job done.”

“Ellie has done a great job with the horse and the mare’s been really well produced and she knows the horse very well. So where there is a question of, in a line whether it might be an extra stride or one less stride, I’ll ask Ellie what she thinks because she’s got way more experience on her and knows the horse way better. So any kind of information like that for me right now is only useful to have. You have to feel your way when you’re out there and so a lot of it then becomes instinct.”

Gratuitous pup pic! Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Jon Holling is third on 33.0 with Prophet, his own 7-year-old Trakehner bred by Anissa Cottongim (Tatendrang x Pennant’s Valentine, by Pennant).

“I’ve had him for a long time, I got him when he was three. But it’s only his fourth Intermediate, so while I know the horse really well and I feel confident going out he is still green at the level,” Jon says. “Like Leslie was saying, there are some questions out there where I know in another 12 months’ time, he’ll be ready to attack it — I’d say tomorrow I’m just going to have to see how he feels when he leaves the box. He’s been really good and strong and bold on the cross country, the three competitions he has been at the level. But it’s still new enough to him that I’ll just have to see how he feels. He’s a pretty brave, bold, confident cross country horse so fingers crossed he’s up to the challenge.”

Jon is pretty easy to spot this weekend, having found himself on the losing end of a bet: Jon’s Green Bay Packers lost to Buck Davidson’s Philadelphia Eagles, leaving Jon relegated to wear an Eagles Jersey throughout the weekend — including on cross country. (“Buck tried to make me wear it during the jog but that’s where I draw the line,” Jon says.) Oh, you two. Payback is heck, I guess.

Regardless, we’re all looking forward to a sporting day of cross country tomorrow followed by a thrilling finale come Sunday. Everyone has glowing praise of Ocala Jockey Club.

“I can’t think of a better venue that I’ve been to, it’s beautiful here,” Jon says. “It’s the perfect time of year and setting for an autumn four-star. Obviously I’m a bit partial to it because I live 30 minutes away, but I’d travel to come to this event. To me, it’s on par with some of the best venues I’ve ever seen. The courses are built really well, and there’s a good team in place.”

Katherine Brown sits 4th with Carnaby, her own 6-year-old Oldenberg gelding (Cabachon x Clingolda, by Clinton H).

“This is a horse I got as a 3-year-old (from Harrington Horses in England), he’s still pretty young,” she says. “He’s awesome, he was really, really great in the warm-up, got a little bit distracted in the ring. But like I said, he’s young so I’m okay with that for now.”

Of the course, she says, “I think it looks very appropriate, very good  a little bit long. It’s his first CCI3*-L. See how he feels and take it one jump at a time.”

CCI4*-L dressage is underway, along with the conclusion of the CCI2*-L. Stay tuned for those reports later today! Until then, you can watch the action live on EN or via EQTV Network.

#OJC3DE: Website, Schedule, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

CCI3*-L Dressage Top 10: 

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Marilyn Little‘s partner RF Scandalous has been tucked away on the shelf for much of the past year. After an injury sidelined the mare in the lead-up to the 2018 World Equestrian Games, they’ve been MIA while the mare rested and, ultimately, recovered. Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event marks their international comeback, and they pair has come roaring back to form in the first phase, taking the CCI4*-S lead on 24.4.

“I can’t tell you how much fun it is to ride her here and have her back,” Marilyn says of the 14-year-old Oldenburg mare (Carry Gold x Richardia, by Lario), owned by Ms. Jacqueline Mars and Phoebe and Michael Manders. The latter missed today’s competition but will be here to cheer the mare on this weekend. “When you’ve lost something and you get it back, it’s really cool so this is a really special weekend for me. It’s been a long road. There’s been an incredible team of people that have helped get her back here.”

Marilyn says “Kitty” was all business today, although their test was plenty effervescent. “She was very excited — she was calm right up until the last moment she went in and got a little excited in the atmosphere,” she says. “Two years ago we were here, and that translated into not such a great test, and she’s just become so mature and such a great partner that she went in and did her job like she always does … She did everything I hoped she would and kept a lid on the excitement.”

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The pair’s preparations have been relatively light: a couple Prelim horse trials, an Advanced combined test, and a show jumping dress rehearsal at the Duke Horse Show in Raleigh, North Carolina en route to Florida (Marilyn won the Grand Prix with Karen O’Connor’s horse Clearwater). They knocked the cross country rust off at Liz Halliday-Sharp’s facility upon arrival. “I just have to rely a bit on the fact that she thinks she knows what she’s doing out there,” Marilyn says. “She has gotten to have a few outings, but not the steady preparation for an event like we would normally like to have.”

