United States Eventing Association

Competition kicked off today in Raeford, N.C. at the third annual Cloud Eleven/Gavilan North Carolina International with 27 of the CIC3* riders performing their dressage tests. This event, with $75,000 in prize money, is the second qualifier of the 2016 Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series. Being an Olympic year, the competition is stacked with 77 total riders in the three-star this weekend.

Ryan Wood took the lead before the lunch break aboard Summit Sport Horses’ Powell. The 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding held his lead throughout the day on a penalty score of 44.10. This event is Powell’s first CIC3* coming off of a sixth place finish in the Advanced at Pine Top last month. “I was really happy with him,” Wood said. He explained that barn sweetheart, Powell, had a career change when he got the ride. “He actually had a little bit of a dressage career before I started eventing him, so all the movements in the Advanced test have been established on him for quite a while,” Wood elaborated.

Powell, who is out of Dinara and by Pablito, was bred by Wood’s long-time supporter Ilona English. “It’s very exciting. Ilona has a bunch of horses that she’s bred with me,” Wood explained. “She’s definitely making an imprint on eventing in the states.” English has been breeding sporthorses in the United States for over 20 years and has been named the USEF leading breeder for eventing for the past two years.

Canadian Jessica Phoenix is sitting in second place on Bentley's Best (Hirtentanz x Hauptstutbuch Baronesse XIII). The 9-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Don Good finished only 1.50 points behind Wood on a 45.60. Third place currently goes to Buck Davidson and The Apprentice with 45.90 penalty points. Owned by Sherrie Martin, The Apprentice is a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Casado x Funny Girl), and one of Davidson’s seasoned upper level rides.

Click here for a full list of scores.

The remainder of the CIC3* horses will perform their dressage test tomorrow starting at 8:00 a.m. with Allison Springer and Arthur first in the ring. Don’t forget to follow along tomorrow with live scoring and live streaming. You can also find event coverage by adding us on Snapchat @USEventing, as well as following our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series

Qualifying for the 2016 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Richland Park Advanced & CIC3* (MI), Aspen Farms Advanced (WA), Plantation Field Advanced & CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside International Advanced & 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 1-4 in Tryon, North Carolina. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money and thousands of dollars in prizes in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.

The 2016 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many loyal sponsors: Adequan, Standlee Forage, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Merck, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Pyranha and FITS.

The PRO Tour Series consists of 13 premier destination events in the United States and Canada, 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.

The Professional Riders Organization would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2016 PRO Tour Series: KER Optimum Time, Tex Sutton, Triple Crown Nutrition, and SSG Riding Gloves.