Tag Archives: USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship

Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Show Jumping, USEF

Davidson and Petite Flower Earn USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship Title

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Buck Davidson and Petite Flower (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Tyler, Texas – Clear rounds were the order of the day at the Texas Rose Horse Park over Richard Jeffrey’s testing show jumping track at the 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship held as part of the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery. Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team veteran Buck Davidson proved why he is regarded as one of the best in the game guiding Petite Flower to the only fault-free trip of the division to earn the 2014 National Title and have his named added to the Jack Le Goff Trophy.

Davidson (Ocala, Fla.) and Sherrie and Caroline Martin’s 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare stood fourth after the dressage on a score of 34 and maintained that position heading into the show jumping as a result of jumping clear on the cross country adding only 5.6 time faults. With their immaculate performance on Saturday afternoon the 2013 Galway Downs International Three-Day Event winners finished on an overall total of 39.6 to earn victory by one point.

Earning Reserve Champion honors were Lainey Ashker (Richmond, Va.) and her own 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Anthony Patch. The 2013 champions were the final pair of the afternoon to jump, looking to retain their title but it was not meant to be as a single rail came down meaning they finished on a score of 40.6.

Mathew Brown (Sebastopol, Calif.) and Blossom Creek Foundation’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Super Socks BCF, earned third-place honors as they too had a single rail down to finish on a score of 41.3.

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, visit: http://useventing.com/aec.

Championships, Eventing/H.T., USEF, USEF

Ashker Flies to the Head of the Field at 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship

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Tyler, Texas – Friday’s cross country at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery proved extremely influential as the leaderboard of 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship experienced a great shake-up. With the quickest trip of the day over Capt. Mark Phillips’ impressive track, Lainey Ashker and Anthony Patch flew to the head of the field.

Ashker (Richmond, Va.) and her own 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding traveled to the Texas Rose Horse Park looking to retain the National Title they earned in 2013. The CCI4* veterans demonstrated their vast experience at the Advanced level to jump clear over the 26 obstacle course and collect 3.2 time faults. They will head into the show jumping in the pole position on a score of 36.6.

“I couldn’t have asked him to be any more on his A-game. Having ridden this course last year I knew that time was a factor. Having said that, I threw my watch out the window and rode the horse I had underneath my saddle,” said Ashker. “Al answered every question with ease and came home full of running and I couldn’t be any happier with today’s performance.”

Matthew Brown (Sebastopol, Calif.) and Blossom Creek Foundation’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Super Socks BCF, maintained their second place position from the dressage as they too jumped faultlessly. The 2014 winners of The Event at Rebecca Farm CIC3* head into the final phase less than a point behind the leaders on a score of 37.3 after collecting 4.8 time penalties on the cross country.

Jonathan Holling (Ocala, Fla.) and Team Rebecca, LLC’s 10-year-old KWPN gelding Zatopek B stand third, after picking up 4.8 time penalties in a clear jumping round on Friday, on a two-day total of 39.1

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, visit: http://useventing.com/aec.

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., USEF

Holder and Can’t Fire Me Storm to Early Lead in 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship

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Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Tyler, Texas – The 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship got underway Thursday afternoon at the Texas Rose Horse Park with 12 horse-and-rider combinations performing their dressage tests. Becky Holder and her veteran, Can’t Fire Me, seized the early lead with a near flawless performance in the championship being held in conjunction with the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Final at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery.

Holder (Palmetto, Ga.) has claimed the Open Horse National Title twice before and looks to add her name to the Jack Le Goff Trophy for a third time this weekend. The 2008 Olympic Games and 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games veteran has put herself in a good position to do just that after riding Phil and Melissa Town and Tom Holder’s 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Can’t Fire Me, into lead on a score of 31.2.

Holder was pleased with Can’t Fire Me throughout the test and felt that, with the exception of a mistake in the medium trot, they earned all the marks they set out to get.

“It certainly was the test we’ve been schooling and training for. It has a lot of walk work and turn on the haunches but he was great; he had two really clear walk pirouettes and two clean changes with just one bobble in the medium trot,” said Holder. “He was right on the mark throughout and really let me ride him through the corners, and we didn’t leave too many points on the table.”

