Off the Record Digs Deep in US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park
Leesburg, Va.— Oct. 11— Will Coleman and Off The Record hold onto their overnight lead in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final CCI4*-L after posting one of only two double-clear rounds across Derek Di Grazia’s cross-country course at Morven Park. They will have less than one show jumping rail in hand over the second-placed pair Boyd Martin and Miks Master C, for tomorrow's final phase.
Of his ride with “Timmy” Coleman shared, “He was great. It wasn't the smoothest round we've ever had—he got really worked up in the warm up. He was just like a freight train starting out. I had maybe not the most wonderful ride to start, and took us a bit to kind of get in some semblance of a rhythm, but, it's a credit to him. On a day where I don't think we were totally in sync, he still just hunts the flags and will do whatever it takes to stay between them. That's the sign of a good horse, and he is that. So I couldn't be prouder of him.”
Coleman’s partnership with the 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay), owned by the Off The Record Syndicate, spans nearly a decade now, and Coleman knows that their years together have built a partnership that helps get the work done day in and day out.
“He's not the most gifted galloper, but he was really moving,” he noted. “He was giving me everything. We were able to do it, and it was hard work, but he digs deep when he has to.”
Coleman hopes that as long as Timmy is feeling good tomorrow morning, that they will be able to dig deep once again for the final phase.
Martin and Miks Master C inched up the leaderboard one more spot after adding just 2.8 time penalties to their dressage score to sit in second with a score of 28.7.
"He's a true, true galloping machine," reflected Martin. "He hasn't competed in a long for some time, and I didn't quite know what to expect. I set out a little bit cautiously and held him a back a little bit too much the first couple of minutes, and about a third of the way around I thought, 'All right, we're in business here,' and I cut him loose, and he flew around the track. He's an unbelievable athlete."
When Martin took over the ride earlier this year from his rider Liz Halliday, who is recovering from a brain injury incurred a year ago, "Miki" himself was just coming back off of an injury, so Martin has taken his time getting him going again at the top level.
"We spent a long time just building his fitness back up," he shared. "To be honest, I hadn't run him very much. He'd done a baby event, and then a slow two-star, and then I did one CCI4*-S at Tryon where I sort of went around medium pace. I'd been watching the horse with Liz for so long and just loved and admired the horse so much, and he'd competed at the the highest levels of the sport, at five-stars and Aachen, so I really just concentrated on getting his fitness really good. I just had complete belief in the horse's previous training and his unbelievable athleticism and desire to jump tough courses."
But anyone who knows Miki knows he loves his job, and he knows when to turn it up a notch. Martin felt like today was the first time he really felt that from the 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF), owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer.
"I've just been running him slowly, looking after his legs," Martin continued, "so I never got to a point where he got strong in his preparations. Then today once I opened him up, he did sort of turn into a beast. I was trying to make a big effort not to fight with him, and trying to more lift his frame uphill but that's something I've sort of got to work on and address next year as we head towards getting him back to the five-star level."
Moving up from eighth to third was Great Britain’s Lucienne Bellissimo and Horse Scout Eventing LLC’s Kitsch Couture HPK. Bellissimo and the 9-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare added just two seconds of time to their dressage score of 31.5.
"She wouldn't have the biggest stride, that mare," said Bellissimo. "She wouldn't be the scopeiest, but she's got hell of a lot of heart, and she's quick thinking, and I feel like that course actually really suited [a horse] that was genuine to align and maneuverable. So I was in the start box thinking, 'Do I go for the clear, or do I go for the fast clear?' And I thought, might as well set off to try and hit the first few minute markers, and then I'll just see what happens."
Caroline Pamukcu was the only other rider in the field to go double clear aboard The Double Sixteen Partnership’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding HSH Double Sixteen. They sit in fifth on their dressage score of 35.2.
Two riders were eliminated on course, two riders retired, and three withdrew before cross-country began. Phillip Dutton did part ways from his second entry, Possante, at 17B, and both are reported to be fine. He's lying fourth with Denim.
Twenty-six pairs will move onto the final horse inspection on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST.
Helpful Links
Follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
Related Articles
'Yellow Pony' Notorious Steps Up to Take the Win in the CCI3*YH-S at the USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championships
The USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championships continued on Saturday at Morven Park, and there were unexpected shakeups in the CCI3*YH-S, which finished up with show jumping and cross-country.
Off the Record Sets a New Record and Takes Over Lead with Will Coleman Ahead of Cross-Country at the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final CCI4*-L
The dressage phase of the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final CCI4*-L concluded on Friday at Morven Park International Equestrian Center. 16 horse-and-athlete combinations took their turn down the centerline, making up the second half of the 30 total starters of the US Equestrian Open Eventing Fina...
Brannigan and White Take Early Leads in USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championships at Morven Park
While all eyes have been on the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final dressage the past two days, this afternoon, the stars of the future got to shine in the USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championship for 6- and 7-year-olds.
