Thieriot Stutes, di Grazia Retain Leads at Twin Rivers

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Overnight leaders Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin stormed around James Atkinson’s cross country course at Twin Rivers this afternoon to remain in first position heading into show jumping tomorrow. Frankie and her cousin Elizabeth’s Chatwin added no jump and no time penalties to his dressage score of 25.4, which isn’t quite enough to have a rail in hand over James Alliston and RevitaVet Elijah, who moved into second position on the wings of a double clear run themselves.

“Today was so much fun!” Frankie commented. “The footing was amazing and I am so lucky to ride this horse. He truly is incredible. Twin has made many great improvements and I think it was a really good course for early on in the season with enough hard questions.”

James Alliston and RevitaVet Elijah. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

James Alliston and RevitaVet Elijah. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

James Alliston and RevitaVet Elijah will also take their dressage score of 28.2 to the final phase of competition in the horse’s Advanced debut, and it’s a tight race between this pair and Tamie Smith with Glock Pullman, who edged into third on a fast and clear cross country for a two phase score of 28.5.

Tamie Smith and Glock Pullman. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Tamie Smith and Glock Pullman. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Glock Pullman is a newer ride of Tamie’s, an 11-year-old gelding formerly campaigned by Brazil’s Rafael Losano (who now rides Tamie’s former mount Twizted Syster) through the Advanced level. Tamie and Glock Pullman are coming off of a win in the CIC2* at Fresno last month and seem to really be forming a solid partnership right off the bat.

Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo also enjoyed a clear cross country trip that picked up 4.8 time to slot them into fourth place overnight, followed by Amber Levine and Carry On, who are making their first start together since winning the CCI3* at Galway Downs last November. Amber and Carry On picked up the only other double clear run of the division outside of the top three.

Amber L and Cory were double clear in the Advanced to move into 5th! #eventing #gocorygo

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Just two rails separate the top five as we look to show jumping, so it will be an exciting conclusion to the first Advanced of the new California season!

Derek di Grazia and Ringwood Justice. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Derek di Grazia and Ringwood Justice. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

In the Open Intermediate, our dressage winners also held onto their lead as Derek di Grazia and Ringwood Justice stormed around to turn in one of three double clear cross country rounds.

James Alliston and Happenstance. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

James Alliston and Happenstance. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Both Derek and James Alliston aboard Happenstance will remain on their dressage scores but within less than a rail of each other for the grand finale tomorrow (Derek on a 24.8 and James on a 27.6).

Emilee Libby and Jakobi. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Emilee Libby and Jakobi. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

James and Emilee Libby swapped positions following cross country, with Emilee picking up four time aboard Jakobi to take a third place score of 31.2 overnight.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso. Photo by Ellie Leonard Photography.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso. Photo by Ellie Leonard Photography.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso, making their first start since finishing in the top 15 in the CCI3* at Fair Hill last fall, incurred 2.4 time for a two day score of 31.5 which will give them fourth position for tomorrow.

Sandra Donnelly and Belshazzar complete the top five in the Intermediate on a two day score of 33.0. Belshazzar, a 14-year-old Canadian Warmblood, is Sandra’s ticket back to the upper FEI levels of the sport for the first time since her 2008 Olympic mount, Buenos Aires. Sandra has produced Belshazzar through the levels with consistent results, and we’re thrilled to see her bringing another horse along.

The lower levels will complete cross country and stadium tomorrow while the upper levels show jump, so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion from the West Coast (aka the Best Coast!)

Twin Rivers Winter H.T. [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]

Many thanks to Ellie Leonard Photography and Sherry Stewart for these awesome photos from the action today: