United States Eventing Association

Kalispell, Mont.—July 17—Western Montana’s mercurial weather got day 2 of The Event at Rebecca Farm competition off to a delayed start as rain and lightning sent everyone running for cover. Organizers consulted weather advisories to see when phases for The Event’s 14 divisions could safely resume or start. Three-day eventers were their characteristic selves in taking the shuffling schedule in stride and many noted that the rain would help make already excellent cross-country footing even better.

With the FEI divisions’ dressage split over Thursday and Friday, overnight leaders were unseated, and tightly bunched standings emerged in most levels to set the stage for game-changing cross-country on Saturday. In his second year as head course designer for Rebecca Farm, taking over the reins from Ian Stark, Canadian Jay Hambly had only a few words of wisdom for riders at the competitor’s briefing Friday evening – “Have fun and ride smart!”

CCI4*-L – Alyssa Phillips & Rockett 19 in the Lead

Rockett 19 has the “wow” needed to fulfill Alyssa Phillips’ hope that he’ll be a 2027 Pan Am Games team candidate for her, but she has to rein in some of that “wow” in favor of ensuring correct movements and responses. Even so, they earned a 28.3 from judges Bea DiGrazia (USA), Peter Gray (CAN), and Valerie Pride (USA) to lead this three-horse division.

Everything except a rough final halt were beautifully executed and the 10-year-old Holsteiner showed floaty, rhythmic movements throughout. “It was a beautiful test,” said Phillips, one of many grateful 2026 Rebecca Farm Travel Grant recipients.

“It’s a long trip for everybody,” the Florida-based Phillips acknowledged. “But if you’re trying to produce a future team horse, it’s good for horses to gain the experience of traveling long distances.” The level of competitive challenges presented is great for her horses’ development, too. And the vacation location is an easy sell to her family and friends support crew, Phillips added.

Three-time CCI4*-L champion James Alliston, of California, is next on a 30.6 with the consistently ascending HRM Rolan, owned by Anna Nicholas. “It’s always nerve wracking when you’re moving a horse up a level, but we’ve done all the little stepping stones and levels before and we’ll see whether we’re prepared for cross-country.” This pair were reserve champions in the CCI3*-L here last year.

Virginia-based Gabby Dickerson and Casalto overcame a rocky start to their dressage test, showing why they’re a much-watched pair and going into cross-country on a 37.6.

CCI4*-L cross-country starts Saturday at 11:20 a.m. MT.

CCI4*-S – Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 in the Lead

Washington-based Karen O’Neal said she’s come to Rebecca Farm for between 19 and 22 of its 25 years, and her partnership with Annika Asling’s 12-year-old Westphalian has been significantly shaped over their years competing in Kalispell. They lead on a 30.

Today, Clooney “handed me some energy,” O’Neal shared. “He may have been the wildest he’s ever been in his entire life.” A warm-up ring snafu shortened their normal warm-up time, but O’Neal enjoyed making the most of the extra energy. “It made it fun because I had so much horse.”

Of Saturday’s cross-country track, O’Neal echoed others in all FEI levels by describing the challenges as up to the level and fair. She appreciated Hambly’s change-ups to last year’s tracks and anticipated some especially challenging combinations both early and late on the course.

Another Rebecca Farm regular, California’s Erin Kellerhouse, sits second on a 33.0 with her consistently rising Bon Vivant GWF. Jen Moody and Team Rebecca’s Fixin de Conde are third on a 35.6.

As a qualifier for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, there’s extra high stakes in this division. Double clear cross-country efforts have been extremely rare in past Events, and time is expected to play a big part this year, too.

CCI4*-S cross-country starts Saturday at 11:55 a.m. MT.

CCI3*-L James Alliston and Made by Leontine EB in the Lead

Alliston and Arnell Sporthorse’s Made By Leontine EB were second in the CCI2*-L here last year as a very new partnership. A year of wins and top placings has prepped them for a great move up, starting with their 27.4 dressage effort today.

“He tends to be quite consistent in the dressage, and he’s pretty reliable,” said Alliston, echoing something often said about him as a horseman. Ring 1’s famous atmosphere spooked Leo a little when circling outside the court, but “I think that helped put more quality in the trot during the test,” said Alliston. “It puffed him up a little bit, but not too much.”

The second rank in this nine-horse field is shared by Asia Vedder and Mameluke and Lauren Billys Shady and Clearsky on a 30.0.

CCI3*-L cross-country starts Saturday at 10:20 a.m. MT.

CCI3*-S - Chris Talley and FE Marco Polo in the Lead

“He definitely loves to dance,” said Virginia-based Chris Talley of FE Marco Polo’s performance and their 24.7 effort. This pair contested the CCI4*-L here last year, followed by European outings, but back surgery for Talley this past January has them in re-building mode.

Owned by Allison Pratt, Marco Polo can get a “a bit nervous sometimes, and he’s often at one end of the spectrum or the other,” Talley said. “It helped that he’d been here before, and he’s been working really well here all week.”

He’s hoping for an equally balanced outing on cross-country, just their third together this year. “I’m hoping he’s not too excited to be back out there,” Talley said. “We’re going to take it jump by jump and have fun. It’s so beautiful here; it’s always a pleasure to leave the start box.”

Amber Birtcil and Cellar Farm Corp’s Orpheus earned a 29.1 to sit second, and Andrea Baxter and Estrella Equestrian’s The Big Easy are third on a 29.2.

The CCI3*-S cross-country starts Saturday at 8:40 a.m. MT.

CCI2*-L Lee Maher and HTF Charming Cooley in the Lead

Lee Maher and Home Track Farm’s HTF Charming Cooley lead the CCI2*-L on a 25.3, a seriously good effort from a horse nicknamed “the bouncing marshmallow.”

“He makes it look easy because he is easy and he makes it fun,” said Maher. “He was rhythmical and stayed with me, and I’m very pleased.”

California-based Canadian Olympian Hawley Awad and Levino sit second on a 25.7, with Helen Alliston and Fary Prince in third on a 27.1

CCI2*-L cross-country starts Saturday at 1:05 p.m. MT.

CCI1*-L – Madeline Backus and P.S. Sir Balinor in the Lead

“I can’t take much of the credit,” said Colorado-based Madeline Backus of the 24.4 score she received with her 6-year-old homebred Trakehner P.S. Sir Balinor. “He’s a phenomenal dressage horse and has been very easy from the start.”

The gelding is out of Backus’ retired five-star mare, P.S. Arianna (by Stiletto), and is so far fulfilling every hope for that pairing. “I was the first person to sit on him, so it’s all been a very special situation. I got to go out and dance and have fun today," she said.

Canadian Chloe Rackle and Mettaphor were the first to ride after the one-hour delay. They laid down a lovely calm effort to be second in the standings on a 28.0. Salma Kuhlmann and Rayito del Sol SE are third on a 29.6.

“It’s a beautiful course, with everything always decorated and built wonderfully,” Backus said of Saturday’s cross-country route. “He’s done two Modifieds, so I feel he’s prepared for his first FEI. But there are good questions out there, and I’m excited to see how he handles it. He’s brave, but he’s still green.”

CCI1*-L cross-country starts Saturday at 2:25 p.m. MT.

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