It was a big day of cross country at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event and we’ve been looking forward to hearing what the competitors’ had to say about it in the evening press conference. Here are your must read quotes.
Boyd Martin on a cracking day: “It’s a bit confusing actually. I rode every jump on this farm today. And for someone as simple as me that’s a lot of remembering to do.”
(Very funny!)
“I thought On Cue (CCI2* leader) should win this one because she’s all class. Then Ray Price and Long Island T (second and first respectively in the CCI3*) are very good on the flat and very good jumpers. I didn’t come here thinking to win just give them a good crack. Kyra (second in CIC3*) was a bit of a surprise; she’s pretty green. Steady Eddie (third in CIC3*) – it’s a shame I had a stupid runout at Kentucky… I schooled him a couple times at home and came here and ripped him around and he felt good. And old Shamwari (16th in CIC2*) felt good in the CIC2* star. I went a bit slow on him just trying to look after the old boy on the way to Luhmühlen.
Boyd on his career: “I’m tooled up with a lot of good horses coming through at the moment and I think the next four or five years in my career will be good because we went out and picked out 4, 5, and 6 year olds years ago. Now they’re all starting to step up and I’ve got some strong rides coming through that were hand picked… It’s a lot of hard work and you’ve got to have a vision and be very patient… It’s a wise man’s game and I’ve been around a little bit now and still enjoying it, still loving the sport and enjoying days like this.”
Boyd on selecting the right course for the horse: “(Course designer) Captain Mark Phillips has done a good job. I think he’s been a little bit cautious of building anything too monstrous and that’s a good thing because it’s a bit of a go-cart course.
“In my book, if you get around Bromont or Fair Hill well then you’re ready to go to any four-star in the world. (Jersey) is sort of a building three-star. This course has its place. I think you’ve got to always point your horse towards competitions that are suited to them. I feel in my heart that Long Island T and Ray Price would be overfaced at Bromont and this would suit them better.”
Boyd on WEG: “At the moment America looks very strong… this year there’s a number of horses and riders that are in great form, have good results, and look strong and it’s very exciting… (High Performance Director) Erik Duvander has been a wicked asset. I’ve worked under a lot of chef d’equipes in Australia and America and this man is hungry… He’s bubbling with passion and I think the American riders are responding really well. I think it’s exciting times in the sport of eventing in America.”
Hawley Bennett-Awad (CCI3* third place) on sweet redemption:
“I was supposed to have a good go at Kentucky and things didn’t go as planned. That’s horses. It was a bit of a mind game for me to stay out here two weeks and not let it affect me. I went to Buck (Davidson’s) and we had a couple of really hard lessons and it was great. He got me in the right mindset. It’s a big show for me to get qualified for the World’s. I would love to go and represent Canada again.”
Hawley on Jollybo’s round: “Honestly, Jolly couldn’t have been any better. She literally was foot perfect around. I could have gone a little quicker in the middle but it was more important for me to stay in a good rhythm and have a really good, positive go. She came back amazing and is happy as can be eating snacks in her stall. She looks great. I just want to have a good calm warm up tomorrow and have a good show jump round. She deserves a good go.”
Hawley on having a great horse and great support crew: “She’s an unbelievable horse for me. To have people support you when things go wrong and are still there is a true test of character for me. I know who those people are and I’m very thankful to have them in my corner and hopefully tomorrow will make them proud. She’s a special horse. She’s a crowd favorite. People love her. She’s little and she’s sassy and she’s a great horse for me. I’m just thankful that I have her and I just want to do good by her tomorrow.”
CIC3* leader Jenny Caras on her partnership with Fernhill Fortitude: “I’ve been with Forty for a long time now. He was a young rider horse for me. I got him when he was 7. He had not evented much at all so I’ve brought him up and we’ve come up together. I’ve been at the three-star level for a while so I know him really well and it’s always been good at home and then you come to the event and something little happens… So I’ve produced him slowly with Phillip (Dutton). We have been working really hard on his flat work and it paid off this weekend, so hopefully we can continue that upward trajectory.”
Jenny on developing rideability: “When I moved him up to the level he was a bit strong and overly confident so I needed a bit more of a bit in his mouth to help me hold him off the jumps because even at the three-star level they’re not quite big enough to hold him. He’s so rideable now and has gotten so trained that I don’t need that anymore, so I rode him in a snaffle today and he was great. He was back to his old self of pulling me along and really eating up the ground so it was really exciting to be back on him again like that.”
CIC2* leader Anna Loschiavo on her round: “I had probably the best cross country ride I’ve ever had on Prince Renan. He just blew me away. I’ve been with him for 10 years now. I’ve had him from his first jump and his owners (Gina and Rodney Oakes) are phenomenal. He was intended to be an amateur horse and that wasn’t really going to be his path. They’ve stayed behind him the whole time and been supportive of him even though it’s been a long path taking him up the levels.”
Anna on taking her time with Renan: “He’s been really tricky. There are still some days where he acts like he can’t go past our house and he’s pretty spooky. For him to go out there (today) and take control and be so bold and brave – he’s just really come a long way. We’ve taken our time at the two-star and done quite a few with him because he’s really important to keep him confident. He’s stepped up to the plate more than I even expected. We’re going to go to Bromont and this was just a prep for that in his schedule and to keep challenging him. He’s definitely answered the whole way.
“For him to have a nice dressage test that kept him up towards the top was rewarding. He’s not a very big mover, but he tries so hard and he’s well schooled and accurate so for that to be rewarded was really nice. He tried his heart out and it used to be every time we went in the arena it was about which flower pot he was going to spook at. So for him to be so businesslike throughout the whole event has been really cool, and he just felt like he had his heart in it out there and really had a good time.
Anna on owning a horse with her mom: “My other horse (Spartacus Q) is a lot greener… He’s a really cool up-and-coming horse. We bought him for my mom (Melanie Loschiavo). She wanted to buy a horse that we could train together so up until this point I take him to Ocala and compete him in the winter and she competes him all summer. He’s one of the first horses I’ve had at this level where I haven’t had as much saddle time with him. It’s been a really neat path.
“She did her first ever Prelim on him. She’s been riding since she was a kid and went through Training level and did her first Prelim on him last year. He’s just really come into it this winter and seemed like he wanted to keep going up the levels so she wants me to keep riding him full time.”
“He was supposed to get a 23 in dressage for Mother’s Day but I don’t know what happened! Must have been rider error.”
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