Sandra Auffarth and Let’s Dance 73 (Lancer II x Stella VIII), Dörthe Loheit and Marina Köhncke’s 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, were clear and fast across Adrian Ditcham’s cross-country course to maintain their lead in the Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L on a score of 24.9.
Laura Collett and London 52 (Landos x Vernante), her own, Keith Scott, and Karen Bartlett’s 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding, moved up with a double-clear round from third place to sit tied for second place on their dressage score of 26.0 going into tomorrow’s cross-country competition.
Likewise, Christopher Burton and Clever Louis (Cyrkon x Lafita 6), his own and Geoffrey and Kate Guy's 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding, moved up from equal third to equal second on 26.0 after a clear trip across the country.
Tamra Smith and Eric Markell and Ellen and Alex Ahearn's 13-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Mai Baum (Loredano x Ramira) were the best of the Americans today, picking up just 0.8 time penalties on cross-country to move up into seventh place on a score of 27.5.
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal), The Monster Partnership's 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, were just six seconds over the time allowed of 10:00, adding 2.4 time penalties to their score to sit on 34.1 overnight, moving them up from 40th place to 24th place.
Reserve pair Matt Flynn and Wizzerd (Wizzerd x Amai), Patrick and Kathleen Flynn and Merry Go Round Farm's 10-year-old KWPN gelding, accrued 22 time penalties on today’s cross-country course, dropping them from 53rd place to 57th place on a score of 54.9.
Unfortunately, Jennie Brannigan and the Stella Artois Syndicate's 11-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred mare Stella Artois were eliminated at fence 16, the double open corners, for a fall of rider.
This is where we see the new Olympic format rules come into play. Brannigan and Stella Artois were eliminated for a fall of rider, meaning that they will continue forward in the competition carrying 200 penalty points for not completing the cross-country phase. Reserve pair Flynn and Wizzerd cannot be substituted in – the reserve combination can only be substituted in the case of a medical/veterinary reason. For more information on the new Olympic format and how it is being used at Boekelo, click here.
With three double-clear rides from the team competitors, Germany maintains their lead in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup competition on a score of 78.1. In second place is Australia on 114.3, moving up from sixth place, and third place after cross-country goes to Belgium on 117.5. With the accumulation of an additional 200 points, team USA now sits in ninth place on 292.9.
Of the 94 competitors that set out on cross-country today, 62 jumped clear with 16 coming home inside the time. While problems were fairly evenly distributed across the course, the fence that caused the most trouble was fence 25, the skinny chevron brush at the Koerts Brushes combination, with nine pairs incurring penalties at this fence.
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The 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships were an incredible success, marking a new era of partnership for the two programs which aim to encourage the USEA’s junior and young adult members to continue to pursue their passion for eventing throughout their educational years and beyond.
On this week's edition of the USEA Podcast, interim podcast host Rosie Russell touches base with this year's Defender/USEF CCI5*-L National Champion Lauren Nicholson who was the highest-placed U.S. rider in the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Rosie talks with Lauren about her history with her longtime partner Vermiculus, their preparations for Kentucky, their outstanding performance at the five-star event, and so much more!
After an action packed Saturday at Stable View on the opening day of the 8th Annual USEA Intercollegiate Eventing National Championship, the podium was up for grabs heading into the final day of competition. The stage was set for an unforgettable showdown between the 18 university and college teams who were entered.
Coach Halliea Milner loved that the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) gave her riders the opportunity to compete together as a team in a normally individual sport. But, when it came down to it, her riders acted no differently this weekend at the inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing Championship than they do at home.