United States Eventing Association

Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz proved that not all who wander are (irrevocably) lost as they led the pack of 42 CIC*** competitors after putting in a double clear round over Marc Donovan’s show jumping course on Friday at the Carolina International CIC*** and Adequan USEA Gold Cup Qualifier/PRO Tour Series. The 12-year-old chestnut gelding (O.B.O.S. Quality 004/Rocklea) and Pollard took the path less travelled after mistakenly making a right-handed turn after the first jump. The pair didn’t miss a beat, however, and handily returned to the track, making quick work of the rest of the course.

“I jumped the rest of the course like a jumpoff,” laughed Pollard of Dalton, Ga. “I’m confident that if I make a mistake that he will save me. He’s a good one.”

On his strategy for Hugh Lochore’s cross-country course, Pollard wouldn’t mind a win, but is more focused on the bigger picture.

“He’s been really good everywhere so I’ll just keep riding him the same,” he said. “I’d love a fast run with a blue ribbon, but it’s one step in a larger picture.” Pollard also noted that the time will not be easy to make on Saturday.

Doug Payne also jumped clear on Crown Talisman to sit second heading into cross-country with a score of 44.1, followed by dressage winners Jan Byyny and Inmidair, who dropped one rail for a 44.5.

Crown Talisman seemed to make easy work of Marc Donovan’s track.

“Amelia Ross owns him and he’s just an incredible athlete. I am so lucky,” said newlywed Doug Payne of Aiken, S.C. “It’s scary to think that it’s just starting to come together. I think his prime will really be in the next few years.”

The pair was the only one to cut through the Stonehenge cross-country complex, which sat in the middle of the arena, to save time. This put them at an angled approach to a narrow vertical coming into a triple combination.

“I was concerned about the fourth fence so I really took my time to set him up there,” said Payne, who also sits on the Organizing Committee for the Carolina International CIC and Horse Trials. “So I cut through the Stonehenge to save time. He’s so maneuverable and I’m thankful that I have been doing jumper shows this spring.”

It seemed that fence four, a rustic, airy oxer, was the bogey fence on course and most pairs that had jumping penalties had it down. Several riders commented that it was difficult to get their horses to focus on it, and the light caused a few horses to misjudge it.

“I didn’t realize it was going to be the bogey fence,” laughed Byyny (Purcellville, Va.) whose only rail came off of fence four. “I thought it was just a plain brown oxer! I thought I rode it well and he just barely hit it, and it just happened to come down. My horse wants to be careful.”

She explained that Inmidair doesn’t need to be raced around the cross-country tomorrow, but that she won’t go for a casual stroll either.

“The horse needs to go gallop but this is not my end goal. I only have one horse at this level right now. I’m not going to lope around, and I’ll work him in a few places,” said Byyny, who also has her sights on Rolex Kentucky CCI****.

“The horse doesn’t need the runs. I probably do more than he does. He’d like to think he’s a professional.”

Stay tuned for updates on Saturday's cross-country and the finale of the Carolina International CIC***. Check out the full results here.

About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series
Qualifying for the 2014 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Plantation Field CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside CIC3* (CA) and features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels. The final will take place at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 2014 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors:Adequan; Standlee Forage Nunn Finer; SmartPak Equine; Nutrena; Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two;Dubarry; and FITS.

The PRO Tour Series consists of 13 premier destination events in the United States and Canada in 2013/2014 featuring the best riders and most entertainment. Riders and Horses are awarded points on the PRO Tour Rider Leader Board and PRO Tour Horse Leader Board. Riders can also earn points on the PRO Tour Series at the Intermediate or two-star level for the Multi Radiance Intermediate Challenge. The 2014 Multi Radiance Challenge Leader Board Champion will win a Multi Radiance MR4 ACTIVET Portable Laser System.

The Professional Riders Organization would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2014 PRO Tour Series: Martin Collins USA, The Official Footing of PRO; Multi Radiance Medical, The Official Laser Therapy of PRO & Sponsor of the Multi Radiance Medical Intermediate Challenge ; Tex Sutton, the Official US Equine Air Carrier of PRO; SSG Riding Gloves; Finish Line Horse Products; Midlantic Ltd.; and Mythic Landing Events.