After a rainy night, the footing for the FEI cross-country drained nicely and held up well throughout the morning. Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp held on to her overnight lead aboard Fernhill By Night and added 4.8 time faults to her double clear show jumping round to take home the win in the CCI4*-S. Not one rider was able to make it through the finish flags within the time allowed, but the top 28 had no jumping penalties.
CCI4*-S Results
1st: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp & Fernhill By Night (29.30)
2nd: Doug Payne & Vandiver (31.10)
3rd: Doug Payne & Quantum Leap (32.80)
4th: Clayton Frederick & FE Always In Time (35.10)
5th: Matthew Flynn & Wizzerd (35.50)
CCI3*-S overnight leader Alexander O'Neal withdrew before the start of cross-country, moving the winning pair Boyd Martin and Fernhill Prezley into the top position. Even with 1.2 time faults, they won the division and Boyd Martin also finished in fourth with Penhill Celtic. Kurt Martin and Elisa Wallace were the only two to make the tight time.
CCI3*-S
1st: Boyd Martin & Fernhill Prezley (30.60)
2nd: Hallie Coon & Cooley SOS (30.80)
3rd: Kurt Martin & Compromise Elsewhere (31.90)
4th: Boyd Martin & Penhill Celtic (35.60)
5th: Sydney Elliott & Commando D'Osthuy (35.80)
In the CCI2*-S, the top eight horse-and-rider combinations all finished within the time allowed on Captain Mark Phillips' cross-country course. Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp led the field from start to finish with Maryville Sir Henry.
CCI2*-S
1st: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp & Maryville Sir Henry (27.40)
2nd: Kelly Prather & Catch Me Cooley (28.90)
3rd: Kimberly Steinbuch & Classiro (32.30)
4th: Jacob Fletcher & 5o1 Hollywood Legend (32.60)
5th: Kurt Martin & Reloaded (34.00)
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.