Lexington, Ky.—April 28

The second day of dressage started at 9:00 a.m., and by 9:08 there was a new leader in Liz Halliday-Sharp on Fernhill By Night. She held that slot until Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen took over during their ride with a huge score (33.6) a few hours later. Last to go before the lunch break, Germany’s Michael Jung couldn’t quite catch Montgomery, slotting into second on 37.1 penalties.

The top four riders are new since yesterday, with Day 1 dressage leader Jessica Phoenix (on Pavarotti sitting fifth now. We checked in with the morning’s top-scoring riders to hear their thoughts on their tests:

Clark Montgomery on Loughan Glen—first on 33.6 penalties

Clark Montgomery on Loughan Glen. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

“It went really well!” he said. “He flowed around and did his good, soft, nice test we know he can do that the judges love. Actually he wasn’t very good this morning when I rode him. But I think he needed that. He’s super fit, and he knows what’s coming, so he was a little tight. But he came out really settled later on this morning.”

Michael Jung on FischerRocana FST—second on 37.1 penalties

Michael Jung on FischerRocana FST. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

“I’m very happy. It was a nice test, I think. I had a good feeling with her—relaxed,” said Jung. “Yesterday she was very nervous with the wind. So OK, she knows now we have a big week. But she’s very relaxed in the stable, and the conditions for the horses are perfect. You can prepare them very well for the test, and that’s very helpful.

“I didn’t see Clark’s test. He’s a very good dressage rider, and the horse is nice. I hope I can watch it later.”

Kim Severson on Cooley Cross Border—third on 41.0 penalties

Kim Severson on Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

“I was really proud! He was such a good boy,” she said. “He always tries really, really hard. Sometimes he tries too hard. But he went in there and was with me 100 percent. He got a little looky when he went in, and I tried to talk him through it, and he was really good. The trot on centerline at the end is a very difficult movement, especially since we worked so hard on canter-halt. He just got a little, ‘You want more?’ But he couldn’t have been any better; he was terrific.”

Severson is a three-time winner of Rolex with her former mount Winsome Adante, but she admitted she never feels overly confident despite many past successes here.

“My career with him so far has been very up and down,” she said. “I’ve always thought I don’t ride him as well as I’ve ridden other horses. I feel like this year I have a pretty good understanding of him. I think he and I have a pretty clear idea of what’s going to happen.

“I’m just going to go out there and … I’m always so nervous when I come here! I just get so nervous,” Severson added. “So I’m going to go out there and jump one jump at a time, and see what he wants to do.”

Liz Halliday-Sharp on Fernhill By Night—fourth on 41.3 penalties

Liz Halliday-Sharp on Fernhill By Night. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

“I’m thrilled with ‘Blackie.’ He’s notoriously very lazy,” she said. “He doesn’t look it, but I was pretty ready to have a walk in there. He’s a good boy, and it’s just about managing his warm-up and making sure we don’t run out of energy. The whole week is just conserving energy, but I thought he really tried. He knows this ring now, so he lights up in there. There were bits that could have been ridden better, but Blackie tries really hard—he just gets better every year.”

Halliday-Sharp rode with her U.S. Pony Club pin on her shadbelly.

“Pony Club got me into eventing,” she said. “I was trying to find my way, and the minute I went to Pony Club and jumped my first solid fence, I was like ‘That’s it. I’m an eventer.’ I came to the inaugural four-star here in 1998 and walked the course with Jimmy Wofford and was like, ‘This is where I want to be, and this is what I want to do.’ It’s always an honor to be at Rolex. Each time I’m here it’s a pleasure.”

Today’s afternoon session runs from 1:30 p.m. through 3:28 p.m., with Buck Davidson last to go on Petite Flower.

See full scores and afternoon ride times.