All systems are go for a beautiful day of cross country at Plantation Field International Horse Trials. The first CIC3* combination, Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR, set out on course at 12:20 p.m. EST.
There are plenty of ways to keep up with the action. John Kyle is manning the PRO Tour Radio livestream, we’ve got Jenni Autry on the ground so be sure to follow her on social, and of course we’ll be bringing you live updates right here throughout. Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage from the Best. Event. Ever., and stay tuned for much more from Plantation Field.
Plantation Field: Website, Ride Times, Live Scores, PRO Tour Radio, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram, @jenniautry
3:52 p.m.: And here are your top 15 CIC3* finishers…
3:48 p.m.: And she does it! Picking up just a pinch of time, it will be Tamie and Maui Baum for the win!
3:45 p.m.: Marilyn home clear with 4 time penalties — they can finish no lower than 2nd. Now, it’s all on Tamie … come on, West Coast!
3:44 p.m.: It’s all on Marilyn and Tamie now…
3:43 p.m.: A wayyyyyy-long spot at a table for Tamie and Maui Baum. “They saw that stride from their base in California!” exclaims ever-entertaining livestream announcer John Kyle.
3:42 p.m.: Leader Tamie Smith and Maui Bum now setting out on course.
3:40 p.m.: No! A stop for third-placed Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM at 19b in the Foundation. The pair now walking off course, Buck having elected to save his longtime partner for another day.
3:39 p.m.: Second placed Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous now leaving the box, clear fence #4.
3:34 p.m.: The top 10 getting shaken up now as 9B catches out Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Kim pulls him up… looks like they’ll be calling it a day as well.
3:30 p.m.: Jessica Phoenix and previously 5th-placed Abbey GS have a refusal at 9B, then elect to retire.
3:25 p.m.: Holly Jacks-Smither and More Inspiration show us how it’s done around the course, picking up just 0.8 time.
3:23 p.m.: Ryan Wood and McLovin (best name ever?) clear with 4-and-some-change time penalties. Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Cubalawn now sprinting out of the start box.
3:19 p.m.: Things seem to be clocking along much more smoothly as we approach the top of the leaderboard. Holly Payne Caravella coming home clear with 7.2 time aboard Santino.
3:14 p.m.: Reverse order of go is the best! We’re now breaking into the top 15, with Holly Payne Caravella and Santino heading out on course.
3:06 p.m.: Local girl Jennie Brannigan makes her way around with just 4.8 time penalties on Catalina, which could move her up into the top 15. She’s still got one ride to go aboard Cambalda, with whom she is sitting in 8th place.
2:59 p.m.: Bummer.. Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude now on course but picking up 20 at fence #12.
2:57 p.m.: Cross-country now running just under an hour behind schedule on account of multiple lengthy holds to repair broken frangible pins. Quit pressing the buttons, y’all!
2:50 p.m.: While we wait for the competition to resume, check out David Taylor’s wrap-ups of the CIC1* divisions. The winners: Elizabeth Bortuzzo and Omina (Division A) and Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane (Division B).
Go Icabad! Photo by Jenni Autry.
2:49 p.m.: About 20 horses left in the CIC3* division, and you can bet the scoreboard at the end of the day is going to look a lot different than the one we started with this morning.
2:46 p.m.: Another pause to repair a broken frangible pin at fence #6… that will be 11 penalties for Jessica Phoenix.
2:42 p.m.: Ditto for Jessica Phoenix, who’s now out on course on her third ride of the day, Bentley’s Best. She’s had a day of mixed fortunes, jumping clear with 9.60 time penalties on A Little Romance before taking a spill from Pavarotti.
2:39 p.m.: Allie Knowles will be looking for some redemption aboard her second ride, Sound Prospect, after a fall earlier with The Dark Mark. They’re clear through #18…
2:35 p.m.: I funneled this question from a reader…
…straight to Jenni, who responds, “It seems like they’re pretty spread out.”
2:33 p.m.: Oh dear… loose horse! Colleen Rutledge has parted ways with Escot 6 at fence 7, with “Monkey” being the latest horse opting to take a solo tour of the countryside. Colleen is up and OK.
2:26 p.m.: Back underway now with Hallie Coon and Celien.
2:22 p.m.: Stop, start, stop, start… lots of holds on course today, the latest being for a frangible pin repair at the behest of Maggie Deatrick and Divine Comedy. On the bright side, this live update post is seemingly possessed (sorry for the technical difficulties!) so I’m appreciative of having a bit of time to get things sorted out.
2:02 p.m.: Rachel Wilks and River King parting ways. Hold on course while the medics take a quick look at Rachel, who seems to be OK.
1:54 p.m.: Meanwhile, Pavarotti has decided to “do his own thing,” jumping the galloping track rope for a romp across the scenic Pennsylvania countryside.
1:51 p.m.: Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti part ways … Jessie is up and appears to be fine.
1:42 p.m.: Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, can we circle back around to the fact that Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen just won Blenheim? A super weekend for the U.S. across the board, with four Americans finishing in the top 12. We just posted Samantha Clark’s wrap-up report — check it out!
Go Clark and Glen! Photo by Samantha Clark.
1:22 p.m.: Cody is up and talking to the paramedics and his horse has been wrangled, but we’ll be looking at about a 10-minute hold on course.
1:16 p.m.: Undeterred by the fall of her rider, Cody Sturgess, at fence #12, Imperial Melody kept running, finally acquiescing to being caught at fence #14.
1:11 p.m.: Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair finish with 40 jumping penalties.
1:04 p.m.: With the exception of a handful of glance-offs (Karl Slezak/Arctic Law, Madeline Backus/P.S. Arianna, Buck Davidson/Be Mine) and a couple falls, lots of nice trips happening out there. Going to knock on some wood now.
12:59 p.m.: Boyd Martin and Crackerjack have turned in the only double clear so far.
12:53 p.m.: An unfortunate fall for Allie Knowles and The Dark Mark will result in an MR. Thankfully both are OK.
12:48 p.m.: So on other front …. guess who just freaking won Blenheim? CLARK MONTGOMERY!
12:45 p.m.: And we’re back! Ryan Wood and Fernhill Classic now setting out on course.
12:40 p.m.: While we wait for things to get up and running again, check out this drone flyover of the course, with narration by Doug Payne.
12:34 p.m.: Sadly, it’s an RF for April Simmonds and Impressively Done after a fall at the Footbridge. A hold on course while they gather themselves. Thankfully both horse and rider are OK.
12:26 p.m. EST: Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR are through the finish flags, clear but with 21.2 time.
12:22 p.m. EST: A glance-off at 9B for Buck Davidson and Be Mine. Jessica Phoenix pulls up briefly, perhaps to adjust a bit of tack? Continuing on now…
12:20 p.m. EST: Trailblazer Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR now on course. Except for a few riders with multiple horses, cross country is running in reverse order of go which always adds an extra bit of excitement to the mix.
12:19 p.m. EST: We’re just seconds away from the start of CIC3* cross country. Here are your top 15 heading into the event’s final phase…
