The Last Hurrah: It’s the LRK3DE 5* Showjumping Updates Thread

Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Whew. Better late than never, I guess, right? After some technical hitches here yesterday, I’m back with live updates for the feature five-star here at Kentucky as it comes to an exciting conclusion. We’re looking at an almost certain record fourth victory for Germany’s Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, who go in with two rails plus three whole seconds in hand over second-placed Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF, but there’s plenty to be jumped for out there nonetheless. Here’s a look at the field coming forward to tackle Steve Stephens’s course this afternoon:

We’ll be kicking off at 2p.m. EST — that’s 7p.m. if you’re following along from the UK. Let’s Go Eventing!

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (KY): Website, CCI5* Ride Times, CC4*-S Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

3.55: Extraordinary stuff. Here’s the top twenty after an action-packed showjumping phase:

3.54: WOW. Michi adds nothing, nails the win, and sets a new record for the lowest-ever 5* finishing score — just an extraordinary 20.1! We are so lucky to witness this kind of greatness!

3.53: They’re clear and perfect through the treble to a huge cheer. They don’t look like they’ll use any of those penalties!

3.52: It’s looking like a schooling round so far for Michi and Chip. Cool, calm, and just having a nice time. Chip’s former issues with showjumping look like ancient history now.

3.51: Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH enter the ring with 11.6 penalties in hand. Blimey.

3.50: The penultimate falls too, and Boyd adds 1.2 time penalties as well – that moves him into fourth and makes Doug Payne your USEF National Champion.

3.49: AARGH! The front rail of the final element of the treble falls. Yas moves up to second place!

3.48: Next in is 2019 reserve champions Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. They give the third a serious clonk behind but it doesn’t come down.

3.47: Gorgeous shots through the treble. They finish clear — but two seconds over for 0.8 time. It doesn’t cost them a place, though, and they’ll finish no worse than third!

3.46: Banzai is on springs today. You’d never guess he’d run a five-star yesterday.

3.45: Now it’s time for Great Britain’s 25-year-old superstar Yasmin Ingham, who’s done a super job piloting her five-star debutant Banzai du Loir this week. They come in in third place after cross-country.

3.44: Buck opts to go the wider route at 7 to 8. That costs him — he adds 1.2 time penalties and drops a place to fifth.

3.43: Buck Davidson returns, this time with the more experienced Carlevo. They’ve had two seriously classy performances so far and are clear through the treble at the mo.

3.42: A clear round bang on the optimum time for Doug and Quantum Leap, who will finish no lower than fifth!

3.41: Clear through the treble!

3.40: Doug Payne is back, this time riding Quantum Leap for a crack at fifth place.

3.39: The first part of the treble falls, though the rest stay up — that, and 1.6 time, will drop Sydney down two places to no worse than eighth.

3.38: Globetrotting duo Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire are next in, jumping for sixth. This is an exceptionally cool pair for the US rebuilding effort.

3.37: The first part of the double falls, as does the penultimate fence. That’ll drop them to tenth.

3.36: Time for Phillip Dutton and Sea of Clouds to tackle the course. They sit seventh overnight after delivering one of just three clears inside the time yesterday.

3.35: Two rails drops Will from 8th to 12th, and Joseph Murphy steps into the top ten.

3.34: Will opts to go the long option again, but kicks out the first part of the treble combination.

3.33: Now it’s the turn of Aachen winners Will Coleman and Off The Record. The back rail of the fourth comes down for them early on.

3.32: She opts to go the short route over the skinny at 7, and it pays off. Clear through the line to the treble, and over the last few — they’ll add nothing in this phase and finish no worse than ninth!

3.31: Ninth-place Pippa Funnell and Maybach, who’s a first-timer at this level, are in now. Clear through the double so far.

3.30: A beautiful, springy clear and the fastest of the day in 78 seconds for Joseph and Mario! They retain their eleventh place at the moment but expect to see them climb.

3.29: Little ‘Mario’ likes to occasionally helicopter his fences, as we saw at the coffin yesterday, but he’s getting away with it so far — they go the short round at seven and look tidy through the treble.

