The continental contingent shines on the cross-country.

This afternoon’s cross-country phase at the final USEF Mandatory Outing for Olympic Eventing was just what everyone hoped for – safe, positive and productive. All nine horses completed the CIC***-equivalent course in style.

Short List first-timer Jennifer Wooten said she didn’t know what to expect coming into this weekend, but her mare’s performances today buoyed her confidence.

“There’s definitely a bit of pressure here, because everybody’s competing for a spot on the team, but the coolest thing about being in this position is that all of the other riders are being really supportive,” she said. “I kind of am a rookie in a sense, and I’m from California. They don’t know who I am, but everybody’s been very nice and supportive.”

Wooten and The Good Witch placed seventh at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in April, and returned to California afterwards. The pair just flew back to the east coast three weeks ago to take part in the Short List training sessions with Capt. Mark Phillips.

“My mare is amazing,” she said. “She’s just been trying very hard every single time I ride her. She seems to have acclimated to the humidity just fine, and she traveled great.”

Wooten, who is accustomed to galloping on California’s dirt tracks, said she could feel a marked difference on today’s cross-country course.

“Running on the grass – we don’t do that a whole lot,” she said. “I was just concentrating on being confident about getting on it, and landing and going. I love running on the grass, but it’s definitely a different feel, so I was telling myself around the course, ‘Keep going, keep going, keep running on this grass.’ ”

Cross-country ran during the noon hour, in an effort to test the horses with heat and humidity in the 90s. Most riders chose to incur time penalties instead of pushing for the clock, and the field showed its excellent fitness overall as horses recovered quickly. But the pressure will be much greater on those that make the team.
Buck Davidson, whose 8-year-old mount Ballynoecastle RM is one of the youngest and therefore least experienced horses on the Short List, has a unique perspective on this weekend’s proceedings. Despite their underdog status, he and “Reggie” are the only combination that has actually been to Hong Kong, having represented the U.S. at last summer’s two-star Olympic test event.

“The only way [this mandatory outing] is preparing you is if you do well enough to get a chance to go [to the Games]. The temperature is nothing like it. I mean it’s hot here, but it’s nothing like Hong Kong.”

“It’s a good way for everybody to compete against each other,” he continued. “But when I talked to Mark, we said we just wanted to train them like it was our last event before going to a three-day. So I don’t think the placings mean much of anything.”

This afternoon’s cross-country phase did lack its typical competitive feel. Horses took to the course one at a time so that selectors would be able to follow each pair in golf carts and ATVs. With no announcer, pinneys, jump judges or roped galloping lanes, riders had to manufacture atmosphere for themselves.

“I definitely feed a bit off the atmosphere at a competition, so I was kind of looking around saying, “OK, I need to really look at these fences and pretend they’re all dressed up and that there are flowers on top,’ ” Wooten said. “But everybody here is an amazing competitor, and so are their horses, so that’s exciting. We’re all competing with the best of the best from our nation.

“At the worst, I’ll walk away from this and have had the experience. That’s a lot, and I’ll be very pleased with that,” she continued. “And at the best, I’ll earn my red coat!”

In-barn inspections and jogs will be performed tomorrow morning, and show jumping will kick off at 10:30 A.M.

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