Norwood, N.C.—April 8
It almost seemed a foregone conclusion that CIC*** dressage leaders Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair would maintain their winning margin at The Fork today, as top horse after top horse came behind them, but failed to best their score of 41.2 from yesterday.
Elinor MacPhail came close and tied Black, then during the final group of riders, Canadian Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti cantered down centerline and laid down a solid test to take over the lead on 39.2.
“I was so happy with Pavarotti today,” said Phoenix. “He really came out and stayed completely relaxed and completely rideable and really performed the way we all know that he can. He’s such a competitive horse in his mind. When he’s on, he is, like unbeatable. He’s so cool to ride.”
Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.
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It was a blustery but sunny day of competition, and with a new location for the VIP tent, there were a few excitable horses in the ring for judges Marilyn Payne and Jane Hamlin.
Pavarotti, a 14-year-old Westfalian gelding owned by Don Good, kept his cool though, even through the two flying changes in the test that gave so many trouble.
Phoenix and the gelding are headed to a spring three-day with an eye to the Olympics in Rio; either the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** or the Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.), depending on where the Canadian selectors would like to see him go.
Phoenix withdrew before cross-country at the Cloud 11-Gavilan North LLC Carolina International CIC*** (N.C.) two weeks ago, but she plans to run cross-country here, and believes Tremaine Cooper’s course to be a good fitness test, especially considering it runs in the opposite direction this year.
“The course looks amazing. It’s open; it’s flowing. There’s a couple of combinations that are really good preps for Rolex,” she said. “I think [the reverse direction this year] is great for the horse’s fitness. It opens the course up a little bit more at the beginning, then you have a long pull up towards the end which will be great for their fitness.”
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Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Black took an early lead yesterday, and was tied for the lead at Carolina, where she ultimately ended up second.
This was their best three-star score to date, even though they had a slight bobble in the beginning of the test when he broke to canter before his extended trot.
“I was really happy with the majority of it,” said Black. “I think moving forward, I know what I need to do to make those first few movements better. They’ve been tricky the last six months or so. I think it just takes him a minute to settle in the ring, so I need to do a bit better about making sure I have him on my seat and leg going into the ring. It was disappointing, but I was really happy we were able to move forward and be decent throughout the test.”
Scores are available here.
