Login
Apr 28, 2022
Three American-Bred Horses Lead Dressage After Day One at LRK3DE CCI5*-L
Dressage day one in the CCI5*-L at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event ended on Thursday afternoon. There were 21 pairs who competed in front of judges Nick Burton, Gretchen Butts, and Christian Steiner. At the end of the day, three U.S. riders, all riding American-bred horses, hold the top spots going into the second day of dressage.
While no one broke into the 20s, Tamie Smith and Judith McSwain’s 13-year-old Holsteiner mare Fleeceworks Royal (Riverman x Marisol) came close as they scored a 32.9, earning the overnight lead. “I was really happy with her. She was with me the whole way, she was awesome,” said Smith.
“It’s special because it's a horse that [I've] produced from the beginning. Judith was my first owner, and she’s so happy to be here. It’s been our dream to have an American-bred horse here at Kentucky.” Smith continued, “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but, she’s a cross-country machine.”
“I am feeling super excited,” McSwain shared prior to the dressage test. “There is a bit of disbelief and a bit of holding my breath until she trots up the centerline. It has been 10 years since the scruffy little 3-year-old walked off the trailer. The journey has been filled with joy, excitement, ups, downs, some delays, and wonderful adventures. It has taken a village to get 'Rory' here so most of all I am grateful for all the support.”
Colleen Rutledge sits in second place on a 33.8 aboard her 16-year-old homebred Thoroughbred cross gelding Covert Rights (BFF Incognito x Let’s Get it Right). “This feels amazing sitting on my personal homebred. It’s awesome,” Rutledge commented. “He’s amazing to ride, and he puts a smile on my face every day.”
“My goal was to just play and have a good time. I was really, really happy with my trot work. He almost was too relaxed in the arena. The judging was tough but, they were very consistent.”
Both Covert Rights and Fleeceworks Royal are graduates of the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program.
Rounding out the top three is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic pair, Doug Payne and the 18-year-old Trakehner gelding Vandiver (Windfall 2 x Visions of Grandeur) which he co-owns with his wife Jessica Payne and Debi Crowley, who is also the breeder of Vandiver. The pair holds the third spot with a score of 34.9. “I’ve been working really hard to get him more supple and relaxed, and this is by far the best he’s ever been in the ring. I couldn’t be happier with him,” said Payne.
The top three commented on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country track. “There’s a lot of questions throughout the course that are going to be challenging. It’s going to require for a rider to be super sharp, and it’s more of an instinctive test," Payne reflected.
“Derek’s a genius, one of the best, if not the best. I love riding around his tracks,” said Smith.
Rutledge added, “You’ve got to ride not just off your eye but also your leg. Everything he’s asking is clear, but it’s all of those bits and pieces that add up. It will come down to the last fence for every one of us.”
The remaining 24 horses in the CCI5*-L will compete on Friday, April 29 starting at 1:00 p.m. with Jennifer Brannigan being the first to go riding Nina and Timothy Gardner’s 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding FE Lifestyle (Leo von Faelz x Berina A).
Helpful Links
- LRK3DE Website
- USEA Prize List
- CCI5*-L Order of Go
- CCI4*-S Order of Go
- Schedule of Events
- CCI5*-L Live Scores
- CCI4*-S Live Scores
- Live Stream
- USEA’s Coverage
Don't forget to follow the USEA event coverage on social media!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Jun 06, 2023
Eventing News
Hollberg Takes Top Honors in Open Intermediate and Preliminary Divisions at 2023 Essex Horse Trials
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.
Jun 06, 2023
Profile
“And again, and again, and again”: Knowing When to Come Again and When to Switch Up an Exercise
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.
Jun 05, 2023
Eventing News
USEF Announces Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for FEI Eventing Nations Cup Poland CCIO4*-NC-S
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.
Jun 05, 2023
Young Event Horse
Become a YEH Judge: USEA Launches YEH New Judge Education Program
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.