Laying less than a point behind Holder in second place are Mathew Brown (Sebastopol, Calif.) and Blossom Creek Foundation’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Super Socks BCF. The Event at Rebecca Farm CIC3* winners stand well within touch of the lead on a score of 32.5.

Reigning champions Lainey Ashker (Richmond, Va.) and her own 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Anthony Patch, head out onto the cross country in third place with a score of 33.4.

USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship competition continues Friday as riders head out on Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross country track. Jonathan Holing (Ocala, Fla.) and Meghan Richey’s Proper Timing will be first on the Advanced course at 4:18pm local time.

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, visit: http://useventing.com/aec.

Championships, Eventing/H.T., USEF, USEF

Talented Field Lines Up for USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship

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Lainey Ashker and Anthony Patch won the National Title in 2013 (Leslie Threlkeld/USEA)

Tyler, Texas – Eventers from across the United States will descend upon the Texas Rose Horse Park to contest Beginner Novice through Advanced level competition at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery held September 25-28, including a field of 12 talented combinations looking to earn top honors in the 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship held as part of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Final.

Lainey Ashker (Richmond, Va.) has traveled to the Texas Rose Horse Park with her own Anthony Patch looking to retain the National Title the pair earned in 2013. Following wins in Advanced level competition at Millbrook Horse Trials and Five Points Horse Trials this summer, they look to peak this week in Texas.

Looking to stand in Ashker’s way are Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team veterans Becky Holder and Buck Davidson. Holder (Palmetto, Ga.) won the USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship in 2010 and 2012 with her Olympic and Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games partner, Courageous Comet, and this weekend aims to add her name to the trophy a third time with Phil and Melissa Town and Tom Holder’s Can’t Fire Me. The pair will look to reproduce its winning performance from last year’s Poplar Place CIC3*, while Davidson (Ocala, Fla.) is set to take a shot at the title with his 2013 Galway Downs International Three-Day Event CCI3* winner, Sherrie and Caroline Martin’s Petite Flower.

Advanced level competition kicks off with the dressage on Thursday, continues on Friday as competitors take on Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross country track, and comes to a conclusion with the show jumping on Sunday.

To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, visit: http://useventing.com/aec.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Eventing/H.T., USEF

USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship Title Goes to Ashker and Anthony Patch

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Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch (Hannah Bennett/USEA Photo)

Lexington, Kentucky – The USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship wrapped up Sunday morning after the Advanced stadium phase was delayed a day due to torrential rain. Run in conjunction with the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, competition ran from September 26-29, at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Eleven combinations vied for the Jack Le Goff Trophy awarded to the winner of the USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship.

The 2012 USEF National Open Horse Trial Reserve Champions Laine Ashker (Richmond, Va.) and Anthony Patch returned to claim top honors this year by means of solid performances all weekend. On Thursday, she and her own 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding began the championship tied for fourth place with a score of 31.5 in dressage. Ashker and Anthony Patch then blazed around Captain Mark Phillips’ cross country course on Friday, adding 5.6 time penalties to their score. The time proved to be extremely influential. As not a single pair went double clear, that speedy trip moved Ashker into the lead.

After torrential thunderstorms delayed the final phase of competition until Sunday morning, Ashker and Anthony Patch had one of three double clear stadium rounds over Richard Jeffrey’s course to be named the USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship with a final score of 37.1.

“It is an honor to win an award named for such a legend as Jack Le Goff,” Ashker said of winning the championship trophy. “I only hope to live up to the reputation of others he taught.”

“Al (Anthony Patch) is going on vacation for a while – doing some flat work. I am saving him for Kentucky with a goal of the 2014 WEG,” she said with a hopeful smile as she explained what is next for the talented gelding.

The Reserve Champion title went to Krisiti Nunnink (Auburn, Calif.) and R-Star with a final score of 42.6. The pair started the competition off in third place following the dressage phase with a score of 29.0. Nunnink and her own 12-year-old Holsteiner mare made light work of the challenging cross country course but incurred 13.6 time penalties though still maintained their position on the leaderboard. A double clear round in Sunday’s stadium phase allowed the pair to finish the championship in second place. With the help of a USEF Land Rover Competition Grant, the pair will head to the Les Estoiles De Pau CCI4* in France in a month, coming away from the championship on top form.

By Kathleen Landwehr

To learn more about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO, visit: http://useventing.com/programs/aec.

Follow the 2013 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team here.