Saturday,
October 15 - Cross Country Day
The
very first rider out of the Start Box on Saturday was Buck Davidson riding Wendy
Lewis' 12 year old Thoroughbred gelding Hyperlite. Buck turned out to be a great
trail blazer as he added only 5.9 faults to his fifth place Dressage 
score
of 45.4 for a two day score of 51.3.
The next notable ride of the afternoon
was turned in by the overnight leader California's Robyn Fisher with the ten year
old Holsteiner Le Samurai. This pair added 4.4 time faults for 11 seconds over
the Optimum Time, to their winning Dressage score of 39.6. Their two day score
of 44.0 held the lead for most of the day. (Robyn and Le Samurai are pictured
at the left at toothbrush after the Springhouse, Fence 10c.)
Will
Faudree, of Southern Pines, North Carolina took a shot at Robyn and rode a double
clear with his 2003 Pan American Team Gold Medal ride, the venerable Antigua.
Their score of 43.9 put him just .1 faults ahead of of Le Samurai and Fisher,
dropping her to second at that time. (Will and Antigua are pictured at the
right below at The Loons,
Fence 18a.)
Australia's double Olympic Team Gold Medalist Phillip
Dutton rode a double clear on Bruce Duchessois' Hannigan to finish on his 13th
place Dressage score of 49.6, eventually good for fourth place.(Phillip and
Hannigan are pictured at the right bottom in The Golden Pond, after The Loons,
Fence 18b.)
Multiple
Olympic Team Medalist for the USA Karen O'Connor had a shot and ran a double clear
with Dick and Vida Thompson's 14 year old Thoroughbred gelding Upstage. Their
14th place Dressage score of 50.2 kept them from overtaking the leaders. This
pair finished in fifth place.
With
only eight horses left to run, Nathalie Pollard, of Chatsworth, Georgia, only
.8 of a fault adrift of the overnight leader Robyn Fisher after the Dressage Phase,
ran a beautiful double clear to take over the lead from Will Faudree (by 3.5 faults)
and Robyn (by 3.6 faults) on a score of 40.4. (Nathalie and West Farthing are
pictured at the left at The Farmyard Corner, Fence 17b.)
Nathalie
commented, "He was unbelievable! After every fence he accelerated and looked
for the next fence. I slowed down at the end because I was up on my minutes. I
was two seconds down on the eight (minute marker) and up on the nine (minute marker).
Of course, I saw Robyn go and knew she had had some time."
Regarding
Derek di Grazia's course, Nathalie said, "I thought it caused a lot more
problems than I had expected. It rode really, really well. He (West Farthing)
has become a lot more rideable and I've gotten better, thank God! The only time
he's gotten tired (after Cross C ountry) was at the end of Rolex last year and
the going was deep there."
Robyn
was asked if Le Samurai pulled her. "He (Phillip Dutton) gave me the confidence
to let go and just let him run. I had to kick him for the first time."
Will
Faudre talked about his Cross Country run with Antigua. "I couldn't get into
a rhythm at first. When I got to the double corners (Fence 22ab), the white flag
wasn't there." Will had to jump deeper into the wide part of the corner.
"I ended up going through the ropes." Nonetheless, Will managed a double
clear.
The
Leader Board after Cross Country Is As Below. These Scores are Official.
1.
Nathalie Pollard, West Farthing - 40.4 (DCXC)
2. Will Faudree, Antigua
- 43.9 (DCXC)
3. Robyn Fisher, Le Samurai - 44.0 (4.4 time faults XC)
4. Phillip Dutton (AUS), Hannigan - 49.6 (DCXC)
5. Karen O'Connor,
Upstage - 50.2 (DCXC)
6. Buck Davidson, Hyperlite - 51.3 (DCXC)
7.
Phillip Dutton, Connaught - 54.0 (6.4 time faults XC)
8. Stuart Black,
Fleeceworks Starlight - 56.6 (8.8 time faults XC)
9. Buck Davidson,
Idalgo - 57.8 (12.4 timefaults XC)
10. Bobby Costello, Wild Delight
- 58.1 (9.6 time faults XC)
(17.7
faults separate the top 10 competitors after Cross Country.)
