United States Eventing Association

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup series is well underway at the Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in Fairburn, Georgia, as Canadian rider Kelli Temple and the young Axel Rose posted a 42.4 this morning to take a strong lead in the CIC2*, the designated Gold Cup division.

Nineteen-year-old Danielle Dichting of Roswell, Georgia stands in second with a 49.4 aboard her Irish Sport Horse gelding Tops (Top of the World--Tomar Diamond). Erika Adams, of Loudon, Tennessee, and William Penn round out the top three with a 51.2. The experienced Dorothy Crowell and Radio Flyer posted a 52.8 to take fourth, and Melissa Miller and Detail Specialist sit in sixth with a 53.3. Chattahoochee Hills owner Carl Bouckaert performed a lovely ride aboard Raphael to score a 54.1 and take seventh.

Axel Rose, a seven-year-old Thoroughbred-cross gelding, owned by Bouckaert, was the last of 14 horses to compete in the CIC2* and posted an impressive score of 42.4 in his first two-star event. She also stands in fifth with a 53.0 on her Dutch Warmblood mare Valentine.

"I was really pleased with Axel, I thought that he was more relaxed than he has been and he was a little bit more connected in the test today as opposed to other tests in the past. Overall, I was just really pleased with his rideability. " said Temple. "He's been competing in Intermediate just this year, and began his eventing career last year."

She also leads the Open Intermediate division aboard seven-year-old Veelion, with a 26.2 in the young horse's first Intermediate. "He didn't get as much competition experience last year, but he's going to do a CCI1* after this. That's a horse I really enjoy riding and I would say that was his best test to date," said Temple.

Temple, who rides for Canada, works for Bouckaert and trains down at the picturesque farm for half the year, before returning to her farm in Round Hill, Virginia for the summer and fall events.

Though she works for the farm owner and trains on the grounds, Temple said it isn't as easy as one might think preparing horses for an event on their home turf. "Sometimes, especially here at home, he can be a little bit more nervous and excited and distracted because we do hack out here so he's not used to having all these other horses here. The last event we had here in April he was a little naughty in the dressage, so I was much more pleased with his focus today."

Temple found the talented young Axel Rose in England a few years ago, and has been bringing him along herself, along with her other two rising stars. "The three horses I have now competing Intermediate all have upper-level potential. I'm really kind of excited about that since I started them all from five-year-olds and have done everything with them."

Temple's connected to Chatt Hills in more ways than one--she's also married to Ritch Temple, course designer and organizer of this enticing event. Ritch is also the owner of Broadstone Equine, the official equine insurance provider of the USEA. An "R" USEF-licensed Technical Delegate and FEI-licensed Course Designer, he has designed courses all over the U.S. including the upper level courses at the American Eventing Championships in Wayne, Illinois.

The CIC2* riders will get the chance to gallop around the rolling 3,480 meter course, and will jump a total of 27 fences (35 efforts).

When asked about her thoughts on tomorrow's two-star course, Temple said with a laugh: "Well, I might be kind of biased since my husband designed it. But really, I think it's good, and I think it has some really great questions."

The intricately designed and beautifully constructed water complex (fence 8ABCD) should prove to be challenging--but a true test of the level. "The water is particularly difficult. We have a combination dropping down a big drop and then two narrow fences. I think for my horses in the two-star, who are relatively green, so the question will be whether they actually focus on those narrows."

After horses contest the crowd-pleasing water complex, they gallop towards the back part of the course to the 'Festival Field' for more action. "There's another combination on the back side of the course that requires that you do a little bit of a serpentine over two coops and then a corner. That will require real balance and accuracy. Those will be the two more difficult combinations for my particular horses."

The talented Canadian is no stranger to challenging courses, having represented her country at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 1997 European Open Championships with Kilkenny, who still lives a happy life of retirement at Temple's Virginia farm.

Thirteen horses in the CIC2* will contest the rolling course at Chatt Hills beginning at 9:00AM, with tons of action taking place all day throughout the showgrounds, including dressage and show jumping from the lower levels.

The USEA Area III Championships are also taking place this weekend at Chatt Hills, and some of the top riders in the south are challenging for top placings at this prestigious event.

Check out the Chatt Hills website for more event information or the USEA Omnibus listing.