Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights at Plantation Field. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Scores are coming in from Morven Park this morning, and Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights scored a 45.0 to take the lead going into this afternoon’s show jumping. This score bests their previous two scores at this level handily, with the score from both Plantation Field and Richland Park coming in the 50s.
Phillip Dutton and the first of his two catch rides, Seams Ready, scored a 49.5 to sit in second place prior to show jumping. Phillip has been riding both Seams Ready and I’m Sew Ready for Kristen Bond this summer and fall as she prepares to have her first child.
Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken are in the top three on a score of 53.4. This is Ballylaffin Bracken’s first FEI event since completing in the top 20 at Rolex in April; the pair had one pipe-opening run at Five Points in the Intermediate earlier this month as their first event back.
Most of Maggie’s picks from her By the Numbers post on this division are right where they need to be to finish as predicted after the first phase. EN’s own Kate Samuels and Nyls du Terroir are in fourth currently on a score of 57.6, and Caroline Martin with Quantum Solace scored a 65.1 for eighth place. Both of these horses love to eat up cross country, so we’ll be on the lookout for them to make some moves up the board as competition progresses.
In the Advanced division, Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready are in the lead after scoring a lovely 26.8 this morning. We’ve got two scores in the 20s for this division, though, as Buck Davidson and The Apprentice earned a 29.1 for second place.
Elinor MacPhail and RF Eloquence complete the top three, just barely edging out of the 20s on a 30.3. Picked to win this division, it looks like Lauren Kieffer and Veronica are just completing the CCI4* test as their final prep for Pau, along with Sharon White and Wundermaske.
Less than 10 penalties currently separate the top 13 horses in the Advanced division, making for an exciting competition as the jumping phases approach. Many of these pairs are headed to Fair Hill, as are a few in the CIC3*, so we can expect to see some steady and solid rounds coming up as the rider’s look for a good run before their big fall three-day.
Morven Park Fall CIC & H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
