Halliday-Sharp, Burnett and Ruppel Jump to Lead the Advanced Divisions
The two sizable Advanced divisions finished their show jumping rounds today at the Fork immediately following the CIC3* division. Designed by Chris Barnard, the show jumping course sprawled the entire length of the main arena, which gave riders ample room to get going between fences.
Liz Halliday-Sharp maintained her lead in the Advanced A division aboard Deborah Halliday’s Fernhill By Night (Radolin x Argentina XII). The 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse, “Blackie,” put down an impressive test on Thursday to earn a 19.40, the lowest dressage score of the weekend.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night.
The wind was relentless throughtout the day and was knocking over fences left and right, but that didn’t faze Blackie. “He jumped great. Blackie had a little look at probably two jumps. Not in a naughty way, but he wouldn’t normally be spooky and I think it was because of the wind,” she said.
“[It was] probably a softer course than we had at Carolina, but maybe that isn’t a bad thing going into Rolex. It’s nice for them to have a good confident jump round.” Halliday-Sharp said on Thursday she was coming to The Fork looking to leave with a very confident horse, and she’s done it thus far. She plans to have a great gallop and continue her streak tomorrow across Tremaine Cooper’s cross-country track.
The Advanced B division finished show jumping with a tie between Katie Ruppel on Houdini and Hannah Sue Burnett on Cooley Dream. Both pairs added no faults to their shared 29.70 dressage score.
Katie Ruppel and Houdini.
Ruppel was aboard Stephen Steinhoff’s Houdini, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred by Hot Rock and out of Nancy’s Star. “He and I are both pretty accustomed to Florida now, so anything below 65 degrees makes us both a bit nutty. He wasn’t as good as he was two weeks ago [at the Poplar Place CIC3*], but his baseline work is getting better and better and better,” she said. “He’s more reliable in the ring, and I think he’s finally starting to understand his job.”
Houdini can often be a spooky ride, but Ruppel managed his energy well to produce a beautiful jump round. “It was a little exciting between the jumps at times. This weather doesn’t really suit him, but he’s really come along and even when the conditions aren’t good he still is really getting the job done.”
This pair also has plans for another trip around Kentucky, and working through today’s atmosphere gives her a leg up on preparation. “He’s a bit spook,” “He would never do anything nasty, but he is a hot little thoroughbred. He spooks at everything. He’s got a ton of energy so managing those things about him can be challenging, but I think I found a recipe that works.”
Cooley Dream (Cruising x The Dreamseeker), owned by Jaqueline Mars and Mary Ann Ghadban, is an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse who has been steadily moving up the levels with Burnett for the last year. The gelding had a top ten finish in the CIC2* at Red Hills International last month, and this event will be his first run at this level.
Follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Snapchat: @USeventing
About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup
Qualifying for the 2016 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Championship began last fall with the Richland Park Advanced & CIC3* (MI), Aspen Farms Advanced (WA), Plantation Field Advanced & CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside International Advanced & 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 1-4 in Tryon, North Carolina. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money and thousands of dollars in prizes in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.
The 2016 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many loyal sponsors: Adequan, Standlee Forage, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Merck, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, and FITS.
Related Articles
The VIP Volunteer: Kendra Zartman Helps Keep Area VII Events Running Smoothly
As parent of a horse-crazy daughter, Kendra Zartmana admits she didn’t know what she was doing when she started taking her to events. So, instead of hanging out at the barn and getting in the way, she started volunteering at Area VII events.
Through The Lens: 2025 EA21 West II Clinic
The final USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program (EA21) summer regional clinic took place at beautiful Aspen Farms in Yelm, Washington, from Aug. 12-13. We were on site to capture all of the key moments from coach Jan Byyny as 12 young riders learned new concepts on the flat and over fences.
Cool Recovery: How ARMA Sub-Zero Ice Boots Support Tendon Health and Post-Ride Performance
Eventing horses give everything they have on course—and what comes after the ride can be just as important as what happens during it. When it comes to caring for our horses post-exercise, effective cooling can play a critical role in recovery and long-term soundness. That’s where the ARMA Sub-Zer...
