United States Eventing Association

Lexington, Va.—May 23— Cross-country day for the FEI divisions at the Virginia Horse Center Eventing CCI & H.T., presented by Capital Square, never disappoints, with top-tier courses designed by Jay Hambly (CAN) laid out to provide a strong challenge for all levels. Riders frequently speak on the terrain the Oak Hill side of the property offers for developing horses and riders, and rain throughout Friday and Saturday aided in providing an excellent challenge for three-day eventing.

CCI2*-L and CCI1*-L Leaders Remain Unchallenged

Both long-format divisions saw no change to the leading position following cross-country. In the CCI2*-L, Canada’s Karl Slezak brought both of his rides – Herald De La Rose and Obailey – home clear of jumping penalties to sit in first and second place.

“He definitely stepped up to the plate in the mud,” Slezak said of winner Elizabeth Leete's 8-year-old Anglo European gelding Herald De La Rose (Herald III x Kattia De La Rose), who added 4.8 time penalties for a two-phase score of 33.2. “I was a little concerned going out based on a little bit of rideability that I've been struggling with, and finally it all kind of clicked on the day, so I was very thankful for that, and it was phenomenal.”

For Slezak, the most fulfilling part of developing this next generation of horses is feeling them begin to truly enjoy their job. “When they've made that switch from ‘this is a bit scary, but I'm trusting you’ to, ‘yeah, let me do it!’ Actually they were all kind of bucking in the warm up, really excited, which made me happy today. I want them to enjoy it, and honestly, to make a real proper upper-level horse, if they're not enjoying it, you don't have a hope. So it feels like they're really kind of making that switch over, and I do feel like the two-long is really when I get a real good sense of it. And these guys are just right there.”

Australia’s Dom Schramm also retains his lead in the CCI1*-L, expressing his delight with the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Sneaking Suspicion (Sligo Candy Boy x Cloonbarry All Star), who is making his FEI debut this weekend.

“I was thrilled with him,” Schramm commented. “It was challenging conditions out there, and I felt like he really rose to the occasion.”

On Friday, Schramm noted his curiosity in bringing a horse to his first FEI; there is much to be gleaned in terms of both education for the horse and information-gathering for the rider, and Schramm felt he had much to take home in both regards.

“It's always nice to feel that the lead-up events kind of culminate in them feeling more educated at the bigger event,” he said. “It feels as though each outing he's gotten a bit better, and today was probably the most grown up that he's felt thus far, so that's always really reassuring.”

Schramm has started to hone in on show jumping – “it’s honestly my least favorite phase!” he laughed – by taking his horses to jumper shows during the winter and off-season, as well as between events. This extra practice, he said, is instrumental not only in the ongoing education of a horse but in rising to the level of quality the sport demands across all three phases. That extra practice, he hopes, will pay off well on Sunday for the final phase of competition.

“He’s jumper-bred,” Schramm described of Sneaking Suspicion, who is owned by Dom in partnership with Horse Scout Eventing as well as Dana and Manny Diemer. “I would say show jumping is naturally what he does best. So I’m looking forward to it, but regardless of the result we’re just really happy with how he stepped up today and how he’s putting it all together.”

Kim Severson Takes CCI3*-S Crown

Following an unlucky and tumultuous start to Cooley Corraghy Diamond’s (Diamond Roller x Seoladh) season, US Olympian Kim Severson feels Saturday’s cross-country effort has served to put things back onto the right track. The pair clinched the win on Saturday, with 7.2 time penalties added on cross-country for a finishing score of 39.2.

The 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Ros and Bill Johnson had spent the majority of 2025 at the Advanced and CCI4* level, and with this winning effort today sets himself up for the remainder of the year. A CCI4*-L is in Severson’s plans for the fall, so she’ll be looking to build into that eventual goal off of this weekend’s success.

Devon Sutherland Takes CCI2*-S Title in FEI Debut

Devon Sutherland has accomplished many firsts with her off-the-track Thoroughbred, Mega Bucks, sired by Japanese Grade 1 winner Hat Trick and out of Winning Doe. The now-10-year-old gelding hasn’t been the most straightforward horse to produce, but thanks to the mentorship of Olympic rider Phyllis Dawson (Seoul - 1988), the partnership between Sutherland and Mega Bucks has flourished. Today, the pair took home the win in their FEI debut CCI2*-S, adding 10.0 time penalties on cross-country for a total of 40.9.

“I think that I was in tears every single day the first 30 days I had him, because I couldn't make him trot, so you know, five years later, here we are!” Sutherland laughed. “He is just wonderful. He was given to me for $1 because he was so unrideable and difficult, and so it's really wonderful to have this with him now.”

Sutherland chalks all of her success to date up to Dawson’s assistance and belief. She’d started out working for Dawson, who continues to train up the next generation of horses and riders, and now bases her program out of the Purcellville, VA Windchase Farm. When she first took the reins on Mega Bucks, eventually winning her first CCI2*-S was not on Sutherland’s radar.

“I was pretty terrified!” she joked when asked how she felt coming into the weekend. She’d initially entered a two-star in 2024, but a passport mailing issue prevented her from making the start, and then an injury would sideline Mega Bucks for the majority of 2025. But some strong results coming into this weekend gave her a shot of confidence, and taking the win wasn’t a part of her goals.

“Of course it’s nice to win,” she said. “I don't want to say that I'm not a competitive person – everybody likes to win, but I really just wanted to come into it and have a good experience for myself and a good confidence-building run for my horse. So the fact that it all just came together is kind of just the icing on the cake. He thinks that he just had a blast – whether he won or was in last, he doesn't know, he thinks he won.”

Competition wraps up on Sunday with the remaining National divisions as well as the Final Horse Inspection and show jumping for the CCI1*-L and CCI2*-L divisions.