Derek di Grazia’s CCI4*-S track proved that three-day events are not just a dressage show. A total of 47 competitors went out Saturday morning to tackle the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S cross-country course and only one competitor put in a double clear round – Dan Kreitl and Carmango, a 9-year-old Westphalian gelding (Chirivell x Taramanga) owned by Kay Dixon.
Kreitl shot up the leaderboard as he was 11th after dressage and now, after cross-country he is the overnight leader going into tomorrow’s show jumping on a score of 29.0. “It was a super fun course. It was only his third four-star, and the same for me, as we just moved up to the level. He’s super honest and does his job the best he can. He was trying to read every question. It was super fun, probably the most fun cross-country course I’ve done,” said Kreitl.
“I went out of the start box with my foot on the gas, and that was my plan to try to get ahead as much as I can. I didn’t get ahead so, I just kept on kicking. He’s a fast horse. On the galloping fences I didn’t try to slow down too much, I tried to find them right out of stride and keep it efficient and smooth.” Kreitl was efficient as he was the only one to make time out of the 47 competitors in the CCI4*-S.”
The Indiana native moved up to the Advanced level this year. “Me being new to the level, I have a good coach, Sharon White coaches me. I always hope he’s fit enough but, he had plenty left in the tank so I feel really happy and confident about that. It was the first time at this level that I’ve come out trying to make the time, so it was really fun,” said Kreitl. “It was a hard course and we’re tired, but he felt like he could have definitely kept going.”
The first pair out of the start box was Liz Halliday-Sharp on Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal) an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Monster Partnership. The pair put in a clear round only adding four time penalties to sit in second on a score of 29.7. Rounding out the top three is Phillip Dutton on Quasi Cool (Quo Vados I x B-Estelle ) an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Caroline Moran.
The CCI4*-S will resume with the final horse inspection at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday where 30 pairs will present in front of the Ground Jury.
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The Classic Three-Day Event Series, which features seven competitions each year, is a beloved program of the USEA that gives Beginner Novice to Preliminary level competitors the chance to experience the unforgettable rush of the classic long-format three-day event. At each event, competitors are immersed in an educational weekend that revives all the elements that we know and love from the old school competition format - roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country on "endurance day," as well as horse inspections and more!
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
This month’s VIP Volunteers are a mother and daughter duo who have a unique tradition that started over four decades ago: volunteering at the Kentucky Horse Park together. While both Marjorie “Marji” Hines and her daughter, Robinson Regen, have a pleasure riding background, and Hines used to work cattle with her father on the family farm, they knew very little about eventing when they first started volunteering.
What do a cultural anthropologist and an equestrian have in common? One answer would be Dr. Aubrey Graham. Aubrey went from specializing in humanitarian aid in the Congo to mastering the art of re-training off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) to be the best that they can be.