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.
Helpful Links
Are you interested in competing in the sport of eventing but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Do you have a horse that is looking for a new career? Consider participating in a USEA New Event Horse (NEH) competition in 2023! The USEA NEH Program was created to be an introduction to the sport of eventing for both horse and rider, and the 2023 NEH Calendar is now available here.
Will Coleman had a huge 2022 with his string of horses, including a team silver medal at the FEI World Eventing Championship in Italy on Off The Record and top four-star placings with Chin Tonic HS, but it was Dondante whose consistency paid off to earn the Standlee Premium Western Forage USEA Horse of the Year title.
Julie Murray has loved horses since she could breathe, so when her daughters showed an interest in Pony Club and then eventing, she was thrilled to go along for the ride.
Murray started volunteering at the Fallbrook Pony Club near her home in Fallbrook, California, serving as an intermediate district commissioner.
Please always remain vigilant when it comes to sending any personal communications via email or text. Every year we receive reports of members and leaders of our sport receiving phishing attempts both online and by phone. These are often communications disguised as being sent from USEA staff or other leaders. As the years go on, the phishing attempts appear to be more directed and tailored.