The first half of both the CCI4*-S and CCI5* competitors put on their dancing shoes yesterday in hopes of placing their best foot forward in front of the judges. The remaining 24 four-star and 24 five-star pairings will compete today, hoping to shake up the leaderboards with their dressage performances.
Heather Gillette and her 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Vincent Chase (Value Plus x Her Entourage) will be the first of the 24 contestants to enter the Rolex Arena this morning at 8:00 a.m. The final four-star pair to compete will be Bobby Meyerhoff and his Berlin Brendenburg gelding Albano (Artic x Lucy May) who will trot down the centerline at 11:13 a.m.
The first five-star pair we will see this afternoon will be Jennie Brannigan riding Nina and Timothy Gardner’s 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding FE Lifestyle (Leo von Faelz x Berina A). Brannigan will ride at 12:30 p.m. with Rolex Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell riding S.H.E. Eventing’s Swedish Warmblood gelding Maybach (Jaguar Mail x Lady Micra) rounding out the five-star dressage tests at 4:14 p.m.
Didn’t get to watch the livestream yesterday or attend in person? Catch up on Thursday’s dressage coverage here.
Here’s what you need to know to follow along today:
Outside of North America, the event is streaming onHorse & Country TV+. A subscription is required.
Helpful Links
Don't forget to follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Hannah Sue Hollberg of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, was on a winning streak at the Essex Horse Trials on Sunday, claiming victory in both the $10,000 Open Intermediate and Open Preliminary divisions with two horses that are fairly new to her. Some difficulty on cross-country did not stop her mount Hachi from claiming victory in the Open Intermediate with a score of 101.6, while Open Preliminary partner Rockster finished on his dressage score of 27.3.
The great football coach Vince Lombardi said, “We win our games in practice.” With the goal of having the most effective practices possible for horses, their riders, and their coaches, Cathy Wieschhoff explains some signs that can indicate when horse and rider should repeat an exercise, switch it up, or be done with that activity. Wieschhoff brings perspective as a five-star rider that has competed at the Kentucky Three-Day Event and Burghley Horse Trials, a USEF “R” Course Designer for eventing cross-country and show jumping, a former Area VIII chair and member of the USEA Board of Governors, and a Level V USEA ECP Certified Coach based out of Carriage Station Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Poland CCIO4*-NC-S at the Strzegom Horse Trials (Poland) from June 21-25, 2023. The team will be under the direction of USEF Eventing Emerging and Development Coach Leslie Law.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is excited to announce the launch of the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) New Judge Education Program. Qualifying candidates, who are no longer required to hold a USEF judge’s license, will be encouraged to sign up to participate in the YEH New Judge Education Program to receive certification to judge the Jumping and Galloping phases of Young Event Horse competitions.