The CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S divisions were able to complete their show jumping before the torrential rain interrupted the competition for the CCI2*-S division.
The show jumping course was designed by Chris Barnard. When asked how he felt about his courses, he remarked that the CCI4*-S "walked as tough as it rode." With only 14 clear rounds in the CCI4*-S, there were many changes to the leaderboard after dressage. Barnard designed his courses to be "fair for the level - the good ones have questions to answer, and the greener ones at each level are still quite comfortable to jump around. It's such a beautiful ring, and it's easy to design a nice, flowy course. It's good footing and the horses jump well off of it."
The outdoor arena drained nicely for CCI2*-S competition to resume. The cross-country footing is in excellent shape after the rain for the final phase of the FEI competition tomorrow.
The leaderboards going into the final phase tomorrow are as follows:
CCI4*-S
1st: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp & Fernhill By Night (24.50)
2nd: Matthew Flynn & Wizzerd (25.90)
3rd: Doug Payne & Quantum Leap (26.80)
4th: Will Faudree & Caeleste (27.40)
T-5th: Doug Payne & Vandiver (28.30)
T-5th: Clayton Frederick & FE Always In Time (28.30)
CCI3*-S
1st: Alexander O'Neal & Miss MoneyPenny V (29.00)
2nd: Boyd Martin & Fernhill Prezley (29.40)
3rd: Boyd Martin & Penhill Celtic (29.60)
4th: Hallie Coon & Cooley SOS (30.40)
T-5th: Sydney Elliott & Commando D'Osthuy (31.00)
T-5th: Kurt Martin & D.A. Lifetime (31.00)
CCI2*-S
1st: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp & Maryville Sir Henry (27.40)
2nd: Kelly Prather & Catch Me Cooley (28.90)
3rd: Leslie Law & Tout De Suite (30.50)
4th: Kimberly Steinbuch & Classiro (32.30)
5th: Dana Cooke & FE Whole Lotta Rosie (32.40)
For full scores, click here. To view the event program, click here.
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.