Allison Springer and Arthur (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
Lexington, KY – Derek di Grazia’s 29 obstacle cross country course proved extremely influential Saturday at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone and caused a tremendous shake-up of the leaderboard. The top of the standings saw an exchange of first and second positions as William Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk now lead the field while dressage leaders Allison Springer and Arthur sit in second.
Fox-Pitt demonstrated Saturday why he has won 10 CCI4*s in his career, piloting Catherine Witt’s Parklane Hawk to a masterful round Saturday. The 12-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding was one of only seven horses to produce a double-clear round Saturday, to remain on their dressage score of 41.3.
Fox-Pitt heads into Sunday’s show jumping phase looking to win the second of the three leg $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing after having won the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with Parklane Hawk.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parklane Hawk lead after thrilling Cross Country day at HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky. Image: Amy Dragoo/FEI.
Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2012 – A thrilling finale is guaranteed to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) presented by Bridgestone, the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, following a thrilling Cross Country day which has left the top three riders within a Jumping fence of each other.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parklane Hawk have moved up a place and now have a slender advantage over Dressage leaders Alison Springer (USA) and Arthur, who clocked 3.2 time penalties across the country, and New Zealander Jonathan Paget who is lying third on Clifton Promise.
Fox-Pitt, who won the event in 2010 on Cool Mountain, put in an exhibition round to finish seven seconds inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 14 seconds. “I was aware the course was causing problems, but you have to believe that you’re riding a good horse with good form,” he said afterwards.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) cruises around Cross-Country to stay on target for the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo courtesy of ROLEX
(USA, 28 April 2012) – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Parklane Hawk, today Saturday 28 April 2012, is the current leader after the Cross-country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington, having ridden an immaculate clear round over the cross-country and within the optimum time. This puts William currently into 1st position going into tomorrow’s final Show Jumping phase (41.3pts). Allison Springer (USA) riding Arthur, who was the overnight leader after Dressage, went clear cross-country but had 2.8 time penalties, giving her a score of 42.6pts going into Show Jumping.
Quotes from William Fox-Pitt after his clear cross country (link to audio of full interview below):
Q: William, an incredible round you are only the third double clear this morning, you made it look so easy – talk us through it: “Well that’s the idea, it doesn’t always happen like that. It’s great to have a good round here at the Rolex under your belt and really stand me in good stead for the 2012 season ahead. He went very well. He’s a good horse and it was causing trouble as you said and you begin to doubt yourself, you begin to doubt your horse and that’s so dangerous – you’ve just got to really believe that you are riding a very good horse with good form, and this course should be fine – and I was right to think that. He really ate it up and came home easily in the time.”
Allison Springer and Arthur (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
Lexington, KY – On the second day of dressage at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone the results proved true to form. Familiar pair Allison Springer and Arthur topped the first phase scoring 39.8 – the only effort to break 40. Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt Parklane Hawk cruised to second place with a score of 41.3 and Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen settled into third with a lovely effort at the horse’s first CCI4*.
A chilly start to the day meant for some fresh horses this morning, but the quality remained high and Springer (Marshall, VA) rode Arthur with a lot of confidence and was rewarded by the Ground Jury of Nick Burton, Anne-Mette Binder and Michel Asseray. Now 13, Arthur can be relied upon to produce a good dressage test despite his seemingly worried outlook on life.
Allison Springer (USA) and Arthur were the only combination to break the 40-point barrier to lead the field at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, third leg of the HSBC Classics series. (Photo: Amy Dragoo/FEI)
Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2012 – American rider Alison Springer and Arthur have taken the lead after Dressage with the only sub-40 mark at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) presented by Bridgestone, the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.
The duo are well-known exponents of the art of Dressage and can always be relied upon to produce a beautiful test at this level, but the elegant chestnut gelding also has a tendency to suffer from nerves.
Springer, a Kentucky regular, explained: “I’ve tried to bring a different attitude this year, not putting as much pressure on myself. He’s never going to be a relaxed horse, but I am working on figuring out what I need to do to keep him calm and confident. I haven’t figured it all yet but he’s a good horse and I am excited about the partnership I can have with him.”
Commenting on the Derek di Grazia designed Cross Country, Springer said: “It’s a tough course. Last year, I had a tremendous ride. I know what I need to do to produce my best tomorrow. Hopefully, I can make good decisions.”
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) remains on target for $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo courtesy of ROLEX
(USA, 27 April 2012) Allison Springer (USA) riding Arthur, today Friday 27 April 2012, is the current leader after the Dressage phase, with William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Parklane Hawk in 2nd place, and Clark Montgomery (USA) riding Loughan Glen in 3rd place at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.
Quotes from William Fox-Pitt post media conference (link to audio of full interview below):
Q. How did the test feel, how does it feel to go into cross country tomorrow: “The pressure is on. I’m very excited about Parklane – he is a good horse, we did a good test. A few little mistakes here and there but you always do have things that don’t quite go to plan. But lying second behind Allison who did a superb test. I think at this stage it’s a good position to be in but I am going to have my work cut out with the pressure on and I am going to have to go for it tomorrow.
Q. Any tactics in particular – how are you going to attack the cross country tomorrow? “I think the course is there to be jumped. There are not a lot of options really if you are going to be competitive – you’ve got to get out there and attack it. I’m just going to set out and see how he feels, certainly at this stage I am not planning any long routes and hoping to come back nicely inside the time after a big galloping round, but you have to dream the day before don’t you because otherwise you would be running off home.”
Boyd Martin of the United States and Remington XXV set the standard on the first day of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. All three judges placed him first, with a total of 45.3 penalties.
Karen O’Connor of the United States rode Veronica into second place (47.8), and Andrew Nicholson of New Zealand rode Calico Joe into third place (48.7).
Becky Holder of the United States, on Courageous Comet, is fourth (48.8).
Martin, 32, of West Grove, Pa., said that Remington XXV, 16, was one of the first horses he competed when he moved from his native Australia seven years ago. The Hanoverian gelding, owned by Henley House Stables, had only foxhunted before Martin began working with him.
Boyd Martin and Remington XXV (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
Lexington, KY – Competition at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone officially got underway Thursday in the Rolex Stadium, with the first half of the order performing their dressage. With 28 combinations riding in front of the Ground Jury composed of Nick Burton (GBR), Michel Asseray (FRA) and Anne-Mette Binder (DEN).
Boyd Martin and Henley House Stables’ Remington XXV jumped out to the early lead and head the field on a score of 45.3. Martin (Cochranville, PA) and the 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding produced a near flawless test as the penultimate combination Thursday. The pair surged to the pole-position on the strength of fluid movement, bold lengthenings, and correct lateral work.
Martin was very pleased with his seasoned partner and their performance.
“We have done that test a number of times, so it was wonderful just to ride a horse that knew where he was going.”
Karen O'Connor presenting Mr. Medicott (Shannon Brinkman)
Lexington, KY – The 31st Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone gets rolling this week at the Kentucky Horse Park. Fifty-eight horses were presented at the first horse inspection and of those all but one was accepted. Entries from five countries are looking for a shot at the title at America’s only CCI4* event which also serves as the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Eventing Championship.
The competition begins tomorrow with the first of two days of dressage – it will be live streamed on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak. In addition to the webcast, the order of go, results, daily reports and photos can be found here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/Rolex3Day2012.
This year’s field doesn’t include the 2011 winner (Mary King from Great Britain) or the 2011 National Champion (Sinead Halpin) but it does include former winners (and Olympic medalists), Americans Phillip Dutton and Karen O’Connor and Australia’s Andrew Hoy. Dutton has contested every single running of the CCI4* in Kentucky.
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