Marilyn Little-Meredith slotted into third place right behind Karen on RF Demeter, “Demeter was fantastic today, I’m still in a phase where I’m getting to know her, she’s a new ride since December, but I’m just finding the buttons, learning not to push too many at the same time, let the horse do the work, she was great, I was really pleased.”
Karen O’Connor sitting in second place on Veronica, “I was really, really happy with my trot work, she’s been coming on very strong for the last six months and I’m really excited about her, her movement’s stepped up to another level, her trot work I was really thrilled with. I felt like I lost connection with her in the canter and she got quite crooked so I left a lot on the table in the second half of the test and I’m excited about that, to improve that for Rolex, but I was delighted with her and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Emily Beshear did an accurate, positive test on Here’s To You for 47.1 and lies in 5th place in the CIC***
I only caught glimpses of Indie and Jennie Brannigan, lying second in an intermediate division to Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, but they both looked super.
Jolie Wentworth is here representing The Fork for the West Coast, and is in good company. Good Knight made some errors, but also had some nice moments, his changes were perhaps a bit ‘expressive’. 
Brittany Kart on Llewellyn.
Kelli Temple on Veelion, lying fourth in the CIC**.
There were a few stunning tests today, the majority from riders we expected them from – Allison, Karen, Michael Pollard, Becky, but there were a lot of tests that were on the verge of being stunning, and lots of lovely, very fit horses with riders tweaking their programmes and tests in preparation for the big run in a few weeks time. I talked to Colleen at the course builder’s pig roast – roaring success by the way, more props to Travers, what can’t this man do?! – and she shrugged, and told me Friday she’ll plait Shiraz, put on her tails, and ride her test again, and again, and again, as many times as it takes, for coach Linda Zang. Colleen wished she’d had an extra 20 minutes in the warm-up, she said he’d gone so well the morning of the test and the day before, but such is life.
Clark Montgomery did a forward, flowing test on the gorgeous Loughan Glen, but ever the perfectionist tweeted after,
Equally, Leslie Law’s lovely young horse Zenith ISF who hasn’t put a foot wrong yet showed some lovely trot work before losing concentration in the canter and it took all of Leslie’s considerable skill to coax the test he did out of him.
As always, though, it is a three day event, even though it isn’t, and cross country day will be influential. Thursday night brought rain and thunderstorms which will do nothing but improve the going even more. A full day of dressage again on Friday, and lots more ridiculousness still to come, thanks for being a part of Eventing nation, and go Eventing!
