United States Eventing Association

Ian Stark's Cross-Country Course Shook Up Standings at Rebecca Farm

Kalispell, Mont.—July 20— A super day of FEI cross-country at The Event at Rebecca Farm saw two leaders retain their places going into show jumping, while the standings in three divisions got shaken and stirred.

The course was the final one to be designed by the legendary Ian Stark. He had high praise for Rebecca Farm on every level and especially for the footing this year. His parting gift to riders and horses was plenty of challenges and options regarding striding and tracks. Ian urges all to ride the horse they have in the moment and to maintain balance. His courses rewarded those who embraced that.

Jennie Brannigan and Pascal Pursue the CCI4*-L Title

In the CCI4*-L, Jennie Brannigan and Pascal (Pasco x Z-Corrada I) busted Friday's first-place tie with an easy-appearing clear jumping round, incurring only 2.4 time penalties. They have 2+ rails in hand taking a 36.2 score into Chris Barnard's show jumping Sunday.

The first water obstacle's Snake, Bounce to Triple Brush at #6, the Water Pipe drop at #9, with water actually flowing over the pipe, and the Moose Bounces at #17 were among many imposing-looking obstacles that appeared to be no issue for the Holsteiner gelding owned by the Pascal Syndicate.

Brannigan considers Pascal a Team USA horse for the future. He's only 9 but is stepping up the levels impressively. A regular traveler here from her East Coast base, Brannigan explained, "I wanted to bring him here for his first four-star and I tried my best to put the pedal down."

She began competing at Rebecca Farm while based in California years ago and has so many friends and supporters here, "it feels like coming home," she said. Receiving the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant in 2016 was a pivotal point in her international career and one of several reasons Rebecca Farm holds a special place in her heart and on her competition calendar.

As the winners of last year's CCI3*-L, Brannigan and Pascal hope to lock the CCI4*-L on Sunday.

Ashley Adams and the 11-year-old Westphalian gelding Charly (C-Trenton Z x Cora Lou), who Adams co-owns with Roderick Stuart, moved from third into second with clear jumping and 10.8 time penalties. With five left in the field, they take a 46.2 score into show jumping.

With $30,000 in prize money, there's plenty to play for in show jumping. This phase at Rebecca Farm is famously fickle, so anything could happen.

Just to Be Clear & Alexa Thompson take CCI4*-S Lead

Kentucky-based Alexa Thompson and her groom Hannah Warner volunteered as crossing guards earlier in the week, cheering on all who passed. So maybe there was a little karma playing into their clear cross-country jumping and few enough time penalties, at 12, to bump up one notch into the lead.

"I have to admit, it wasn't something I expected," Thompson said of her standing. Her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding's performance was both pleasing and more predictable. "I went out trying to get both of us as confident and happy and to be as smooth as we could be. Ian [Stark] is a master. The questions the course asked early on got 'Karti' thinking and on my aids, so we could be smoother at the back end of the course.

"The way Ian uses the hills and other terrain provides a good opportunity to ride off of instinct and less by the numbers." Even a thrown shoe early on the course didn't faze her horse. "I'm so pleased with how smart, brave and confident he was."

Thompson and Just to Be Clear have a two-rail lead going into stadium jumping. Rebecca Farm-based Jen Moody and Kim Liddell's 15-year-old Thoroghbred gelding Eye Of the Storm logged a solid cross-country to advance from fourth to second, where they stand on a 59.3 in the hunt for the CCI3*-S's $6,000 in prize money.

Megan McIver and Elle Sit Atop the CCI3*-L

Megan McIver and Tally Chang's 12-year-old Holsteiner mare Elle (by Con Caletto) jumped into the lead with a double clear cross-country. The Northern California professional can't take credit for making the time. "She just naturally carries that pace," shared McIver. "She's easy to set up for the fences, she goes in a loose ring snaffle and doesn't really pull."

Like several other riders, McIver praised Ian Stark's course, especially for the questions and answers it evoked in the beginning to help produce a nice middle and end for horse and rider. "Ian's courses reward you for staying in a nice balance, and that suits a small horse like Elle very well."

The seasoned pair's 33 dressage score leaves little wiggle room and they have two tough contenders on their heels.

