A super day of FEI cross-country saw two leaders retain their places going into show jumping, while the standings in three divisions got shaken and stirred.
The course was the final one to be designed by the legendary Ian Stark. He had high praise for Rebecca Farm on every level and especially for the footing this year. His parting gift to riders and horses was plenty of challenges and options regarding striding and tracks. Ian urges all to ride the horse they have in the moment and to maintain balance. His courses rewarded those who embraced that.
Jennie Brannigan and Pascal Pursue the CCI4*-L Title
Jennie Brannigan and Pascal. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
In the CCI4*-L, Jennie Brannigan and Pascal busted Friday’s first-place tie with an easy-appearing clear jumping round, incurring only 2.4 time penalties. They have 2+ rails in hand taking a 36.2 score into Chris Barnard’s show jumping tomorrow.
The first water obstacle’s Snake, Bounce to Triple Brush at #6, the Water Pipe drop at #9, with water actually flowing over the pipe, and the Moose Bounces at #17 were among many imposing-looking obstacles that appeared to be no issue for the 9-year-old Holsteiner owned by the Pascal Syndicate.
Jennie considers Pascal a Team USA horse for the future. He’s only 9 but is stepping up the levels impressively. A regular traveler here from her East Coast base, Jennie explained, “I wanted to bring him here for his first 4* and I tried my best to put the pedal down.”
She began competing at Rebecca Farm while based in California years ago and has so many friends and supporters here, “it feels like coming home,” she said. Receiving the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant in 2016 was a pivotal point in her international career and one of several reasons Rebecca Farm holds a special place in her heart and on her competition calendar.
As the winners of last year’s CCI3*-L, Jennie and Pascal hope to lock the CCI4*-L on Sunday.
Ashley Adams and Roderick Stuart’s Charly moved from 3rd into 2nd with clear jumping and 10.8 time penalties. With 5 left in the field, they take a 46.2 score into show jumping.
Dani Sussman and her own Jos Bravio are third, on a 67.7, ahead of Julie Wolfert and SSH Playboy on a 69.2. Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 fell out of the first-place tie after dressage, after a refusal and significant time penalties in their first outing at the level.
With $30,000 in prize money, there’s plenty to play for in show jumping. This phase at Rebecca Farm is famously fickle, so anything could happen.
Just to Be Clear & Alexa Thompson take CCI4*-S Lead
Kentucky-based Alexa Thompson and her groom Hannah Warner volunteered as crossing guards earlier in the week, cheering on all who passed. So maybe there was a little karma playing into their clear cross-country jumping and few enough time penalties, at 12, to bump up one notch into the lead.
“I have to admit, it wasn’t something I expected,” Alexa said of her standing. Her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood’s performance was both pleasing and more predictable. “I went out trying to get both of us as confident and happy and to be as smooth as we could be. Ian (Stark) is a master. The questions the course asked early on got ‘Cardi’ thinking and on my aids, so we could be smoother at the back end of the course.
“The way Ian uses the hills and other terrain provides a good opportunity to ride off of instinct and less by the numbers.” Even a thrown shoe early on the course didn’t faze her horse. “I’m so pleased with how smart, brave and confident he was.”
Alexa and Just to Be Clear have a two-rail lead going into stadium jumping. Rebecca Farm-based Jen Moody and Eye Of the Storm logged a solid cross-country to advance from 4th to 2nd, where they stand on a 59.3 in the hunt for the CCI3*-S’s $6,000 in prize money. Cristina Rennie and her own Flight Of The Arabasque are third.
Marc Grandia and GHS Calexico and Sophie Click and Quidproquo were clear on course, with time penalties that have them sitting 4th and 5th, respectively. The leader after dressage, Rachel Brickman, unfortunately, was eliminated following refusals.
Megan McIver and Elle Sit Atop the CCI3*-L
Megan McIver and Elle. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Megan McIver and Tally Chang’s 12-year-old Holsteiner, Elle, jumped into the lead with a double clear cross-country. The Northern California professional can’t take credit for making the time. “She just naturally carries that pace,” shared Megan. “She’s easy to set up for the fences, she goes in a loose ring snaffle and doesn’t really pull.”
Like several other riders, Megan praised Ian Stark’s course, especially for the questions and answers it evoked in the beginning to help produce a nice middle and end for horse and rider. “Ian’s courses reward you for staying in a nice balance, and that suits a small horse like Elle very well.”
The seasoned pair’s 33 dressage score leaves little wiggle room and they have two tough contenders on their heels.
That’s James Alliston and Cora, the 9-year-old Hanoverian who incurred no faults or time penalties to slide into 2nd, and Helen Alliston and Call Me Rudi, the 9-year-old Bavarian Warmblood. Cora was double clear to stay on her 36.1 dressage, and Rudi added 6 time penalties to slip to third on a 36.7.
Both horses are owned by the couple’s Alliston Equestrian. It’s a thriving business in Northern California and the base for James’ recent top American finish at the CHIO Aachen with Carma, last year’s CCI4*-L champion at Rebecca Farm.
Helen is intensely competitive, but yesterday she said her main goal was to give Rudi a confidence-building ride, and she accomplished that.
Tamie Smith and Sumas Tina Turner Lead the CCI3*-S
Tamie Smith and Sumas Tina Turner. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Tamie Smith is a master at faster without looking like it, and that came into play bringing Sumas Tina Turner into the lead with a double clear cross-country. They were the only pair to make the time in this division and it moved them up from third on their 27.9 dressage score. Owned by one of Tamie’s long-time owners, Julianne Guariglia, the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse is small, strong, feisty and fast and a rising star.
Tamie and Molly Duda’s Carlingsford Hes a Clover retained their 2nd seed with 6.8 time penalties that put them on a 33.
Taren Hoffos and her mother Caroline’s beautiful homebred mare Regalla leapt from 12th to 3rd. The Southern California professional and the 13-year-old Oldenburg looked confident and smooth, adding just 2.4 time penalties to enter show jumping on a 34.7.
Friday’s leader Tommy Greengard said he might not put pedal to metal today with he and Andrea Pfeiffer’s Thats Me Z, a 7-year-old Zangershiede. They have a big fall ahead with three months of training and competing in Europe, so a solid confidence-building round was the order today. 10.4 time penalties put them in 4th on a 40.8 for tomorrow’s finalé.
Stephanie Goodman and Elwinda DP Stay Atop the CCI2*-L
Stephanie Goodman and Deanna Briggs’ Elwinda DP were the second pair to maintain their division lead after double clear cross-country to stay on their 26.7 dressage score. However,ut it’s another tightly grouped leaderboard in which one rail could drastically change things up.
The Idaho professional’s goal going into cross-country was to “go as quick as we can, while being mindful of the heat and the length of the course.” Originally a dressage horse, Elwinda is not known for speed, but in every outing she keeps “amazing me,” and today was no exception.
Busy James Alliston is close behind the leader. With Anna Nicholas’ HMR Rolan, he’s 2nd on a 27.1, and he’s third with Carolyn Colson’s Renaissance Man on a 29.3.
Tori Traube and HSH Chase de Muze Top USEA Classic Series Novice Three Day
Northern California professional Tori Traube was thrilled to both compete in and to win this division that incorporates eventing’s traditional endurance day with roads and tracks, steeplechase and cross-country. She and Sheryl Ehrlich’s HSH Chase de Muze led from the start and added only one jumping rail to their dressage score, finishing on a 31.9.
“This was such a good life experience for Chase,” she said of the 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse. “It was great for him to do the jobs and he positively surprised me how well he did in the endurance phases. I think he grew and learned a lot. I especially like the partnership that emerges when we spend so much time together out there on our own. There were times when he was asking me, ‘Do we have to keep going?’ But he trusted me and it helped us have a good bond.”
It was also “a lot of fun and a lot of work,” Tori said.
Sara Sellmer and Samantha Quinn’s Curious George were second on a 36.7 and Michaela Aulicino and her own Cecelia were third with a 39.9.
Erin Grandia and Riptide Rio Win USEA Classic Series Training Three Day
Erin Grandia and Adriane Jimenez’ Riptide Rio started the multi-phase competition with a 21.1 dressage score and they added just .4 penalties in the D endurance phase for a wire-to-wire win with the 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse.
Partners with her husband Marc Grandia in Full Gallop Eventing in Washington, Erin said she loves the Classic 3Day format. She has coached several students through it but hasn’t contested one herself in many years.
“It’s such a great education and way to get horses confident for the future,” Erin said. “It teaches horses and riders how to gallop, to jump out of stride and to dig in when you’re a little tired.”
Tamie Smith and the 6-year-old Argentine Sport Horse Solaguayre Cantata, owned by Julianne Guariglia, were reserve champs on a 23.3. Emma Slocum and Jaime Slocum’s Patito, an 11-year-old Irish Draught Sport Horse, finished third on 29.6.
Sunday’s FEI Schedule
CCI2*-L – 9:30 am
CCI3*-S – 11:45 am
CCI3*-L – 12:45 pm
CCI4*-S – 2:00 pm
CCI4*-L – 2:35 pm
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