Certainly, the pair has experience in spades, including but not limited to a 3rd place finish at Kentucky in 2018, a 4th at Luhmühlen in 2017, and a win at Fair Hill in 2016.

“This is her first big event back,” Marilyn says. “In all fairness to her, the last big event she was preparing for was the Worlds and before that it was Kentucky. They absolutely know when it’s a big weekend and when it’s just a practice weekend, and she had a very big sense of that. I think she thought she was going in to a championship level event this weekend. She felt like it was that kind of day.

“It’s great that I’m back at an event with this horse. She’s such a special horse for me, so it’s wonderful to be back at an event, but it’s even better being back with a best friend, it’s that much more fun. For me, if I didn’t have this horse I wouldn’t be eventing so I event for her because I love her and it didn’t really make sense for me to be at them without her.”

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux, a 14-year-old Selle Français gelding (Balougran x Davidoff Silver Shadow, by Mr Blue) owned by the Rubens D’Ysieux Syndicate, are 2nd on 32.5.

This pair is something of a comeback story as well, as the horse has been recovering from colic surgery in April. “I haven’t really dealt with that before — he’s never been sick ever and I’ve actually never had a horse that had to go through that,” Sara says. “I’ve just been sort of taking my time making sure he feels good and playing it one day at a time but he honestly feels really good, I was very happy with him, he feels very strong.”

Their last international outing was the Bromont CCI4*-L in 2018, where they finished 8th.

Sara says, “He’s always a competitor, he’s a very kind horse, he’s a sassy horse, so I never have to worry from that perspective because he doesn’t like to be embarrassed. He’s a really, really good boy.”

She admits she was a bit surprised at their score, that she thought she’d be a couple marks lower. Her serpentine may not have been accurate enough, she reckons, and she may have lost some ground on her halt and reinback. “But I couldn’t have been happier with the horse,” she says. “He was super so I can’t really get too fussed about it.”

Looking forward to cross country, Sara says, “I’m expecting a nice course, they’re always really good courses here at the Jockey Club, it’s amazing terrain and it’s a proper galloping cross country place.”

Rebecca Brown with Dassett Choice. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Rounding out the top three is Rebecca Brown with Dassett Choice, her own 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Caricello x Vilja), on 34.7.

“It’s his second Advanced,” Rebecca says. “Actually, I didn’t love (my ride). He can really do a kind of amazing test, and I had two little blips but we’ve been working really hard and so obviously even that was still pretty competitive. I was obviously still pleased, but always knowing you can do better, right?”

Rebecca shared her first impressions of the cross country course: “The short does look nice, a little bit friendlier than the long which I appreciate. They always present it so well and I feel like it always rides really well.”

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar are 4th on 35.1, and Jessica Phoenix and Humble GS are 5th on 35.7.

Elsewhere, in the CCI3*-L, Leslie Law and Zick Zack have the overnight lead on 30.5. In the CCI2*-L Buck Davidson with Cooley Candyman and Will Coleman with Steam Engine are in equal first on 27.9. Dressage for those divisions continues Friday at 8 a.m. The CCI4*-L begins at 10:20 a.m.

Much more to come, stay tuned. Go Eventing!

#OJC3DE: Website, Schedule, Entries,  Ride Times, Dressage Order of Go, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

CCI4*-S Top 10 After Dressage:

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

You know that feeling when you’ve just nailed your dressage test and it’s like BOOM!!!!

(I don’t know that feeling, personally, but hopefully you do.)

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Segway to adorable pic of the Coleman fam.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

A hard act to follow, but these pups are pretty stinking cute, too:

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Good vibes are in the air here at Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event, taking place through the week here in Reddick, Florida.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

CCI4*-S dressage completed today, and CCI2*-L and CCI3*-L are back for more tomorrow along with the CCI4*-L. We’ve got a full report on the day forthcoming shortly, but thought we’d share a little teaser photo gallery by the great Shannon Brinkman as an appetizer.

Much more to come. Go Eventing!

#OJC3DE: Website, Schedule, Entries,  Ride Times, Dressage Order of Go, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram