Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS. Photo by Sally Spickard.
And just because he could, Will Coleman showed up to the 2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field with a vengeance, starting out the 2024 season with both first and second place prizes. Taking #AnEventLikeNoOther by storm (quite literally, see yesterday’s News and Notes to catch a soggy Sally and Shelby in action), Will and Hyperion Stud’s Chin Tonic HS finished on a 30.5 with the blue ribbon as predicted, adding just four seconds to their dressage score with even more to spare at the end of the day. Will’s second-place round on Off The Record, owned by the Off the Record Syndicate, was only a few points behind on a 33.2, just one second off their dressage score as well.
GPE 2022 champions Boyd Martin and the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B followed behind Will in third place, nearly five points behind Chin Tonic’s leading score at 35.3. Liz Halliday, three-time GPE champion, managed to finish within the top 10 aboard all three of her mounts, along with New Zealand’s Monica Spencer, Liz’s recent Pan Am teammates Sydney Elliott and Sharon White, and 2023’s reserve champion Doug Payne.
Thanks to Will, Team Green in the Ride For Charity Team Challenge will also take the win, earning some big prize money for the Aiken County Pony Club. Second and third place Teams Purple and Orange will also receive donations to their charities, Battlefront Outdoors and Tri-Development Center, respectively. And speaking of prize money, thanks to the increase in winnings from $50K to $100K this year, I’m sure Will is leaving with quite the happy wallet.
U.S. Weekend Action
2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scores] [Ride For Charity Teams] [Ride For Charity Online Vote] [Volunteer] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
Full Gallop Farm March Wednesday H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. (Altoona, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Twin Rivers Winter H.T. (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
International Events
Portuguese Spring Tour (Mata do Duque) [Timetable] [Entries] [Scoring] [Portuguese Eventing Association Facebook Page] [More Info]
Links to Start Your Sunday:
Back From The Brink: California Eventer Lindsey Smith Returns To The Ring After Devastating Fall
Laughter and Learning at the 2024 Ocala Horse Properties USEA YEH Symposium
CHP is back! All About the Bayou Gulch Horse Trials
Training in the Right Way: The Components of an Effective Warmup
Studs 101: Max Corcoran’s Guide to Perfecting Your Stud-Kit
Sponsor Corner: Have you noticed some colorful new ponies around the Carolina Horse Park? The 5th Annual Painted Ponies Art Walk is here! The 16 Painted Ponies will be on display until April 2nd and will be auctioned off on April 6th, with all proceeds going to benefit the Carolina Horse Park Foundation. [Learn more here]
Morning Viewing: Because I will never deprive anyone of Chin Tonic, here are his and Will Coleman’s leading rounds from this weekend — never relinquishing first place in any phase. What a way to start the season!
