Clear rounds were few and far between for the competitors this morning at the 2017 Land Rover Wellington Eventing Showcase as falling poles shuffled the leaderboard considerably. Marilyn Little used her show jumping background to her advantage leaving all the rails in their cups after a trip around with RF Scandalous (Carry Gold x Richardia).
“Kitty,” a 12-year-old Oldenburg owned by Jacqueline Mars, Robin Parsky, and Pheobe and Michael Manders, made quick work of the Richard Jeffery track. This may be her first eventing competition back since winning the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International CCI3* last October, but she’s on week four of jumping at the Winter Equestrian Festival here in Wellington, Fla.
Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow. USEA/Shelby Allen Photo.
Boyd Martin hot on her heels and working hard on pulling off a three-peat at this showcase after nailing a double clear round with Gloria Callen’s Welcome Shadow. “Shadow,” his reserve horse for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, is now in her second season at the Advanced level, and Martin commented that their partnership is really beginning to solidify, so we haven’t seen the last of this pair.
Allison Springer and Arthur. USEA/Shelby Allen Photo.
Crowd favorites Allison Springer and the Arthur Syndicate’s Arthur finished their clear round to a roar of applause. Springer and Arthur, winners at last year’s Carolina International CIC3*, now sit in third place going out on cross-country.
Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border were one of the first pairs of the overnight top ten to leave all the poles up, ending this round in fourth place. Before defending her lead, Marilyn Little also leapt from 9th to 5th position with RF Demeter, who also handily earned a clear round. Buck Davidson also gained upward momentum with Petite Flower, moving from 13th to 6th place.
Only twelve combinations posted double clear rounds today as the twisty track unfortunately knocked top competitors down the leaderboard. Ryan Wood and Powell were of the most heartbreaking victims, taking three rails with them through the final triple combination which dropped them from second to 21st.
Seven pairs will not go on to the cross-country phase. Dan Jocelyn withdrew L & N Lady Colina before the start of show jumping. Boyd Martin and his first ride, Long Island T, seemed to have a miscommunication early in the course at fence three where two stops resulted in their elimination.
Five have been withdrawn after show jumping. Hannah Sue Burnett withdrew both Harbour Pilot and Under Suspection, 9th and 24th place, respectively. Clayton Fredericks withdrew both of his rides, Houdini (34th) and Foreign Affair (36th). Liz Halliday-Sharp also elected not to continue the competition with Deniro Z (33rd).
Cross-country begins at 1:00 p.m. and will run in reverse order of go.
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
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.