United States Eventing Association

Winning a CIC3* (by 17.5 points) wasn’t on Jennie Brannigan’s radar as she prepared for last weekend’s Plantation Field International Horse Trials. Her main objective for the weekend was to qualify Cambalda (known as “Ping” to his friends) for the upcoming Galway Downs CCI3* in Temecula, California. A win was just the icing on the carrot cake for Ping.

Sitting in third after dressage, Ping earned a 60% from one judge, and a 68% from the other, giving them a score of 53.4. “I was pretty disappointed in the dressage, until [judge] Sandy Phillips, who gave me the 68, said that she thought he deserved the better score. So that made me feel better!”

A nearly foot-perfect round over Tremaine Cooper’s cross-country track boosted the pair to first, picking up only a handful of time penalties. Oddly enough, both first and second placed riders, Kristen Bond (aboard Are Your Ready) and Colin Davidson (aboard Draco) were both technically eliminated on cross-country.

When someone told Brannigan on Sunday morning that she had four rails in hand, she admitted that it didn’t help to ease the butterflies in her stomach. “Stupid things can happen all the time,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking about the big gap. I just really wanted to jump a clean round…for myself and for Ping. I was so happy with the way he performed…he jumped like a cracker jack!”

Since moving to West Grove, Pennsylvania a few years ago to work for Phillip Dutton, Brannigan has gotten very familiar with the locals around Plantation Field. “It’s my new hometown crowd, and it was really fun to have the support of my friends, students, and the Pony Clubbers who live nearby. Even our local bartender was there cheering us on,” she added with a laugh. And perhaps, most importantly, Ping’s owners, Nina and Tim Gardner, were also there to relish in the unexpected victory.

Since the Gardners purchased Ping earlier this year for Brannigan to continue to compete, the stunning gelding has become more and more competitive, including winning the Jersey Fresh CCI2* back in May. After spending a year at the Intermediate level, the gelding moved up to Advanced at Millbrook this summer, where he placed fifth in a competitive division. “I plan on competing this horse for a long time—I don’t want to rush him.”

Next on their plate is the inaugural Galway Downs CCI3*, over 2,600 miles west of their usual stomping grounds in Pennsylvania. Dutton himself is still deciding whether to make the trip to California, or to compete at Pau CCI4* in France.

A California-native herself, Brannigan promised Galway Downs organizer Robert Kellerhouse a few years ago that she would come out to ride in the first CCI3* on the West Coast. “That was when I had Cooper,” Brannigan explained, referring to her much-loved partner who died from complications after sustaining a freak injury during last year’s Fair Hill CCI3*. Now that Ping is qualified, Brannigan is thrilled to get the opportunity to fly the eight-year-old gelding out to her home state.

After Kellerhouse planted the seed in Brannigan’s brain, Dutton further encouraged the trip as well, explaining that riders from all over the country should be supporting this important event. “I’ve always really liked [course designer] Ian Stark’s tracks, too,” complimented Brannigan. “When I told Nina about it, she was all for it, and so we started planning.”

“Plus, my grandfather who lives close to the event is 97, and he’s never seen me ride. So, I’d like to rent a golf cart for him, so he can come watch,” she added.

The future looks bright for Brannigan and Ping—stayed tuned to USEventing.com to find out how their Galway trip ends up!

Top Five Plantation Field CIC3* Results (Full Results)

1^st - Jennie Brannigan & Cambalda – 59.0

2^nd – Ashley Kehoe & Mazetto – 76.5

3^rd – Kendal Lehari & Daily Edition – 77.9

4^th – Kristin Schmolze & Cavaldi – 78.2

5^th – Kelli Temple & Axel Rose – 80.3