3.28: Joseph Murphy and Calmaro in for Ireland now. They sit in eleventh as they start their round.

3.27: Just the one rail for Hannah and ‘William’, who finish bang on the optimum time. They drop just one place, pushing Meghan O’Donoghue up to twelfth.

3.26: That pesky third fence comes down, but the double and treble remain intact.

3.25: Next it’s the turn of Hannah Sue Burnett and her stalwart partner Harbour Pilot. How cool is it to see both 19-year-old horses in this field complete?

3.23: Sorry, I just got distracted for a moment there thinking about what it’d be like to say you’ve beaten Pippa at five-star. Preeeeetty damn cool, I’d wager.

3.22: Clear through the double — and over the rest of the course! Meghan and Palmer add just 0.8 time penalties with their lovely round. They move up a spot to thirteenth at the moment, just ahead of Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope.

3.21: Meghan O’Donoghue and her lovely OTTB Palm Crescent are up next, currently sitting 14th after a super clear yesterday. They’re clear through the double at 5AB so far.

3.20: The second half of the course spells trouble, and they take six rails down in total, though add no time. They drop down to 21st at the moment.

3.19: Our current leading Canadians are next in: it’s Jessica Phoenix and Bogue Sound. They take the first part of the double out pretty early on.

3.17: Just the one rail and bang on the optimum time for Colleen and CR, who stays in 16th place for now.

3.16: Next up to bat is Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights, who gives fence one a clonk but doesn’t tip it. They do, however, take the first part of the double.

3.15: The first part of the double also falls for Mike, plus fence eight, even after taking the safer outside line there. They take the second and third parts of the treble, and the last two fences too, for seven rails and 1.2 time penalties. This is not an easy course!

3.14: Mike Pendleton and Steady Eddie also take the front rail out of the oxer at fence one.

3.13: 6 also falls for Fylicia, as does the short, skinny route at 7. The first part of the treble and the penultimate fence come down too, giving them five rails and 0.8 time.

3.12: Fylicia Barr and her $500 Craigslist horse Galloway Sunrise also have the first fence down.

3.11: Three rails in total and 0.4 time for Alex — but she’ll be thrilled to know her horse is a true five-star athlete after his clear yesterday and that huge effort just now. Very cool!

3.10: The first part of the treble also falls for Alex after they meet it on a half-stride and the whole crowd holds their breath – and then she has to pray and try to stay in the plate as Jack grows wings to make the next two parts of the treble happen. What a horse!

3.09: Another rookie pair up! Full-time vet Alex MacLeod and Newmarket Jack take the first fence out, though.

3.08: The first comes down for Lisa Marie, as does the first part of the double at 5AB. 6 comes down too. They finish bang on the 82 seconds allowed after a gutsy, bold ride down the treble.

3.07: Now that’s what we call nailing it! Will adds nothing with Dondante, guaranteeing them tenth place at worst. Next in is Canada’s Lisa Marie Fergusson with her longtime partner Honor Me. They’re in 20th overnight.

3.06: Will opts for the outside line for the sake of safety, and you can tell he’s been riding the rest of the course with that in mind — his economical lines in the first half of the course will hopefully have given him a time buffer.

3.05: Our next in is another pair jumping out of order. This time, it’s 10th placed Will Coleman and Dondante. 

3.03: Just one rail and no time to add. That four penalties could be expensive, though — if everyone below her jumps clear, she’d drop to 17th.

3.02: Argh! She goes for the same inside line as Jennie, but slicing the rails doesn’t pay off for Pippa, and she has the seventh down.

3.01: Majas Hope really clonks that third fence that’s caused so many problems this afternoon, but it stays in the cups.

3.00: And we’re back! Starting us off is Pippa Funnell, jumping out of order with Majas Hope, who sits thirteenth overnight.

2.42: It’s time for a drag break now. Everyone yet to jump is, we suspect, thinking long and hard about Jennie Brannigan’s inside line and how they can replicate it without risking a rail.

