The last day of Dressage At Devon was all about Courtney King. She won both the Grand Prix Special with Mythilus (71.00%) and the Intermediaire freestyle with Rendezvous 3 (71.20%).
“Today he stayed right with me,” said King of Mythilus. “He started to take over in the twos, and I made a half-halt, and he came right back.”
She promised that her young Grand Prix horse still has much more to show in his piaffe and passage work. “Every day he comes out happy to work,” she said.
Elisabeth Austin repeated her second-placed finish behind King with Olivier (63.68%), and Bethany Peslar finished third with More Magic (62.24%).
King saddled up for her 11th ride of the competition in the late afternoon with Rendezvous. King was thrilled that Rendezvous’ owner, Francine Walker, was able to be there and watch the 12-year-old perform to music from My Fair Lady.
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And the judges must have agreed with the opening statement of her music, “I think she’s got it!” They unanimously placed her first over Erin Brinkman on Bella Luna (68.05%) and Canada’s Jacqueline Brooks aboard Balmoral (66.80%).
Rendezvous did have one moment where she threw her head up before heading across the diagonal in extended canter, but she was able to show off her pirouettes and her tempi changes on curved lines.
“It was a really happy way to end the show, end the season, and end the small tour,” said King.
She’ll head to Germany with Mythilus, Rendezvous and Idocus this fall, but not before Mythilus has a chance to perform his new Grand Prix freestyle at the Washington International Horse Show.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to write thank-yous from my wedding,” said King. “But no riding!”
Results
Grand Prix Special
1. Mythilus, Courtney King, 71.00%
2. Olivier, Elisabeth Austin, 63.68
3. More Magic, Bethany Peslar, 62.24
4. Goubergh’s Kasper, Suzanne Dansby Phelps, 61.12
5. New Tango, Tara Stegen, 60.80
6. Pointjack, Brad Cutshall, 60.80
7. Conchita, Jan Williams, 58.12
8. Dread Response, Cindy Ishoy, 56.36
9. Marquis, Milo Mott, 55.60
10. Chamberlain, Sallie Spenard, 55.48
Intermediaire freestyle
1. Rendezvous 3, Courtney King, 71.20
2. Bella Luna, Erin Brinkman, 68.05
3. Balmoral, Jacqueline Brooks, 66.80
4. Great Tyme, Gillian Sutherland, 66.45
5. Don Principe, James Koford, 65.70
6. Olympus, Heidi Storm Graham, 64.90
7. Romantic, Bill Warren, 64.75
8. Pip, Amanda Johnson, 64.10
9. Van Gogh, Chris Sanders, 62.25
10. Nimos, Daphne Haagmans, 61.65
