Tim Lips took the provisional lead after an eventful morning of cross-country action at the Kentucky Horse Park, April 25. His double-clear round with Concrex Oncarlos leaves them on a score of 42.0, ahead of Oliver Townend on Carousel Quest, who had a beautiful clear round to finish on 45.2.

But the morning’s action had a grim start when the fifth horse on course, Kingpin and Mike Winter, had a terrible fall at the trakehner at fence 10, resulting in Kingpin’s death. Veterinary and medical personnel were immediately in attendance, and a necreopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. Winter was sent to Georgetown Community Hospital for further evaluation but appeared to be walking with the assistance of the medics.

In addition to Lips and Townend, Phillip Dutton had a double-clear on Woodburn to stand fourth, and Ralph Holstein had a double-clear on Arctic Dancer to take over sixth.

Stephen Bradley and Brandenburg’s Joshua jumped a beautiful round, coming in just a second slow to stand third. Joshua jumped around like a cat but appeared to lose a shoe at the Hollow. Ashley Adams and Vaunted are in fifth, with a steady round for just 2.8 time penalties.

Lips lived a little dangerously at the first water complex, where Concrex Oncarlos hit the vertical hard and pitched Lips forward, but he struggled back into the tack and made it out clean, then jumped easily around the rest of the track.

Highs And Lows

Ballynoe Castle RM and Buck Davidson took on the course first and ran well in the horse’s first go at this level, with just one stop at the first element of the Sunken Road. A loose dog nipped at Ballynoe Castle’s heels and may have caused the stop.

Jam ran by the second of the Double Diamond corners, incurring 20 penalties for Bruce Davidson.

Navigator looked a bit green as he went around and finally ran out at the triple brush at the bottom of the Normandy Bank. Syd Kent also fell victim to this fence, running by it with Jan Byyny.

Diana Burnett didn’t appear to have much in the way of steering and brakes and had to circle in the bottom of the Hollow before attempting the steps.

Isabella didn’t quite make the corner at the Head of the Lake, then ran out again at the angled brush coming out of the Lake, as Susie Beale pulled up and walked home, since she’d also crossed her tracks and had three stops.

Buenos Aires tripped up the bank at the Sunken Road and couldn’t make it out over the bench. She then didn’t make it up the first step out of the Hollow and fell back, dropping Sandra Donnelly and earning an elimination for rider fall but both walking away uninjured.

Gordonstown drifted left into the flag over the first of the Double Diamond corners, and Madeline Blackman pulled up before the second corner and circled around to the long way, picking up 20 penalties for crossing their tracks.

Karl Slezak fell at the second fence.

Kristin Schmolze and Corinne Ashton both withdrew.

The top 10 after the morning’s cross-country are:

1)    Concrex Oncarlos/Tim Lips/NED, 42.0
2)    Carousel Quest/Oliver Townend/GBR, 45.2
3)    Brandenburg’s Joshua/Stephen Bradley/USA, 48.6
4)    Woodburn/Phillip Dutton/USA, 50.3
5)    Vaunted/Ashley Adams/USA, 58.5
6)    Arctic Dancer/Ralph Holstein/USA, 59.3
7)    Killian O’Connor/Jolie Sexson/USA, 60.1
8)    Colombo/Selena O’Hanlon/CAN, 68.2
9)    Esker Riada/Cayla Kitayama/USA, 68.9
10)  Hollywood/Kelly Sult/USA, 75.1

For a discussion of the morning’s action, go to http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/forumdisplay.php?f=68