That's James Alliston and Cora, the 9-year-old Hanoverian mare who incurred no faults or time penalties to slide into 2nd, and Helen Alliston and Call Me Rudi (Clooney x Genia), the 9-year-old Bavarian Warmblood gelding. Cora was double clear to stay on her 36.1 dressage, and Rudi added 6 time penalties to slip to third on a 36.7.

Both horses are owned by the couple's Alliston Equestrian. It's a thriving business in Northern California and the base for James' recent top American finish at the CHIO Aachen with Carma, last year's CCI4*-L champion at Rebecca Farm.

Helen is intensely competitive, but yesterday she said her main goal was to give Rudi a confidence-building ride, and she accomplished that.

Tamie Smith and Sumas Tina Turner Lead the CCI3*-S

Tamie Smith is a master at faster without looking like it, and that came into play bringing Sumas Tina Turner (Quantino x Sumas Fanny Brice) into the lead with a double clear cross-country. They were the only pair to make the time in this division and it moved them up from third on their 27.9 dressage score. Owned by one of Tamie's long-time owners, Julianne Guariglia, the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare is small, strong, feisty and fast and a rising star.

Smith and Molly Duda's 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Carlingsford Hes a Clover (Polanski x Fourleaf Clover) retained their second seed with 6.8 time penalties that put them on a 33.

Stephanie Goodman and Elwinda DP Stay Atop the CCI2*-L

Stephanie Goodman and Deanna Briggs' 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Elwinda DP (Westpoint x Wenderola) were the second pair to maintain their division lead after double clear cross-country to stay on their 26.7 dressage score. However, it's another tightly grouped leaderboard in which one rail could drastically change things up.

The Idaho professional's goal going into cross-country was to "go as quick as we can, while being mindful of the heat and the length of the course." Originally a dressage horse, Elwinda is not known for speed, but in every outing she keeps "amazing me," and today was no exception.

Busy James Alliston is close behind the leader. With Anna Nicholas' 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding HMR Rolan (Tolan R x Aldatus Diamond), he's 2nd on a 27.1, and he's third with Carolyn Colson's 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding Renaissance Man (Rubignon x Karissa) on a 29.3.

Tori Traube and HSH Chase de Muze Top USEA Classic Series Novice Three Day

Northern California professional Tori Traube was thrilled to both compete in and to win this division that incorporates eventing's traditional endurance day with roads and tracks, steeplechase and cross-country. She and Sheryl Ehrlich's HSH Chase de Muze (I'm Special de Muze x NLS Nikitas Cool DanceR) led from the start and added only one jumping rail to their dressage score, finishing on a 31.9.

"This was such a good life experience for Chase," she said of the 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse. "It was great for him to do the jobs and he positively surprised me how well he did in the endurance phases. I think he grew and learned a lot. I especially like the partnership that emerges when we spend so much time together out there on our own. There were times when he was asking me, 'Do we have to keep going?' But he trusted me and it helped us have a good bond."

It was also "a lot of fun and a lot of work," Traube said.

Sara Sellmer and Samantha Quinn's 9-year-old Cleveland Bay gelding Courious George (by Norman) were second on a 36.7 and Michaela Aulicino and her own 10-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare Cecelia (Checkmate x Majors Sugar Bear) were third with a 39.9.

Erin Grandia and Riptide Rio Win USEA Classic Series Training Three Day

Erin Grandia and Adriane Jimenez' Riptide Rio (OBOS Quality 004 x Thornhill Hazel) started the multi-phase competition with a 21.1 dressage score and they added just .4 penalties in the D endurance phase for a wire-to-wire win with the 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.

Partners with her husband Marc Grandia in Full Gallop Eventing in Washington, Erin said she loves the Classic Series format. She has coached several students through it but hasn't contested one herself in many years.

"It's such a great education and way to get horses confident for the future," Erin said. "It teaches horses and riders how to gallop, to jump out of stride and to dig in when you're a little tired."

Tamie Smith and the 6-year-old Argentine Sport Horse mare Solaguayre Cantata, owned by Julianne Guariglia, were reserve champs on a 23.3. Emma Slocum and Jaime Slocum's Patito (Pointilliste x Coevers) an 11-year-old Irish Draught Sport Horse mare, finished third on 29.6.

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