www.eventingetc.com

Two Sections of the CCI* did their Dressage on Thursday. In Division 1, Jan Byyny riding the seven year old Dario led on a score of 35.7, from Karen O'Connor with Mamz'elle de Dun. The latter pair scored 36.4. Dorothy Crowell, who had originally been placed in Division 2, which was for amateurs, was moved into the Professional Division where she and Pikadilly slid into third place on a score of 37.9.

In Division 2, for Amateurs, Lauren Woodall led on 47.1 riding William Penn. Lisa Barry placed second with Just a L'il Bit while Jane Murray took third place on Tokay on 53.2.

Friday, October 5 - The Second Day of Dressage

The CCI/YR competitors did their Dressage on Friday morning. Nina Jasuilewicz placed first riding Chatham II on 44.6. Benita Strini and Cameron Creek took second, just .4 of a fault behind the leaders on a score of 45.0. Julia Briskin and In It To Win It were third on 46.1.

All three Advanced Sections performed their Dressage tests on Friday. In Division I, Canadas's Mike Winter led on a score of 29.2. Elissa Wallace riding Leap of Faith placed second on 31.7 and Maley Coombs with Land Hope and Mara Dean and High Patriot were tied for third. Both had scores of 32.1.

Phillip Dutton tied for first in Advanced Division II with Mrs. Annie Jones' The Foreman on 29.2. The Foreman was Phillip's ride at last summer's Pan American Games where the pair were members of the US's Gold Medal Team. (Phillip and The Foreman are pictured at the left.) The other pair to score 29.2 were Allison Springer and Arthur. Donna Smith and Rocket placed third for New Zealand on a score of 31.2

John Williams and Sweepea Dean led Advanced Section III after the Dressage phase with 29.2. Interestingly the first place scores in all three Sections were 29.2. (John and Sweepea Dean are pictured at the right below.) Karen O'Connor and Hugh Knows placed second in Section 3, just .4 of a fault adrift of the leaders withn a score of 29.6. Kate Ditchey and Belmont and Phillip, this time riding Loose'N Cool, tied for third. Both had Dressage scores of 30.0.

Saturday, October 6 - Cross Country Day

In all the years your reporter has been covering the Horse Trials at Morven Park, NEVER has she seen the ground so hard and dry and the temperatures - middle 80's - so high. The east coast is in the midst of a record setting drought. On can only hope that the area sees some significant rain fall before the Fair Hill CCI*** which commences in a week and a few days.

The grass at Moven is well established with deep roots, as it is at Fair Hill. Nonetheless, a little cooperation from the weather Gods would go a long way towards easing conditions for the long gallops of Cross Country.

The CCI* had a Steeplechase phase as well as two phases of Roads and Tracks. Only two of the 14 runners in Division 1 had time faults on Steeplechase. They were Bobby Costello and Dustin who picked up 1.6 time faults and Sheri Thornley who accrued .8 of a time fault. (Holly Hepp and Last Monarch are pictured at the left in the Steeplchase Phase. This pair added no faults on any Phase of Speed and Endurance and finished the two days on their Dressage score of 47.5.)

In Division 2 three competitors from 14 finishers had Steeplechase faults. They were Kathryn Shipley and Shared Dreams who had 7.2 time; Roxanne Booth and Magnus Opus with .8 of a time fault; and Patricia Palmer with Hershey who had 5.6 time faults. Interestingly in this Division four of the 14 finishers had time faults on Phase "A" - lots of them! - 7, 12, 12 and 11, proving the necessity to run these phases in order that competitors learn to ride within proscribed times. In Division 1 one rider from 14 finishers had time faults on Phase "A" - lots of them - 25 in fact.

In the Young Riders Section one competitor also had 5 time faults on Phase "A", while two had time faults on Steeplechase - Madigan Murphy riding Courting Tompkins had 7.2 and Nicolette Merle-Smith with Silver Trophy had 3.2.

Twelve horse and rider combinations ran double clears on Cross Country in Division 1 of the CCI*. This left Jan Byyny and Dario in first place. Jan and Dario are pictured at the right jumping the Seal in the water.) Karen O'Connor, who had been in second place after Dressage, chose not to run Mamz'elle de Dun Cross country; thus, Dorothy Crowell and Pikadilly moved up to second and Charlotte Merle-Smith riding Cyrillic moved up to third on a two day score of 38.6.

An identical number - twelve - rode double clears in Division 2 of the CCI* with the results that Lauren Woodall remained in first place; Lisa Barry remained in second place, and Ashley Dalton moved for a tie for fourth to third wnen the overnight third place competitor Jane Murray retired Takay after steeplechase.

