An Ocala XC update from our friends at RNS
Nicole Parkin and Lexus moved up one spot on each of the two jumping phases to win the CCI2* at Ocala this weekend. Callie Judy and Call On Me dropped to second with 8 show jumping penalties. Eliza Farren and Bantry Bays Dublin moved up from 8th after dressage to finish in 3rd even with 4 penalties in show jumping. There were only three clear show jumping rides out of 19 CCI2* show jumpers today. Fourth placed Sable Giesler and Evil Munchkin won the weekend phases by adding just 5 XC seconds to their dressage score.
Ocala CCI2* Results:
1. Nicole Parkin and Lexus +4 47.7
2. Callie Judy and Call on Me +8 49.6
3. Eliza Farren and Bantry Bays Dublin +4 57.0
4. Sable Giesler and Evil Munchkin +0 57.3
5. Laramie Maxwell and Hunterville +4 63.5
[Full Ocala Results]
–Sunday came just in time for Robin Walker in the Ocala CCI*. Robin won the Ocala CCI* with Someday Never Comes, using the rail they had in hand and winning by 1.3 points. I’m really glad to see Robin take the win–I have know him since my early days of eventing in Michigan and I have always had a ton of respect for his sportsmanship and for riding a ton of horses week after week. Two other EN friends took 2nd and 3rd, with Leslie Law and Kool Aldo finishing in the silver spot with 48.4 and Lauren Kieffer with Ron Reagan finishing just a cross-country second behind on 48.8. Samantha St. Jacques and Jaeda moved up 9 places by finishing on their dressage score of 52.5, which was good enough for 4th. Leslie’s former ride Fleeceworks Mystere Du Val finished in 5th with Victoria New after moving up 9 places over the weekend. The Ocala CCI* boasted an impressive 54 starters this year.
–5 Rolex entrants are competing in the Ocala HT advanced combined test. Michael Pollard and Driving Ambition led after the dressage on a 45.5. I’m not 100% sure, but usually everyone headed to Rolex does the 4* test in the combined test. The show jumping scores have not been posted for the field yet. Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen led the Rolex entrants on a 46.5. Of course, the emphasis for these competitors will be not getting the best score possible but delivering the best test to prepare them for two weeks from now.
In other Florida eventing news, Full Gallop Farm wraps up their spring schedule with a horse trials. [Live Scores]
The preliminary division at St. John’s Horse Trials in Arizona was won by Tom Angle and Viking 2 on a 47.2. Claire Jan and Artistic Flaire won the Junior Training, Manuela Propfe won the open training with Brewer’s Bay, and Christine Murphy won the senior training on Red Hawk’s Remington. [St. John’s Scores]
Ruth Bley and Silver Sage won the open prelim rider division at Ram Tap in California on 52.9. [Ram Tap Scores]
Sally Cousins stole the show at Plantation, as she often does in the northeast eventing community. Sally won the intermediate on Kestrel Key, finishing second and fourth in that division as well. Timothy Bourke and Luckaun Quality were the only pair to keep Sally from sweeping the intermediate medals. Carol Kozlowski and Good Earth Bit O Honey won the open prelim division on top of a very nice 25.9 in the dressage. Sally took the next three spots on Double Dare, Oliver, and Rustic Design respectively. [Plantation Scores]
–The draw list for Rolex has been released this weekend. The comeback veteran Ying Yang Yo stars things off, followed by Buck Davidson and Sharon Will’s Absolute Liberty and then Andrew Nicholson with Caligo Joe or Shady Grey. I’m a big believer that draw order matters–as much as the judges try to judge every ride equally, I still believe that judges tend to be a bit conservative with the first rides of a three-day. [Rolex draw list]
–The Rolex field overall can boast the best North American assortment of horses and riders that I can remember. The field always shrinks a bit in the last two weeks before a 4* but Rolex looks poised to have a big jump in the number of starters this year with 69 horses on the entry list.
–Annie mentioned on Saturday that Pippa will not be competing in London because her top horse Redesigned is injured. JER linked to an article on the COTH forums about Pippa that quoted British coach Yogi Breisner as saying that he is now considering US based British rider James Alliston for the Olympic team. James has surged forward as a rider over the past two years and after emerging as a dominant force on the west coast it’s time for him to improve on a great 2011 Rolex performance with Jumbo’s Jake and Parker entered again this year. Tina Cook, Oliver Townend, Lucy Wiegersma and Zara Phillips are other candidates for the 5th British spot. William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French and Nicola Wilson look in great shape to make the British team at this point. [Telegraph Article]
–Last but not least, please note that today is the last day to enter the FLAIR Rolex contest. Click here for details.
Go eventing.
