Twenty-four horses were presented to the ground jury at the inaugural Morven Park Fall International CCI4*-L in Leesburg, Va. All 24 horses passed upon first inspection. The ground jury consisted of Gretchen Butts (president), Jo Young, and Jane Hamlin.
Competition gets underway for the CCI4*-L with dressage tomorrow at 8:37 a.m. with Buck Davidson and Cooley Candyman the first down the centerline.
Learn more about the CCI4*-L competitors in the Fast Facts.
The CCI4*-S pairs had their turn in the dressage arena this morning and Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS, Hyperion Stud’s 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Chin Champ x Wildera), took the early lead with a 27.7 – the only sub-30 score in the field.
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You asked and midwestern FEI eventer Julie Wolfert answered! In this week's episode of the USEA Podcast, Host Nicole Brown hits Julie with all of your biggest questions (all while Julie waits out a tornado while in transit to compete at Stable View) including competition preparations, eventing in the midwest, Julie's eventing history, what is to come in the future, and so much more.
Eventing combines three phases: dressage, show jumping, and cross-country. It is arguable that many eventers compete in this sport because of the cross-country phase. It's a fan-favorite for sure with its wide open galloping tracks, a wide variety of obstacles to jump, and the ability to encounter natural elements such as water, banks, ditches, and more!
Boyd Martin came into cross-country today in the CCI4*-S at Stable View in an enviable position, holding the top three places, and he put in three strong performances with his Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event-bound horses, finishing on top with Commando 3 (38.0), in second with Fedarman B (38.8), and in fourth with Luke 140 (40.4).
Boyd Martin has always believed in Luke 140 since he came to his barn in 2019. The fiery bay gelding has completed one five-star, in 2023 at Luhmühlen (Germany) where they were fourth, but injuries have meant he’s had to sit out a couple of seasons and miss out on selection for two Olympic Games, most recently in 2024.