Paige Crotty, Ryan Wood and Sara Kozumplik Murphy show off their swag. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Area I Young Rider Paige Crotty and Cooley Dawn Raid led wire to wire in the CIC* at Plantation Field International Horse Trials, adding just 1.2 time cross-country time penalties to her dressage score to clinch the win on 43.4 in the 50-strong horse field.
A 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding sourced by Richard Sheane and purchased from Ashley Adams, Paige’s family bought “Freddy” in February with the hopes of qualifying for the Area I CCI* team at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships this year.
She accomplished that goal, but they unfortunately parted ways on cross country, and Paige injured her thumb in the fall and ultimately needed surgery. Plantation Field was her first event back since the fall and injury — talk about redemption!
“I’ve had a lot of good lessons and rides coming in to the event, so I was pretty confident, but there are definitely nerves,” Paige said. “On cross country, he was really good. He was very confident and very honest through all the questions.”
Paige said she had to push him a little bit for time, and she ended up being three seconds over the optimum, but she was extremely happy with how he handled Tremaine Cooper’s course. They’ll head to the Horse Park of New Jersey next to do the Prelim there in preparation for the Virginia Horse Trials CCI* this fall.
Ryan Wood and Sara Kozumplik Murphy, who finished second and third with Powell and Delta Queen, respectively, said they wish Paige would choose a different fall CCI* with Freddy, as they’re also aiming their horses there, and he’s proven now that he’ll be a tough horse to beat.
An 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding bred and owned by Ryan’s longtime supporter Ilona English, Powell added just one rail in showing jumping to his dressage score to finish in second place on 49.6.
“He started his career as a dressage horse in Wellington, and then I started eventing him about 18 months ago,” Ryan said. “He was really good on cross country. I nursed him around the first two minutes, and once we got to the second minute, he felt really good, and he came well under the time.”
Powell is a big horse at 17.2 hands, but Ryan said his size doesn’t affect his athletic ability. “For a tall horse, he’s athletic and light on his feet, so he really wouldn’t be your typical horse that size. He can shorten his stride as well as lengthen on course,” he said.
If Powell is a big horse at 17.2 hands, Sara’s mare Delta Queen, or Bertha as she’s better known, is a beast at nearly 18 hands; she finished third on her dressage score of 50.9. Dutch-bred out of a Thoroughbred mare, Sara found the mare though Linda Zang as a 6 year old, and her longtime owner Edy Rameika purchased her.
“I have her a little too fit right now,” Sara said. “She’s such a big mare, and I wasn’t sure what to expect on cross country. And then with the temperature drop on dressage day, I lunged her and she was really up, and she’s usually not like that. Every day she’s been a bit keen.”
Bertha just moved up to this level in March, and she thinks she’s the queen, Sara said. “She was really super on cross country. She cruised around and was 10 seconds under the ride. Horses go fast when they’re rideable, and she’s very rideable.”
Sara noted that Plantation Field keeps getting better and better, and we couldn’t agree more. We have to give a huge shout out to the organizers, volunteers and officials for raising the bar once again on the Best. Event. Ever. And on that note, I’m off to the Dancing With the Stars party. Go Eventing.
Plantation Field International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Times] [Live Scores]
