Lauren Kieffer and Czechmate, owned by Court and Kylie Ramsay, scored 26.6 in the Prelim Horse
The sun has broken through the clouds and is currently blessing us with warmth pummeling us with its searing rays of fiery hotness. Much to my amazement, the locals keep talking about how cool it is today. The dressage action is heating up as well and no pair was hotter in the intermediate division than Danielle Dichting and The Graduate. They lead the division by two points with a 27.4. Holly Payne and Santino are in second and Texas’ Heather Morris is third aboard Sportsfield Maisie Grey. With five arenas in action, I didn’t get to watch the entire intermediate division. But from the pairs I did watch, I was super impressed with the quality of horses and riders overall, as is to be expected at the AECs I suppose. 25 of 38 pairs are within 10 points of the lead going into the cross-country. Texas is ruling the intermediate top-10, with three riders at the top of the division. One word: plastics.
Intermediate Scores:
1. Danielle Dichting and The Graduate 27.4
2. Holly Payne and Santino 29.4
3. Heather Morris and Sportsfield Maisie Grey 30.2
4. Buck Davidson and No More Rocks 31.2
5. Jessica Schultz and Lock N’ Load 31.4
6. Erin Brooke Freedman and Viola 31.6
7. Erin Flyn Tamplin and Three’s A Ruckus 32.0
8. Ashley MacVaugh and Fernhill Can Do 32.8
[Full Scoreboard]
Mary Frances Cargile and Take The Mick of Texas scored a 36.8 in the intermediate:
Three preliminary divisions are competing this weekend. Jennifer Lewandowski and Park Avenue III of Michigan lead the Preliminary Amateur Championship by one point over Lynne Partridge and her own El Cid. Victoria New and the experienced Fleeceworks Mystere Du Val sit atop the Prelim Junior/Young Rider division. Jenny Caras stands both 3rd and 4th in that division aboard Fernhill Stowaway and Fernhill Fortitude respectively. The Preliminary Horse Championship division is one of two divisions still competing this afternoon. Doug Payne and Royal Tribute lead that with a few pairs left to ride.
Megan Harris and her 15.1hh Connemara Sparrow’s Owen rocked the Prelim Horse dressage
Brie Murray and Sweet William head into the training cross-country tomorrow leading 50 other pairs in the Training Amateur Championship division. Annie Read and Dante’s Diva are ahead in the Training Junior Championship by 2.3 points. Doug Payne also leads the Training Horse Championship by scoring a 22.7 aboard Lysander. Lauren Kieffer occupies the 2nd and 3rd spot in that division aboard Landmk’s Legendary Romance and Landmark’s Monte Carlo respectively. Both horses are owned by Ms. Jacqueline Mars. Marilyn Payne is tied for 11th in that division with Safe Harbor. Mother, son, and daughter in the Payne family are all having a great day at the AECs.
In other news, I can say with absolute conviction that the ants at Chattahoochee Hills bite. #mandown #medic
If you are out and about at Chattahoochee, be sure to stop by the Chronicle booth to donate to the Road to Recovery initiative. The initiative was started by Pollard Eventing as a way to focus support from the tragic trailer accident earlier this year. Every donation gets a Road to Recovery bumper sticker. Read more about the initiative at the Pollard Eventing website.
Go eventing.
