A brilliant dressage test put British rider Bubby Upton with Rachel Uptont’s 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Cannavaro (Oklund x Domina) in the lead in the five-star at Luhmulen on a score of 24.9. The value of Bubby Upton's dressage score became apparent at the end of the second dressage day. None of the other competitors were able to overtrump yesterday's performance. U.S. rider Lauren Nicholson is currently paving the way for the rest of the U.S. field sitting in second on a score of 26.7 with Jacqueline Mars’s 15-year-old Anglo Arabian gelding Vermiculus (Sazeram x Wake Me Gently) while New Zealand’s Tim Price rounds out the leaderboard in third aboard the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding Vitali (Contender x Noble Lady I) who he co-owns with Alexander and Joseph Giannamore.
The 23-year-old Upton was over the moon with Cannavaro’s performance: “I’m so proud of him, he has struggled so much with the dressage but he has the biggest heart and tries ever so hard. He is the gift that keeps on giving.”
Price was pleased with Vitali’s performance, sharing, “I’m happy with our test. He was a bit of a juvenile last year and it’s been all about building him to a five-star horse that knows the job. He’s very special and he’s in good shape. He can be a little neurotic and over the top, so it’s important to keep him relaxed and with me, then he’s a super cool horse, so talented.”
Fellow U.S. rider Liz Halliday-Sharp sits in the top-five riding The Monster Partnership’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal) on a sub-30 score of 29.1. Matthew Flynn and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Wizzerd x Amai) Wizzerd, owned by A. Patrick and Kathleen Flynn with Merry Go Round Farm, are seated in 16th with a 33.4 dressage score. U.S.-based Canadian rider Karl Slezak and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Fernhill Wishes (Chacoa x KEC Galway bay) who he co-owns with Kirk Hoppner are currently ranked 24th with a score of 37.9.
In the CCI4*-S, the U.S.’ Will Coleman leads the way aboard the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding and USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) graduate Chin Tonic HS (Chin Champ x Wildera) owned by Hyperion Stud LLC. Coleman sits just one point ahead of the second-place pair, Germany’s Michael Jung and the 11-year-old European Sporthorse Highlighter (Natal x ARD Silhouette) owned by himself and Brigitte, Joachim, and Philip Jung and Annette Schmid, with a score of 24.6. Coleman is the lone U.S. rider in the German four-star.
Going into Mike Etherington-Smith’s five-star cross-country course tomorrow, riders shared the following thoughts.
Tom McEwen: “I think the course is pretty intense but all the questions are more than jumpable. It’s not just the fences, you’ve got to look for the smoothest line. I really like to be a pathfinder”
Tim Price (GBR) in ninth place on a 30.9 with Bob Chaplin: “I really like the course. The questions are obvious. The waters always require good intuitive and reactive riding. And it’s a five-star so you’ve got to focus all the way around and make sure your horse is with you all the way.”
Bubby Upton (GBR) current leader with Cannavaro: “It looks like a really good track. It’s my first time here so it’s really exciting. Everything looks beautiful. I’m really excited to go out there and give it a crack.”
Sophie Leube (GER) in 7th place on a 30.6 riding Jadore Moi: "The tasks are all clear to see and we have a plan. I have to pay particular attention to the first water. That comes relatively early and I have to make sure I have her well with me beforehand because she's often a bit more brisk at the start."
Liz Halliday-Sharp (USA) in 5th place aboard Cooley Quicksilver: “I think the course will suit my horse well, that's why I brought him here to Luhmühlen. I always thought this horse is a Luhmühlen horse. It is a challenging course, a true five-star with challenging questions right until the end. But this is his third fiver star and I’m hoping for a good round.”
Helpful Links
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Just like that, let the official countdown to the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event begin! This year's entry list for the CCI5*-L was revealed today, and the star studded list includes former Kentucky champions, six of the world's top 12 eventers, Olympians, and so much more.
After two years on the East Coast, the United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is thrilled to be packing our bags and heading West for the 2025 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. On August 26-31, top USEA competitors from near and far will converge on Galway Downs in Temecula, California, for the annual championship that celebrates every level of the Olympic sport of eventing from Starter through Advanced. This year’s event will again feature the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final and the USEA Adult Team Championships.
Since 2006, the Broussard Family Charitable Trust has supported the sport of eventing in the U.S. and the careers of countless U.S. event riders through multiple grants including the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant (2011), Le Samurai Fund (2008), Cindy Burge Memorial ECP Grant (2006), Broussard Family Charitable Trust Going Forward Grants (2020), and the Rebecca Farm Travel Grant (2011). The USEA Foundation is excited to share that the Broussard Family Charitable Trust continues to remain committed to its support of these grants and has announced the following enhancements for 2025.