Phillip Dutton and Ben won the CIC3* at Bromont.
Phillip Dutton and Ben led wire-to-wire all weekend to win the Bromont CIC3*. The horse’s plans for the rest of the year are still in the works, but Phillip is hoping to take Ben across the pond to Blenheim. Phillip said in the press conference that the horse isn’t quite ready for a CCI4*, but Blenheim will certainly be a step in the right direction to help this horse prepare for Rolex down the road. This horse is slowly coming back into a regular competition schedule after taking time off from an injury he sustained last year, and his performance this weekend was very solid across all three phases. He laid down a 46.9 in the dressage — which would have led the CCI3* — and jumped clear across the country in a division where all the pairs picked up a lot of time. Phillip and Ben pulled one rail in the show jumping to wrap up the weekend.
Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti were second in the CIC3*.
Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti jumped clear with one time penalty to move up one spot from third to finish in second place, much to the delight of the Canadian crowd. This pair chased Phillip Dutton and Ben all weekend but couldn’t quite catch them in the end. Rotti is an incredible jumper and looked fantastic in both jumping phases, showing he’s a horse for the future. His dressage is also coming along really well, and Jessica joked about his quirks on the flat — such as his very exuberant flying change to the right — in the press conference. David O’Connor told the Canadian riders during his tenure as their coach that they needed to build a string of five to six Advanced horses. With Rotti in her string, Jessica is well on her way to accomplishing that goal.
Lauren Kieffer and R.F. Cosima finished third in the CIC3*.
Lauren Kieffer and R.F. Cosima pulled one rail and picked up five time penalties to finish in third place in the CIC3*. The tough going in the cross-country phase — during which four of the nine riders in the division parted ways with their mounts — meant many horses were tired today in the show jumping, but Lauren really piloted “Big Mama” around expertly, giving her the ride she needed to conserve the mare’s energy. Caroline Martin and Titanium finished in fourth place with three rails and four time penalties. Sally Cousins and Westerly — who was raring to go and didn’t seem the least bit tired after the cross country — jumped the only double clear round in the CIC3* division to finish in fifth place. Go Bromont.
