US
Lies Second After One-Third of Eventing Dressage; Miles Third Individually
By Joanie Morris
Hong Kong, China
– Gina Miles put in a personal best with McKinlaigh at her
first Olympic Games to go into third place after the morning session of the first
day of dressage.
The Creston, CA rider and the giant 14-year-old
Irish Sport Horse (owned by Thom Shulz and Laura Coats) had beautiful trot work,
quality walk and canter and transitions. The pair received some nines, and would
have scored even better but they made a couple of mistakes in their flying changes
at the end of their test to finish up on an excellent score of 39.6. “I
was very pleased with McKinlaigh,” said Miles. “My personal
goal has always been to break 40. I thrilled that it happened today at my first
Olympic Games.” US pathfinders: Amy Tryon and Mark Hart’s
16-year-old Thoroughbred Poggio were the fifth pair in the ring and put
in their dependable performance picking up a very respectable score of 46.5. This
leaves them in 10th individually and the US team in second after two riders on
a score of 85.8. Hard-trying Poggio made every effort to
pick up every point for Tryon who consistently rides an accurate test.
They were a stride late in one flying change but aside from that, it was a very
honest test. Poggio tuned up for his dressage test with a morning jump
school. Two riders were better than Miles, the husband and wife
Fredericks’ team of Lucinda and Headley Britannia (30.4)
and Clayton and Ben Along Time (37.0) both put in very impressive
performances to take Australia into a clear lead after two rotations (67.4).
Lucinda, who won Burghley last year with the diminutive ‘Brit’,
doesn’t have much trot to work with but rode a masterful test and did not
give a point away. “She really didn’t make a mistake,”
said Lucinda. “The more atmosphere, the better she is. She’s
so trustworthy.” The third American rider is Becky Holder,
she rides Courageous Comet at 8.26 when dressage resumes this evening. A complete
report will follow. ENDS For complete
results, please see: http://www.equestrian2008.org/eng/front.aspx
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is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America
by promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic
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