United States Eventing Association

Caras Climbs to the Top of the 2018 Jersey Fresh International CIC3*

Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude (Courage II x Misty Matilda) were the fastest pair of the day in the CIC3* at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, moving up from equal fourth place after dressage on a score of 29.8 to the top spot on the leaderboard following cross-country. She and the Fernhill Fortitude Syndicate’s 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding have been partnered together since he was 7 years old, and Caras explained that they’ve moved up the levels together.

“He had not evented much at all [when I got him],” said Caras. “So I brought him up; we’ve kind of come up together and we’ve been at the three-star level for a while so I know him really well. It’s always been good at home but then you come to the event and something little happens – you don’t get a good enough dressage mark to feel good about running them quick across the country or you have a silly rail in the show jumping that’ll keep you out of the top. I’ve produced him slowly with the help of Phillip [Dutton] and we have been working really hard on his flatwork and it paid off this weekend. Hopefully we can continue that upward trajectory.”

If she and “Forty” can leave all the rails up tomorrow, Caras could secure her first FEI win at the three-star level.

Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Kyra (VDL Ulando H x Wellesley) were tied for fourth place with Caras and Fernhill Fortitude overnight on a score of 29.8 and were just two seconds slower than them on cross-country today, picking up 4.8 time penalties to lie in second place on a score of 34.6, less than a point behind the leaders. Martin noted that, as this is the 11-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare’s first CIC3*, he was a bit surprised by her strong performance today.

Martin and Steady Eddie (Jetball x Tudnela), Pierre Colin, Denise Lahey, and George and Gretchen Wintersteen’s 15-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding, are another pair competing at Jersey Fresh this weekend after an early end to their weekend at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. They came out strong today to move from equal ninth place overnight to third place after picking up 5.6 time penalties on course today.

“It was a shame,” said Martin. “I had a stupid runout at Kentucky. I was probably a bit casual on him and I’m a bit upset about that. We schooled him a couple of times at home and came here and ripped him around. He felt good.”

There were five withdrawals prior to the start of cross-country in the CIC3*: Caroline Martin and Sherrie Martin’s 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding The Apprentice (Casado x Funny Girl), Jacob Fletcher and Bacardi W (Goodtimes x Sjerlette W), Fletcher Farms’ 12-year-old KWPN gelding, Laura Welsh and her own 19-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Galactic (Judge TC x Gordy’s Dancer), Tracey Bienemann and her own 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Geoni (Grand Reward x Vopo), and William Hoos and Celtic Rhythm (Riverman x Obria), Harpeth Valley Equestrian Team’s 11-year-old KWPN mare.

Just two pairs finished the course with jumping penalties. Tayler Stewart and her own and Tyler Stewart’s 15-year-old Westphalian gelding Ideal Contini (Contini x Riviera Wonder) and Mara DePuy and her own and David and Mary Clarke Regamey’s 11-year-old KWPN gelding Congo Brazzaville C (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Mexico M) both picked up 20 penalties at fence 7B, the skinny brush in the water at the Jersey Shore.

Cindy Anderson-Blank and Phyllis Dawsons’ 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Windchase Phoenix Star (Brandenburg’s Windstar x North River Lady) were eliminated for incurring three refusals, one each at fence 7B, 17, and 23B.

Sara Kozumplik-Murphy and Fly Me Courageous (Truluck x Proper Eight), Edith Rameika’s 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding were technically eliminated for missing fence 25, the mushroom skinny.

The Jersey Fresh International CIC3* field will trot up tomorrow before the ground jury at 8:00 a.m. and will show jump beginning at 11:30 a.m.

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