Phillip Dutton and Ben
Phillip Dutton and Ben made a big statement in the third CIC3* dressage group at Richland just before the lunch break, scoring 41.8 to take the lead over himself and Mr. Medicott, who scored a 46.7 this morning. Ben gets better and better in the dressage every time I see him, and he really looked fantastic today, especially in the canter work, where I imagine they picked up very strong marks. Phillip and Ben parted ways in their last start at Rebecca Farm, and they’ll be looking for redemption this weekend. Will Faudree and Andromaque performed their usual relaxed, workmanlike test to score 47.3 to move into third place. This pair has had a fantastic season, winning the Jersey Fresh CIC3* and finishing in the top 10 at the Saumur CCI3* over in France, and they’re definitely ones to watch this weekend.
Will Faudree and Andromaque
I’m thrilled with Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries, who had a really lovely test to tie for sixth place on a 48.8 with Diana Burnett and Shigatzi. Bucky can struggle with being relaxed during his dressage tests, but he looked fantastic today, his ears constantly flicking back to listen to Erin. This horse is a freak across the country, and you can expect a very good performance from them on Saturday. Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe, another pair that struggles with tension, looked equally fabulous in their test, scoring 50.5 to sit behind Erin and Bucky in eighth place. You’ll definitely want to watch the video below to see how relaxed Chloe looked throughout the test. It’s been a lot of fun to watch Allison and Chloe’s new partnership blossom, and I’m shamelessly rooting for them this weekend.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries
Doug Payne and Crown Talisman had a bit of bad luck in their test when Tali lost the counter canter and just did not want to pick up the correct lead to proceed with the movement. Doug handled the situation as best he could. It’s a shame, as Tali is a stunning mover who can really perform a lovely, accurate test, but today just wasn’t their day. They scored 52.2 to tie for 11th, and they’re still very much in the mix. Three pairs in this group missed the halt and reinback at A. This is a public service announcement to the riders still to go after the lunch break to burn that halt into your brains! We’re about to kick things off with the fourth of fifth groups to go in the CIC3* dressage. Stay tuned for much more from Richland!
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