Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Shelby Allen.
It was a good day at the office for Lynn Symansky at the 2019 MARS Great Meadow International. She danced to the top both the CCI4*-S and CCI2*-L with Under Suspection and Global Cassero 3, respectively, after dressage.
Mary Ann Ghadban’s “Pippy,” a 15-year-old Holsteiner (Contender x Naomagic I, by Exorbitant xx) heads up the feature class on a personal best score of 25. Lynn credits much of her advantage to recent dressage training with Jacquie Brooks.
“I ran into Jacquie Brooks in Lima and we talked about getting her to Virginia to do a session or two so Lauren [Kieffer] and I have been doing some dancing lessons. It is a fresh pair of eyes which was a big contributor,” she said.
“She has an approach that is universal, but she tweaks it for depending on how you have to ride each test. This point you know this horses well and you are trying to pick up things with things from each person you are working with. She (Jacquie) clearly did something right. It was probably the best test I’ve ever had on her.”
Lauren Kieffer and D.A. Duras. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Lauren Kieffer and D.A. Duras, having also benefitted from riding with Jacquie on the flat, improved their personal best at the level by an incredible four points today, landing in second on a score of 26.
Duras, an 11-year-old KWPN (Numero Ono x Medoc, by Quattro) owned by Debbie Adams and Jacqueline Mars, has come into his own this season after spending time on the sideline in 2018.
“He had a year off last year which honestly in hindsight was the best thing to happen to him. He’s come back really well,” Lauren said. “He’s a different ride for me. I’ve always had really blood horses in the past, so it’s taken me a while to figure out how to ride a warmblood.”
Lauren is also sixth with Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus on a score of 28.1.
Doug Payne and Vandiver. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Doug Payne and Vandiver, a 15-year-old Trakehner (Windfall 2 x Visions of Grandeur, by Mystic Replica xx) who is owned by Doug, Jessica Payne and Debi Crowley, nailed a 27.5 today for third place — a pretty ideal start in the pair’s last preparatory run before Burghley in two weeks time.
“It’s a rewarding process,” Doug said. “For quite some time there I felt like we were patching it together rather than actively riding it. We’re finally getting to a place where we can further develop and tweak to approach his potential.”
Doug’s other ride in the division, Quantum Leap, is in 21st place on a dressage score of 36.3.
Colleen Rutledge holds fourth place with her own Covert Rights. She and the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Cross (BFF Incognito x Let’s Get It Right, by Covert Operations) earned a 27.9 in the first phase.
Buck Davidson and Park Trader. Photo by Shelby Allen.
The veteran partnership of Buck Davidson and Park Trader are in fifth place. The 17-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Master Imp x Ballyhast Polly, by Highland King) earned a score of 28.
Buck’s other two horses in the division, Carlevo and Errol Gobey, sit 8th and 25th, respectively.
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Hannah Sue Burnett has two in the top ten. The Lukeswell Partnership’s Lukeswell is 7th on a score of 29.6, and Jacqueline Mars’ Harbor Pilot is 9th on a score of 30.7.
Will Coleman and The Conair Syndicate’s Tight Lines round out the top ten on a dressage result of 31.1.
The CCI2*-S division was Lynn’s for the taking after a red hot performance for a score of 21.4 — yes, you read that right — with Global Cassero 3, an 8-year-old Hanoverian (Conteur x Wahida, by Windhauch).
“To be honest it was not an amazing test for him – there is so much more quality in there. For him to have pulled that out on a not amazing test… He is such a looker. The horse is just stunning, it is like when you walk into a room with a beautiful man on your arm like my husband. He just turns heads everyday,” Lynn winked.
Katherine lent her the ride to help build her up-and-coming string, and now Lynn is looking to keep the ride with the help of new ownership. So if you want to get in with a quality horse on the ground floor here’s your chance! Many thanks to David Frechette for standing strong in the rain today to get this video of “Jerry” and Lynn.
Lauren Kieffer is in second with Get Gaudi on a score of 24.1, and Will Coleman sits third on a score of 25 with Chin Tonic HS.
Chris Barnard is busy laying out a beautiful show jumping course for these competitors, and they’ll take it on tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. with the two-star group. Stay tuned for much more from #MARSGMI.
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