Coatesville, Pa.—Sept. 17

This year the Plantation Field International brought in new show jumping course designer Chris Barnard to change things up, and while his CIC*** track shuffled most of the leader board today, the top three remained unchanged.

Phillip Dutton holds the top spot on I’m Sew Ready and second on Mr. Candyman, while Australian Ryan Wood stayed third on Powell headed into tomorrow’s cross-country.

Dutton took over the ride on “Jackson” less than a week ago for his regular rider Kristen Bond while she’s pregnant with her second child, but he’d ridden the gelding for her during her first pregnancy.

Even so, he wasn’t totally sure what to expect.

“He’s an incredible jumper, very careful. He wouldn’t be the easiest to get to the jumps because he sees them and makes a bit of a bid, then he’ll move around a little bit,” he said. “He’s a fun horse to have around because when he’s in the ring you know he’s going to try hard at every jump. My job is just to get him there with enough power and a decent distance for him, and I was pretty sure he was going to jump well. I haven’t ridden the horse for awhile either, so I wasn’t sure how it would work out, but it’s starting to come back to me.”

Phillip Dutton and Mr. Candyman. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Mr. Candyman, or “Elmo,” has had a quiet season while Dutton’s been campaigning his more experienced horses, but he’s stepped up all weekend.

“He tends to get in there and get a little bit hesitant and not jump as high, so we jumped this week at Boyd [Martin’s], and I really rode him aggressively, more like you would on cross-country, and I think that’s definitely the way to go. He needs confidence in the rider coming up to the jump. You can’t come in tentatively. You’ve got to really ride him and let him know in no uncertain terms that he’s going to go forward. I think it’s paid off. He jumped just about one of the best rounds he’s ever done.”

Wood’s Powell has been on a winning streak this season, taking the Nutrena/U.S. Eventing Association American Eventing Championships (N.C.) advanced title two weeks ago and winning the Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.) in May.

He picked up one time fault but jumped clear.

“He’s a big boy. He’s not strong. He’s got a massive stride but he can collect very easily,” he said. “It’s just finding the right balance with him, but he was very good and careful and left them all up, so I was happy with that.

“You had to ride a bit out there. Chris did a great job. It was challenging, and if you rode well you went clear,” he added.

Dutton added that he thought it was a fair course. Twelve of 36 combinations jumped double-clear.

Ryan Wood and Powell. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

The Unionville area has seen little rain in the last three weeks making for unprecedented dry conditions, but head of the grounds crew Jamie Hicks has been working hard watering, aerating and adding sand.

“I’ll ride by feel a bit. I’ll set out there with a good pace,” said Wood, who’s using Plantation Field as a final prep run for the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI*** (Md.). “I think riding around advanced or a three-star, you’ve got to have the right mindset to be riding forward. If you set out to be too careful with the time then you can end up being tentative or backward riding, which is never good. So I’ll set out strong and then read on how the horses are feeling and reacting as to how much I push them along.”

“Mike [Etherington-Smith’s] courses are fair to the horses, and I think Jamie Hicks has done a great job on the footing. There’ll be some trouble, there will be some green areas,” said Dutton.

Boyd Martin and Kyra. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

In the 81-horse CIC** division, Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Kyra held their lead after jumping a clear round.

Martin took over the ride from Michael Pollard after he decided to cut back on competing.

“She’s a beautiful horse. Thanks to Chris Turner from Texas,” said Martin. “She is just a lovely mover and obviously has got a super jump. It’s taken me a little bit of time to get the hang of her. She wouldn’t be the easiest horse I’ve had, but I think she could be a big time horse. It seems like she’s got what it takes. She’s a feisty redhead.”

He’s planning to take it easy as he gets to know the mare, who’s making her second CIC** start.

“It’s a good course. It’s big, it’s technical, it will require good cross-country riding. Big hedges, corners, narrows—it should be a very exciting contest,” he said. “I’ll probably go around with a few time penalties and hopefully finish in the top bracket.”

Tidbits

– In the CIC*-A division, Allison Springer and Lord Willing held their lead with a double-clear round (41.6).

– In the CIC*-B division, dressage leaders Cornelia Dorr and Louis M picked up a stop. Jenny Caras and Fernhill Full Throttle moved into first (40.7).

– In the small advanced division, Erin Sylvester and her off-the-track Thoroughbred Paddy The Caddy held their dressage lead with a clear show jumping round (29.7).

Click here for full results.

CIC** cross-country goes first tomorrow followed by the CIC*** and the advanced. CIC* riders will complete their final horse inspection and show jumping. Click here for the schedule.