United States Eventing Association

With five horses in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup CIC3* (not to mention the two in the CCI2* and two in the Advanced), Buck Davidson kept quite busy today at Richland Park in Richland, Mich. Before scores were even posted for the CIC3*, Davidson accurately guessed the placing order of his rides, although his prediction for his longtime partner and favorite horse, Ballynoe Castle RM to be 20 points in the lead wasn’t quite spot on!

At the end of the day, Carl and Cassandra Segal’s 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding was the only horse to break 40 – scoring a 38.4 to take the overnight lead. “I didn’t have time to do the warm-up I normally do because I had just gotten off Copper Beech,” explained Davidson. “He wanted to cough a little bit at the beginning, but he knows he isn’t supposed to do it and he tries his best not to. When he coughs now he does it when it doesn’t matter like on the short side or when the movements are over.”

“Every time I ride him I just have to pinch myself and say how lucky I am and just enjoy myself. Was he perfect? No, but he is such a competitor. If I was judging I would put him ahead of Carlevo, but he could have stood on his hind legs and I would have put him 20 points ahead. He is just such a joy and I am just so lucky to have the relationship with the horse. He means the world to me.”

While Davidson may sit in first with longtime partner, Ballynoe Castle RM, it is a young, new partner contesting his first CIC3* who he is currently tied for second aboard. Davidson imported, Carlevo, an 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by the Carlevo Syndicate, LLC from Germany last year. He was competed through the CIC2* level with Dirk Schrade and just ran his first Advanced at New Jersey H.T. earlier this summer.

“Carlevo is so steady, so rideable – he so tries to please,” said Davidson. “I didn’t feel like I did a terrific job, and I am a bit disappointed in myself, but excited about the horse. There is lots more there, I probably didn’t warm him up enough but he is just a workman. He is a super nice young horse, and there is way more improvement in there which is exciting. It is kind of fun for me to have a horse where you are disappointed with a 41. We still have two more phases, but I am really excited about him.”

Tied with Carlevo on a 41.3 is Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon, a 9-year-old Trakehner mare owned by Deep Purple Eventing, who is running her final Event before heading to the Blenheim CCI3* in England next month.

“I was thrilled with [Shame on the Moon] today,” said Beshear. “She was very good. If anything though she was really lazy, which is a new thing. A lot of time she goes into the ring and gets a bit distracted and flighty. I was having to kick quite a bit, and I think I gave away a few points here and there, lacking expression and small things, but I was thrilled with her.”

This is Shame on the Moon’s first major run back since finishing second at the Bromont CCI3* in June. “This is definitely her first time stepping back up and she feels like she’s even better than she left off at Bromont, which I’m really excited about,” continued Beshear. “This summer I have been working a lot on her overall strength and also her flying changes. I think this is actually the first test where I have gotten both of them – they could still be smoother, but at least now she seems a lot more comfortable and confident doing them.”

Following the 44 pairs in the CIC3*, the ring was converted over to the other division of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series – the Advanced class. Only half the division did their test, with the remaining pairs starting back up tomorrow at 8:00 AM. Currently Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border lead on a 30.9, with Joe Meyer aboard Sanskrit scoring a 32.1 for second and Jessica Phoenix with Bentley’s Best rounding out the top three on a 33.5.

Keep up with all of the live scores here.

About the Adequan USEA Gold Series
Qualifying for the 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Plantation Field CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside CIC3* (CA) and features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels. The final will take place at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 2015 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.

The 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many loyal sponsors: Adequan, Standlee Forage, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two, Dubarry, and FITS.