Surefire Farm in Purcellville, Va., home to four-star eventer Jan Byyny, is a popular summer stop for riders of all levels. The competition this weekend hosted Beginner Novice through Open Intermediate as well as USEA YEH 4- and 5-year-old divisions.
This year’s event plays a particularly vital role as a final prep trial before the Great Meadow CICO3* and we saw a number of Great Meadow entries, including U.S. Olympic Team combinations, as well as Aachen CICO3* entries competing.
Rio-bound Lauren Kieffer and Team Rebecca LLC’s Veronica took a quiet stroll around the Preliminary at Surefire, showing top form in dressage with a 25.0 and adding a few time penalties for an overall fourth place finish. Placing immediately behind his stablemate in fifth was Jacqueline Mars’ Landmark’s Monte Carlo, who is bound for the Aachen CICO3* in Germany July 14-16.
Lauren picked up a win with Landmark’s Ginger Rogers, also owned by Jacqueline Mars, in the Open Preliminary-B, finishing on their dressage score of 21.6. She was also busy with a number of horses competing in the USEA Young Event Horse divisions.
We’ve had a really good couple days at Surefire! Friday L Apollo and L Mochachino were 3rd and 5th in the YEH-5, in the…
Posted by Lauren Kieffer Eventing on Saturday, June 25, 2016
Other members of the Aachen Nations Cup team were in attendance at Surefire including Phillip Dutton with David Garrett’s Indian Mill, who finished 14th in Intermediate on a 39.1, and Hannah Sue Burnett and Jacqueline Mars’ Harbour Pilot, who finished sixth in the same division, adding only a handful of time penalties to their initial score of 25.2.
Marilyn Little and Jacqueline Mars and Raylyn Farm Inc.’s RF Demeter are entered at Great Meadow and made their first eventing appearance (Demi got in some practice show jumping 1.2m rounds at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show) since an unfortunate fall at Rolex Kentucky at April. They tied with Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monaco through the first two phases, holding a score of 21.9. Lauren and Landmark’s Monaco, also owned by Jacqueline Mars, finished just one second over the time, while Marilyn and Demi finished finished exactly on the optimum of 6:09 to take the win.
The Olympic Team’s traveling alternate Maya Black and her petite powerhouse Doesn’t Play Fair, owned by Dawn and Jonathan Dofelmier, competed in the Open Intermediate division, scoring a 23.2 and adding a rail and some time to finish 18th in a division of 39 starters.
Super woman Jan Byyny, not just a 4* rider, but a coach, farm owner, show organizer and jump crew
Posted by Tylir Penton on Saturday, June 25, 2016
Australian Olympic hopeful Ryan Wood and Powell were fifth after dressage in 23.5. A rail and time penalties on cross country resulted in a 21st place finish. Ryan Wood and Powell, owned by Summit Sporthorses Ltd Inc, are entered at Great Meadow and have been giving the Australian selectors a number of reasons to consider them for the Rio team, including a start to finish win at the Jersey Fresh CCI3* in May, and Ryan is in top form having picked up a CIC3* and CCI3* wins at Bromont earlier this month.
Other horses prepping for Great Meadow at Surefire is Buck Davidson and Copper Beech (19th Intermediate), Justine Dutton with Huck Finn (10th Intermediate) and Jak My Style (20th Intermediate) and Lynn Symansky and Cascani (17th Intermediate). Hannah Sue competed Cooley Dream (12th Intermediate), but it is yet to be determined whether she will competed him, Harbour Pilot or Under Suspection at next week’s CICO3*.
There were quite a few low final scores across the event’s 20+ divisions, but the best finishing score was earned by Lynn Symansky and the 2015 USEA Young Event Horse 5yo East Coast Champion SpectraVet’s Cohiba, who picked up a win in the Open-Training B with a staggering 18.3!
Surefire H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
