Phillip Dutton & Fernhill Singapore Sail to Stable View CCI4*-S Dressage Lead

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Singapore. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

A pulled hamstring sustained at Brandywine Polo Clubs’ Chukkers For Charity earlier this month put Phillip Dutton on the sidelines for his hometown event at Plantation Field last weekend, but he’s back in the saddle, and just in time, too, as he’s leading the feature CCI4*-S class at Stable View’s Oktoberfest in Aiken, South Carolina aboard Fernhill Singapore.

“Singapore,” a 10-year-old KWPN (Singapore x Riedellia, by Animo) owned by Ann Jones, Thomas Tierney and David Vos, started on a four-star personal best of 29.4 for judges Kelli Towers (CAN) and Valerie Vizcarrondo (USA).

“He’s obviously a great mover and a pretty impressive horse in the way he goes. It’s just a case of getting the training into him and making it so that this level looks easy. He’s starting to get pretty seasoned now, so his scores are starting so show that,” Phillip said.

“I’m just trying to make it so that he can stay through and forward and be able to get the movement down and coordinated. There’s no magical remedy there — just the day to day training is what it boils down to.”

He can also credit a few other riders for additional help while he was out of the saddle. Boyd Martin competed both Singapore and Z in the dressage and show jumping phases at Plantation Field, Emily Hamel schooled him at home, and Tamie Smith polished the flying changes while Phillip was overseas at Aachen this summer. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Not to be completely outshined, stablemate Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide (Asca X Bellabouche, by Babouche VH Gehucht Z) owned by the Z Partnership, secured fourth place on a score of 30.6.

“I was really pleased with Z. I though he went particularly well. He didn’t change his demeanor from warm up to the ring, so I was pleased with that. Boyd did him at Plantation last weekend as well, so it’s been good to get him out a lot this fall. I think we’re starting to see the benefit of that,” he said.

Second place is set to be fiercely contested across tomorrow’s jumping phases as it’s shared between Sydney Conley Elliot and Lynn Symansky, who are tied on a score of 30.4.

Sydney Conley Elliot and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Sydney Conley Elliot and QC Diamantaire, a 9-year-old Oldenburg (Diarado x Lantana, by Sandro Hit) owned by Carol Stephens, are riding the momentum of their appointment as team alternates for the 2019 Pan American Games, and carrying it straight into their autumn performances, starting here at Stable View.

“This year has been pretty exciting with him being named to the Pan Am team and stepping up to the four-star level as well,” Sydney said. “We have really worked on lighting him up because he gets so quiet. He’s so obedient and lazy, so the test can be boring. All spring we have been working on getting him forward and in front of my leg. I do feel that all the help preparing for the Pan Ams has just pushed us that extra step. He was actually a little more expressive than he usually is, so I was very happy. A few mistakes in there, but overall he’s always just so lovely to ride.”

Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Fresh off their win at Great Meadow one month ago Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection, Mary Ann Ghadban’s 15-year-old Holsteiner (Contender x Naomagic I, by Exorbitant xx), posted a strong test, but not without a little extra flair from the mare despite the heat of the day.

“I thought she was a little hotter in the ring than she was a few weeks ago, so it wasn’t the absolute best test. It was a clean test though. She didn’t do anything wrong, she was just a little more tense than normal,” Lynn said.

Clayton Fredericks and and his own FE Always In Time sit fifth on a score of 31.5 — the 8-year-old Trakehner’s best FEI score to date. Jacob Fletcher follows in sixth place after scoring 31.6 with Fletcher Farms’ Van Gough, and 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Wivollet Vanbeek x Woodlands Flight, by Laughton’s Flight).

Will Fuadree and Caeleste. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Seventh place goes to Will Fuadree and Caeleste. He and the 12-year-old Holsteiner (Contender x Happygolucky, by Lucky Lionell) owned by Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables, sit on 33.1 penalty points.

Less than four points separate the first seven placings, which means even one pole in tomorrow’s show jumping could prove influential.

The rest of our top ten positions are filled by: Leslie Law and Tre’ Brooks’ Voltaire De Tre’ (8th; 34.5), Clark Montgomery and the Caribbean Soul Syndicate’s Caribbean Soul (9th; 34.9), and Waylon Roberts with Michelle & John Koppin’s Lancaster (10th; 35.1).

Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Lynn Symansky also had a banner day with her Pan American Games partner RF Cool Play. In their first outing since team gold, the pair top the CCI3*-S standings on a score of 24.8.

“Coolio just came back from the Pan Am games. I was planning on coming here and playing around with a few tack changes and having a school around because he hasn’t really done that much since Lima — so not planning to run him in a very competitive position,” she said.

Phillip Dutton and Carlchen. Photo by Christine Rhodes.

Phillip Dutton is second with his newest import, Carlchen, an 11-year-old Oldenburg owned by Caroline Moran. This is Carlchen’s US debut, but he’s got miles of experience through the top levels of the sport with riders such as Francis Whittington and Stuart Tinney. This weekend is a “get to know you” experience for the pair, Phillip said, and they’ve begun on a score of 26.9.

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill sit third on a score of 27.

The CCI2*-S was extremely competitive on the flat today, with the top three separated by less than one point. Leslie Law was the best of the bunch after the first phase with Tout De Suite, a 12-year-old British Sport Horse (Catherston Liberator x Welton Edwina, by Welton Crackerjack) owned by Beatrice Rey-Herme, on a score of 23.

Clayton Fredericks is second with FE Money Made on a score of 23.5 and Doug Payne sits third with Baymax on a score of 23.9.

Here’s your schedule for the rest of the weekend:

Saturday, September 28: The International competitors move on to show jumping in the outdoor stadium arena. The two-star will go first at 8 a.m. followed by the three- and four-star divisions. Cross country is then set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. with divisions running in the same order. Check out our fence-by-fence cross country preview at this link.

Sunday, September 29: All national levels — Novice, Training and Preliminary — will run as a one-day on Sunday. Preliminary will lead the way with dressage at 7:30 a.m., show jumping at 9:30 a.m., and cross country at 9:50 a.m. with the Training and Novice divisions following after.

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