“He’s just an incredible horse. He jumped around easily yesterday too, and I’m disappointed in myself, because I changed the plan in the warm-up, and it wasn’t his fault,” says Jennie, ruminating on her 20 yesterday.

2.41: Eleven and twelve fall, too, giving them seven rails in total, plus 1.2 time penalties.

2.40: Bummer! The first falls for Hawley, and she slips below Jennie on the leaderboard. The fourth, the first part of the double, the sixth and the seventh follow.

2.39: A big high-five and a grin between Jennie and the next rider in, Canada’s Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo. I love our sport.

2.38: Jennie opts for the bold inside line to fence eight. She might not be fighting for a win, but she’s daring the crowd and selectors not to consider her a champion. A great clear inside the time — our first of the day!

2.37: A big peek at the first fence but ‘Fox’ jumps it clear.

2.35: Next in the ring is Jennie Brannigan and her 2021 Boekelo ride FE Lifestyle. They, too, had a 20 yesterday, but made very good time nonetheless.

2.34: Argh! The last just gets kicked out in front as they get a little deep. They add 0.4 time penalties, too. Mark my words, though — this pair will win a five-star.

2.33: ‘Elfie’ doesn’t look at all tired out there. He’s getting cheers from the crowd out there even before the treble.

2.32: Another excellent jumper who could well have been fighting for a top spot, but for a wobble yesterday — it’s Great Britain’s Sarah Bullimore and her tiny homebred Corouet. A seriously talented duo.

2.31: And they’ve done it! What a round. Really beautiful. They do add 1.6 time penalties.

2.30: Here’s another one who’d be well up for trying to give us that first clear, though it’ll be bittersweet if they do: New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and McClaren had a tricky day yesterday, picking up a 20 at the Park Question coffin complex.

2.29: The third goes again for Doug and Quinn, plus the first element of the treble combination at 9ABC. They’re neatly inside the time, though. Thanks for the memories, Quinn!

2.27: Next up will be Doug Payne and his Tokyo mount Vandiver. Doug announced ‘Quinn’s’ retirement from the top level this weekend, so it’s a special treat to see him in this ring one last time.

2.26: Just the one rail for Booli, plus 1.2 time penalties. What a super feeling that canter across the finish must be!

2.25: The third comes down for Booli and Lance.

2.24: Now for another rookie pair: this time, it’s Booli Selmayr and Millfield Lancando, who jumped a clear round over yesterday’s tough track.

2.22: Next in is Hallie Coon and her debutant Global Ex. This is one of the best showjumping horses in the field, but they tip the first element of the treble and the penultimate fence. Their 79 seconds is the fastest round so far, though, despite ‘Dolly’ topping out at 15.3hh.

2.20: Not going as planned for Buck and Sorocaima, who’s skimming the tops of the fences and takes eight rails.

2.17: Woods manages to finish bang on the 82 seconds allowed. Lexi, our first rider, was three seconds over, and we did see the time have an influence in the CCI4*-S earlier. Next in is Buck Davidson and Sorocaima, his ex-racehorse debutant.

2.16: Now for another rookie pair — this time it’s Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. The first comes down for them, and the third, but they cross the finish having put up a respectable fight at his hometown event.

2.15: Clear through the treble, and the crowd cheers — this is something I always grit my teeth at a bit, as it can be so distracting for horses. They have the penultimate fence down after a slight disagreement about the distance, but just one down is a really super result for this rookie pair. Lexi is thrilled — lots of big hugs for Sprout as she rides out of the ring! For now, she’s atop the leaderboard at Kentucky, technically.

2.13: ‘Sprout’ hits the first hard but it stays up, and what a nice shape he makes over the second as a result. Clear so far at the halfway mark.

2.12: First of our 30 competitors in the ring this afternoon is one of our debutant pairs, Lexi Scovil and Chico’s Man VDF Z. They had an exciting, educational round yesterday with just one wobble on course. The young pro spent a couple of seasons in the UK learning from William Fox-Pitt, and after having to delay her five-star debut for a couple of seasons, it’s great to see her come forward to nail down that coveted completion.

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (KY): Website, CCI5* Ride Times, CC4*-S Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram