Read Sara Lieser’s article on the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** after cross-country day.
Seacookie and William Fox-Pitt started the day with a confident double-clear round on exactly the optimum time.
Parker and James Alliston looked focused and finished with time to spare.
Buck Davidson and Park Trader were the first pair to take an inside turn around the fish statue at 19/20, the Rolex Head of the Lake, and it rode well for them. They had 16 time faults.
Syd Kent and Jan Byyny had 3.6 time penalties and showed off smooth riding through fence 17, the Land Rover Hollow, and 19/20, the Rolex Head of the Lake.
Calico Joe and Andrew Nicholson hesitated at fence 7ABC, the HSBC Water Park, but they finished double clear.
Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Eagle put in a double-clear round with very little drama.
Gordonstown and Madeline Blackman hung a leg at fence 9, the Bridgestone Park Question coffin, but made it through on a second approach. At the last element of the Land Rover Hollow, fence 17, they made an effort, and Gordonstown ended up with both legs on top of the fence. They backed off safely, but the pair retired.
Catch A Star and Caitlin Silliman made their first four-star look easy until they had a stop at the first element of fence 17, the Land Rover Hollow. Despite that, they still finished within time.
Sal Dali and Beth Perkins took a big jump at the drop into 19/20, the Rolex Head of the Lake, but finished with 19.2 time faults.
Pawlow and Will Faudree took an inside turn at the Rolex Head of the Lake and finished the course smoothly with 6.4 time penalties.
Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me knocked into the last element of the last water complex, fence 24, the Animal Park Water. Although they made it over, Holder became unseated and tumbled over the horse’s left shoulder. They walked home.
Kilrodan Abbott and Peter Barry jumped the right side of the corner at fence 6b, the Curving Brushes, where most people jumped the left side. They finished with 11.2 time faults.
Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton also rode inside the fish statue at the Rolex Head of the Lake, a decision that served them well for a smooth trip at the Kentucky landmark. They finished 4 seconds over optimum time.
Ballylaffin Bracken and Kristin Schmolze found no serious problems as they went around the cross-country course and looked strong to finish 34 seconds over time.
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Sir Donovan and Katie Ruppel finished the course with very few bobbles and just 1.6 time penalties.
Daniel Clasing and Houston took a big hop over the dip between 6A and B, the Curving Brushes, but they made their first four-star course look relatively easy with time to spare crossing the finish line.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice were full of energy all the way around the course and added .4 time penalties to their score.
R-Star and Kristi Nunnink picked up 4.4 time penalties and no jumping faults, although they had a few hairy moments at some of the more challenging elements of the course.
Shandiss McDonald and Rockfield Grant Juan bunny hopped into the Rolex Head of the Lake but finished smoothly with 20 time faults.
Buck Davidson and Mar De Amor started the course looking quite fresh, but they settled into a nice rhythm and finished double clear.
Donner and Lynn Symansky had a lovely round and added no penalties to their score.
Jumbo’s Jake and James Alliston jumped clear, but they didn’t make the course look easy and added 24.4 time penalties to their score.
Alexandra Knowles and Last Call were eliminated for three refusals at the fence 13, the Sunken Road.
Austin O’Connor and Ringwood Mississippi took a hard knock going over the first element of the first water complex, the HSBC Water Park at 7, but O’Connor stayed in the tack, and they looked more confident through the rest of the course. They added just 4.4 time penalties to their score.
Pirate and Meghan O’Donoghue looked energetic through the finish of their first four-star course with 4 time penalties.
Mary King and Fernhill Urco almost tripped over their own feet and took a pause to right themselves mid course, then had a stop at the last element of the Rolex Head of the Lake. They retired after fence 25, the Walnut Tables, with Urco looking tired.
Irish Diamonds and Micheline Jordan had one stop at 9/10AB, the Bridgestone Park Question coffin combination, and added an additional 22.4 time penalties to their score.
Wise Equestrian Master Rose and Ronald Zabala-Goetshel took the inside turn at the Rolex Head of the Lake, but they hit the fence hard on the second entrance into the water. Zabala-Goetshel fell over his horse’s head, but they walked home OK.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries had a stop at fence 15, the Sheep Shelter, but they finished smoothly with 2 time penalties.
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The Deputy and Jonelle Richards took the entire course in stride and finished with just 2.4 time faults.
Walk The Line and Emily Renfroe were the first pair to take the long option at 16AB, the Double Corners, which helped them pick up 24.8 time faults.
Boyd Martin and Trading Aces ran out of steam near the end of the track and had a runout at fence 26B, the Horse Park Shelters. Martin re-presented, but after a second stop, he retired.
Enchantez and Lindsey Oaks had a runout at the jump going into the first water complex, the HSBC Water Park, then another at the second of the Double Corners. They took the long route at the Rolex Head of the Lake, which worked well for them, but a runout at the skinny coming down from the HSBC FEI Classic Series Normandy Bank (fence 22C) eliminated them.
Ziggy and Rachel Jurgens knocked into the first element of the first water, the HSBC Water Park. They got over it, but Jurgens was unseated and fell off.
Daily Edition and Kenal Lehari started the course at a very fast pace and continued flying most of the way through. They settled by the middle of the course and finished double clear.
Our Questionaire and Heather Gillette paused before the second entrance into the Rolex Head of the Lake. The horse got over with a staggered hop, but Gillette went over the front and into the water.
Chilli Morning and William Fox-Pitt had a stop at the first element of the HSBC Water Park complex, after which Fox-Pitt retired the stallion.
RF Demeter and Marilyn Little lost their footing coming out of fence 17, the Land Rover Hollow. While Demeter tried to get her feet back while going over the jump, Little was unseated and fell.
Tivoli and James Alliston looked strong through the whole course and picked up 7.6 time faults.
Ballynoe Castle RM and Buck Davidson looked confident all around the course and finished double clear.
Quimbo and Andrew Nicholson ran double clear in a typically smooth, clean ride.
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice ran out at the corner at 10B, the Bridgestone Park Question, and retired.
