Bromont, Quebec – June 10

Buck Davidson has been coming to the Jaguar Land Rover Bromont CCI since as long as he can remember, and before that too.

Davidson’s father Bruce competed at the 1976 Olympic Games, for which the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Centre was built, which just so happened to be the year he was born.

Buck’s competed at every level at Bromont, and won the CCI* and CCI**, and he’s got his eyes on the CCI*** this weekend.

He’s off to a great start with Sherrie Martin’s The Apprentice, earning the leading dressage score today of 45.9.

“Dirk” went to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI**** (England) in May, but “sort of ran out of steam,” near the last part of the course, so Davidson pulled up.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t make it, but he was sound and happy when we came home, so I thought we’d bring him here,” he said. “I know he’s short a gallop. At Badminton I went out and was on the time at seven minutes, but losing horse as I went. I think I’ll go a little quieter at the beginning [on cross-country tomorrow] and hopefully come running home.”

Buck and Dirk, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, were first in the ring this morning, and no one could beat them, although Will Faudree and Pfun came close, scoring a 48.8.

“I was really happy with him. I thought he was as good as he’s been, maybe ever. He was really relaxed,” said Buck. “He’s been doing this level for a long time, so he knows the test and knows how to do everything. I was a little bit bummed with my score. Going first you never know. So I was a little surprised that it held up.”

Dirk finished seventh in his first CCI*** here at Bromont in 2012, so Buck knows he has an experienced partner underneath him to tackle Derek Di Grazia’s course tomorrow.

“He’s an honest horse. He wouldn’t be the quickest or the sharpest, but he’s an honest horse. If you aim him at the jumps he’ll try to go through the flags for the most part. He’s brave,” he said.

“What an awesome place. What a cool venue,” he said of Bromont. “It’s one of the few places, like Fair Hill, that you could throw a bunch of logs up and have an awesome cross-country course. Just the natural terrain is fantastic. It’s always a cross-country competition here. It’s always difficult. They’ve laid out another beautiful track. It flows nicely and you have to turn just where you wish you didn’t have to turn, and you go straight just when you think you’d like to turn there. He’s done a good job that way. The conditions couldn’t be better. The ground feels perfect.”

Buck Davidson and The Apprentice. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Faudree is also rerouting from a spring event. He and Jennifer Mosing’s Pfun pulled up on the early part of the Jersey Fresh CCI*** a few weeks ago.

When the gelding jumped the wrong side of a flag on a skinny, Faudree opted to pull up and head to Bromont.

“Teddy” is new to the level, but Faudree trusts him implicitly. He was one of the first horses he competed at the upper levels this spring after breaking his neck in a fall last September.

“He has a very quirky side to him, and we have a great partnership,” he said. “I think the world of this horse. Coming back from last year having my neck injury, I had this goal of doing the three-star at [the Cloud 11-Gavilan North LLC Carolina International [N.C.],) even though it was his second advanced. I’m very comfortable and confident on him, and I trust this horse so much. He’s such a genuine creature.”

Will Faudree and Pfun. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Faudree was happy with his test, and knows he’s got an ultra-fit horse.

“At Jersey he was peaking that weekend, so I felt today that he’s a bit more fit and a little bit more on edge, so I had to back off the pressure a little bit,” he said. “I think that’s where I lacked a little bit of throughness in the trot work at the beginning, so I threw a couple of points away. It wasn’t as good as his last one, but for where he is in his training on the whole, I’m looking forward to the future with him. It’s right where I was hoping he would be.”

His plan for tomorrow is to start out quick, but listen to Teddy.

“He has continued to impress me every time he’s gone out. Tomorrow will be a big test. I’ll see how he feels. I’m going to start out like I always start out—I go pretty quick on him,” he said. “He’s fun to ride because he doesn’t pull, so I can gallop right up to the jumps, and he’ll come right back to me. We’ll see if he gets tired—I’ll back off and ride what I’m sitting on and be smart about it. My goal tomorrow is to finish with a better educated horse and a horse for the future because I do think a lot of this horse.”

Hannah Sue Burnett and Cooley Dream. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Hannah Sue Burnett is coming off a win at the Virginia Horse Trials CIC** with Cooley Dream, and she easily slotted into first in the CIC*** with a 44.3.

“Cooley” just moved up to advanced in April, and this is his second start at the level.

“He’s growing up slowly!” said Burnett. “He’s so fancy and athletic. Everything’s pretty easy for him. He’s so honest cross-country. If I just get him to really zone in on what he’s doing then he’s fantastic. I love him.”

Burnett, The Plains, Va., got the ride on the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse last year from British rider Piggy French, who ridden him to the one-star level.

“He’s kind of green but really honest,” said Burnett. “[Our partnership is] definitely getting stronger. I feel like, especially on the flat, he’s getting a lot more broke and understanding what he’s supposed to be doing instead of looking around so much. He’s enjoying it, and he likes to show off. The more people that are there, he’s like even easier to ride, which is kind of fun!”

Cooley also happens to be by the same sire as Burnett’s four-star partner Harbour Pilot.

“The Cruisings are a little bit funny,” she said. “They’re really talented but they’re very intelligent and have opinions about things. I really like that. Once they figure something out and they know what they’re doing, you can’t stop them.”

Burnett has applied for a grant to the Rebecca Farm CCI*** (Mont.). “I want to do as well as I can here this weekend. The footing’s great so I’m going to give it a good shot. I need to get the qualification,” she said. “I’m not going to be going as fast as possible. I want to be careful and make sure we get all the jumps jumped well and keep [him] sound.”

Jessica Phoenix and Bentley’s Best. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Jessica Phoenix had a busy afternoon with four horses in the CIC***. She’s in second with Bentley’s Best (45.4) and third with Pavarotti (49.3).

“I was really happy with all four of the horses today. I thought they all put in personal bests. It was quite a lot to do in two hours!” she said with a laugh.

“Bentley” is new to the level since last fall, and according to Phoenix is coming into his own.

“He’s been an incredible horse. Any time we’ve taken him out, he’s really risen to the occasion, and he’s really getting into the zone mentally where he thinks he is the best in the world! Not that he’s experienced a whole lot, but he feels that way,” she said. “He’s such a character. He’s hilarious to be around. He’s got quite a sense of humor and not much seems to phase him. It took him a little while to get comfortable at this level and understand the questions that are being asked, and the last two months he’s really come into his own and feels like he’s really gained confidence in himself and what his job is.”

Pavarotti is much more experienced that Bentley, and Phoenix was on track for a personal best with him when she went up centerline too early before finishing her canter work.

“I was such an idiot! I was so happy with his test, I honestly thought it was the best performance he’d ever done,” she said. “I was just having so much fun riding him that I went down the centerline one movement too early! So that was a costly mistake. Two points from each judge.”

For full results, click here.