Lauren Kieffer and Veronica Set the Standard at Bromont

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica sailed into the lead on a 44.6.

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica put in a flawless test to take a decisive lead in the CCI3* at Bromont, scoring a 44.6 to give them an 8.9-point margin over Emily Beshear and River King. Veronica is on a three event winning streak after claiming victories in the Ocala CCI2*, Jersey Fresh CIC2* and CHC International CIC3*, and the mare looks poised for another fantastic finish here this weekend. Lauren received a lot of love from the crowd after completing her test, and Veronica also seemed particularly pleased with herself. Emily and River King were the first to ride in the second group, scoring a 53.5 for second place. River King seemed affected by the atmosphere and was a bit tense throughout, tossing his head during the canter work and swapping his lead down the center line before the final salute. But Emily was in good spirits after the test and seemed happy with the performance.

Emily Beshear and River King are in second place on a 53.5.

Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe had a really lovely test to sit in sixth place on a 59. The mare seemed keen but rideable, and I know Allison has been working very hard to forge a partnership with the mare since she bought her from Kelly Pugh over the winter. The beginning of the test looked more fluid than the end, when Chloe seemed to become more tense and refused to come to a full halt during the final salute. But I thought this was a super performance for this pair, and Allison should be really pleased. Phillip Dutton and William Penn are sitting just behind Allison in seventh place on a 60. This horse is a huge mover and gets really impressive airtime in his trot work. The test was rolling along smoothly until Phillip unfortunately lost the counter canter just before the first flying change. This horse is coming back after sustaining an injury last year; he was third here in the Bromont CCI3* in 2011.

Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe are in sixth place on a 59.

Katie Willis and Polar Storm are tied for eighth place with Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High on a 60.8. The horse was visibly a bit nervous about the atmosphere, but Katie did a great job of holding him together. Jon Holling and Zatopek B are sitting in 10th place on a 62.3. The horse looks incredibly fit, and Jon struggled a bit to keep him focused. I’m a huge fan of this horse, and he’s really a lot of fun to watch. He was really exuberant during certain points in the test, especially in his changes. Jon couldn’t quite coax him to halt at the final salute, but I still thought the test had some nice moments. Selena O’Hanlon and A First Romance also had a bit of a tense test and are sitting in 12th place on a 63.5. The temperature has dropped to a brisk 54 degrees with rain falling intermittently, and the weather conditions seem to be visibly affecting the horses.

Phillip Dutton and William Penn are in seventh place on a 60.

Susan Beebee didn’t have the best day on Wolf. The horse looked fantastic circling the ring before beginning the test, but never quite settled. Susan picked up three errors in the test, and Wolf bucked during the first flying change, showing us exactly what he thinks of this chilly weather. Rick Wallace and Ultimate Victory are in 15th place on a 65.4. I know Rick adores this horse, and he gave him a big hug and pat after the test. Jeff Kibbie and Loki are in 16th place on a 66.3, another victim of the weather and atmosphere. Loki was very eager to canter during the trot work at the beginning of the test but did seem to settle more toward the end of the test. We’re on the lunch break now until 1:07 p.m. when Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek lead off in the final group of five riders to go in the CCI3*. I have video of Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe’s test uploading, so be sure to check back shortly. Go Bromont.

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