In the Young Riders only six competitors, from thirteen finishers, ran double clears Cross Country. Olivia Upham and In Any Event came from fourth after Dressage to the leader's spot on 47.1 with a double clear. Olivia and In Any Event are pictured at the left jumping into the water.) Julia Briskin rose from third to second on 50.9 with 4.8 time faults on Cross Country. Hannah Whalen and Night Train II's double clear vaulted that pair from seventh after Dressage to third place after Cross Country.

In Advanced Division I, Elisa Wallace and Leap of Faith moved from second after Dressage to first after Cross Country, on a score of 33.3 which included 1.6 timefaults Cross Country - the fastest run of any pair inthe Division. (Elisa and Leap of Faith are pictured at the right below as Leap of Faith looks for the fence after the water.) The overnight leader Mike Winter for Canada chose not to run Wonderful Will Cross Country.Many other competitors chose not to run Cross Country as they were prepping for the Fair Hill CCI***, which begins in ten days. Management at Morven, Margaret Good, Chairperson, understandingly permitted many of those headed to Fair Hill to run Combined Tests - that is to just do the Dressage and then to Show Jump on Sunday.

Phillip Dutton and Clifton Gree picked up 11.6 time faults on the Cross Country good for second place on a score of 54.1. Ralph Holstein and Arctic Dancer rose from ninth place after Dressage to third place after Cross Country with 19.6 time faults for a two day score of 56.2.Ten pairs completed in Division I - none without time faults Cross Country.

In Advanced Division II, Molly Hooper Bull, sixth after Dressage, took over the leadership of the Section riding Kiltartan with 10.0 time faults for a score of 47.9. (Molly and Kiltartan are pictured at the left jumping the drop into the water.) Beth Perkins and GHF Sterling Spirit with a two day score of 56.4 which included 18.0 time faults rose from seventh to second place. Melissa Hunsberger and Expedience added 14.4 time faults to her sixteenth place Dressage score of 47.0, to grab third place on 61.4. Ten pairs completed in Division II - none without time faults Cross Country.

Phillip Dutton and Mrs. Nina Gardner's Loose 'N Cool added 12.0 time faults to their third place Dressage score to take over the leadershp in Advanced Division III. (Phillip and Loose 'N Cool are pictured at the right jumping the fence after the water.) Cayla Kitayama, who resides in California, picked up 12.8 time faults over the country to land in second place on a score of 43.2. Karen O'Connor and Hugh Knows dropped a slot from second to third with 14.4 time Cross Country for a two day score of 44.0.

Sunday October 7 - Show Jumping Day

Jan Byyny and Dario jumped a double clear in the Stadium to win Division 1 of the CCI* and finish on their Dressage score of 35.7. They were the only pair in the Division to accomplish this feat.

Charlotte Merle-Smith and Cyrillic placed second on 42.6 with one rail down in the Show Jumping Phase.

Holly Hepp and Last Monarch added only one time fault to their two day score of 47.5 and grabbed third place on 48.5.

The Top Six Finishers in the CCI*, Division 1:

1. Jan Byyny, Dario - 35.7 (FODS) (Jan and Dario are pictured at the left during an impromptu victory pass after Show Jumping double clear to finish on their Dressage Score.)
2. Charlotte Merle-Smith, Cyrillic - 42.6 (4 faults SJ)
3. Holly Hepp, Last Monarch - 48.5 (1 time faul,ts SJ)
4. Will Faudree, Pawlow - 58.3 (4 faults SJ)
5. Emily Hanson- Palmus, Grace Under Pressure - 59.4 (4 faults SJ)
6. Dorothy Crowell, Pikadilly - 67.9 (20 faults SJ)

* * *

Lisa Barry and Just a L'il Bit came from second place to win Division 2 of the CCI* on the strength of a double clear in the Stadium for a three day score of 51.1.

The overnight leaders, Lauren Woodall and William Penn had two rails for eight faults and a drop to second place on 55.1.

Ashley Dalton and Rock Star finished third on 69.7.

