United States Eventing Association

O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent Gallop to the Lead at Millbrook Horse Trials

Millbrook, N.Y.—July 27—Time was the biggest factor on the Advanced division cross-country phase today at the Millbrook Horse Trials. Meghan O’Donoghue, Round Hill, Virginia and her 18-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Palm Crescent had the fastest round of the day to add 6 time penalties and move into the lead (35.3). Allison Springer, Middleburg, Virginia, riding No May Moon, a 10-year-old Connemara Sport Horse mare, finished close behind in second place (38.2). She moved up from a tie for 16th place after dressage.

There was not much breathing room for the leaders, as only fractions of a penalty separated most of the top placing horses after dressage, so a few time faults really shook up the standings today. Overnight leader Phillip Dutton and Possante, an 11-yearold Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the Possante Group, are currently in third place (39.9) after Dutton said he rode a bit conservatively due to the hilly terrain.

No one finished within the time allowed. While it was a warm, sunny day, riders agreed that the weather was much better than it has been lately, with a heat wave affecting much of the East Coast, so temperatures in the 80s were actually a relief. O’Donoghue pointed out that Millbrook tends to be the first event back for many upper level horses preparing for the fall season, after they’ve had a rest following their spring three-day events, so riders tend to not push too hard to make the time. Out of 39 starters, seven horses had jump faults, one was eliminated, three retired, and one withdrew. The rest finished clear but with time faults.

O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent have a longstanding partnership, and after she fell off halfway around cross-country at the Badminton CCI5*-L in England this spring, she is hoping to take him back across the pond to contest the Burghley CCI5*-L in September.

“I was thrilled with him today,” she said. “We’re old friends now; he’s an older horse, and I’ve been campaigning him for a while, and we know each other very well.” Regarding today’s cross-country course she said, “I thought Morgan [Rowsell, course designer] did a great job. I’ve been coming to Millbrook for many years now, and I love the terrain, I think it’s a fabulous fitness test. It’s also nice to see green grass after a very hot, dry summer in Virginia. I think he does a good job using the land and building the course up enough as we look into what we’re doing to prepare for a three-day.”

Springer rode two horses in the Advanced today and one in the Intermediate. “My horses were super; this was their first event back since Bromont [Canada] in June,” she said. “I was really pleased with [No May Moon]' she’s been really fun at this level. She’s a very quick mare, and the ground was a little hard today but I just let her cook it when she’s happy and the thing with her is, she’s really looking for the flags and is really efficient. She’s got a lot of gears – there were a couple of questions out there that they had to reach for the make the strides and she’s just been awesome.”

Springer’s student, Katie Lichten, rode three horses in the Intermediate today and leads Division A with Roman Code Red and is second riding HTS Jensen R. She also has the lead in Division B riding Fast Company.

“All three horses were really good today, and I thought the course rode well,” she said. “Roman Code Red was pretty strong. It was his first time out since Bromont, and he was excited to be out there." She’s owned two of the horses for the past year and a half and one of them for about eight months. Originally from Massachusetts, she moved to Middleburg, Virginia, about a year and a half ago. She said the cooler temps this weekend worked to her advantage with all three horses.

“It’s been so hot in Virginia; my horses were very fresh this morning,” she said. “I took them out and longed them, and they were all bucking. It got hot as the day went on, but we have big hills in Virginia, and they are all big horses with really big strides. Sometimes they can be a lot to contain, but they’re really good cross-country horses.”

The Advanced, Intermediate, and Preliminary divisions conclude tomorrow with show jumping. General admission and parking are free, and there are a number of options available for an elevated experience. This morning, patrons enjoyed brunch at the Yellowframe Farm Waterview Tent overlooking the water complex. On Sunday morning, a luncheon overlooking the show jumping will take place in small tents around the main arena.

Social events are always a highlight of the Millbrook Horse Trials. On Friday evening guests enjoyed a “Sip and Shop” event with shopping in the Millbrook Market tent, tastings from local purveyors of wine and spirits, and featured guests Mrs. Barbara Tober and Candace Bushnell, who discussed growing up as girls who loved horses, the theme of Mrs. Tober’s sponsored, signature pink fence on the cross country course.

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