The Top Six Finishers in the CCI*, Division 2:

1. Lisa Barry, Just a L'il Bit - 51.1 (FODS)(Lisa Barry and Just a L'il Bit are pictured at the right during the Trophy Presentations.)
2. Lauren Woodall, William Penn - 55.1 (8 faults SJ)
3. Ashley Dalton, Rockstar - 69.7 (12 faults SJ)
4. Karen B. Fox, Cavalier One to One - 69.2 (4 faults SJ)
5. Kathryn Shipley, Shared Dreams - 71.3 (8 faults SJ)
6. Sandy McCormack, Aphrodite - 73.9 (16 faults SJ)

* * *

Julia Briskin and In It To Win It, in second place after Cross Country, jumped a double clear in the Show Jumping for a final score or 50.9.
Olivia Upham and In Any Event, who had been the overnight leaders, could not afford a rail. They pulled two rails and dropped to second place.

The Top Six Finishers in the CCI*-YR:

1. Julia Briskin, In It To Win It - 50.9 (DCSJ)
2. Olivia Upham, In Any Event - 55.1 (8 faults SJ)
3. Hannah Whalen, Night Train II - 67.3 (8 faults SJ)
4. Nina Jasiulewicz, Chatham II - 68.6 (4 faults SJ)
5. Katherine Bagwell, Ballyduff Ben - 71.1 (4 Faults SJ)
6. Susan Thomas, With A Little Luck - 72.6 (8 jumping, 1 time faults SJ)

* * * * *

Ralph Holstein won Advanced Division 1 with Artic Dancer who had four jumping and six time failts in the Show Jumping phase for a three day score of 66.2.

Mara Dean and High Patriot came from fourth after Cross Country to second place with 4 jumping and 7 time faults for 68.7.

Phillip Dutton rode Clifton Gree to a three day score of 69.1 which included 12 jumping faults and 3 time faults in the Stadium.

The Top Six Finishers in Advanced Division 1 Were:

1. Ralph Holstein, Artic Dancer - 66.2 (4 jumping, 6 time SJ) (Ralph and Artic Dancer are pictured at the left during their Victory Gallop.)
2. Mara Dean, High Patriot - 68.7 (4 jumping, 7 time SJ)
3. Phillip Dutton, Clifton Gree - 69.1 (12 jumping, 3 time SJ)
4. Amy Mulhern, Ghost of Figgy -
5. Tara Ziegler, Buckingham Place - 74.8 (0 jumping, 7 time SJ)
6. Holly Hepp, Benwald - 87.8 (16 jumping, 12 time)

* * *

Molly Hooper Bull and Kiltartan won Advanced Division II on a score of 54.9. This pair added 7 time faults to their first place two day score of 47.9.

Melissa Hunsberger and Expedience placed second on 71.4 with 8 jumping faults and 2 time faults.

Susie Beale and Isabella II took third on a score of 77.3 with 4 jumping and 2 time faults.

The Top Six Finishers in Advanced Division II Were:

1. Molly Hooper Bull, Kiltartan - 54.9 (0 jumping, 7 time SJ) (Molly and Kiltartan are pictured at the right during their Trophy Presentation.)
2. Melissa Hunsberger, Expedience - 71.4 (8 jumping, 2 time SJ)
3. Susie Beale, Isabella II - 77.3 (4 jumping, 2 time SJ)
4. Charles Plumb, Westerly - 85.4 (0 jumping, 10 time SJ)
5. Dustin Craig, Nap for Sycamore - 93.4 (8 faults SJ)
6. Jesslyn Woodall, Tucker - 96.2 (16 jumping, 1 time fault SJ)

* * *

Cayla Kitayama rode Esker Riada to the win in Advanced Section III, as well as the overall lead in the Advanced Divisions with a double clear Show Jumping round and a final score of 43.2.

Karen O'Connor and Hugh Knows finished second on 48.0 with 4 jumping and no time faults in the Stadium.

Meliss Hunsberger had her second top three finish of the day, this time riding Just Fun Stuff to a three day score of 60.8 which included 8 jumping and 2 time faults in the final phase.

The Top Six Finishers in Advanced Division III Were:

1. Cayla Kitayama, Esker Riada - 43.2 (DCSJ) (Cayla and Esker Riada are pictured at the left during their Trophy Presentation.)
2. Karen O'Connor, Hugh Knows - 48.0 (4 Jumping, 0 time SJ)
3. Melissa Hunsberger, Just Fun Stuff - 60.8 (8 jumping, 2 time SJ)
4. Phuillip Dutton, Loose 'N Cool - 66.0 (12 jumping, 12 time SJ)
5. John Williams, Sweepea Dean - 70.0 (20 Jumping, 4 time SJ)
6. Lauren Lambert, Baba Creek - 105.2 ( 12 jumping, 7 time faults SJ)

The time was tight in the Show Jumping Phase and the course had been measured taking a short route which virtually no competitors used, hence the excessive number of time faults in the Show Jumping.

* * *