Featured Rider - Karen O'Connor |
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We shipped up a few days early for training sessions again. Jim Cogdell is an amazing host and kept the time going by with a Canada vs. US skeet shooting competition and a great cookout after. Weather started out being very mild for North Carolina in April – but quickly changed bringing us fab weather for eventing, but a bit on the chilly side for spectating (18 degrees Sunday AM… brrrrr). The crew at The Fork had the footing amazing throughout.
Ted drew an early number in the CCI*** and did his dressage Thursday afternoon. He had been working very well and put in a great test… I didn’t want to get too excited about a score after all season thinking he’d score better – however, the judges finally agreed with everyone and gave him a great score - 49.7. Just barely in the 40’s – but I’ll take it!
Woody had been a bit goofy all week and I was sure that he was going to not only forget where C was – but all the other letters too! We spent our lesson with Mark Phillips on a 20-meter circle in rising trot…. Sigh. Mark was so busy with all the other training session riders – so David helped me figure out how to get into Woody’s brain. Must have all worked, because by Friday morning at 8:15 Woody marched into the ring and pulled out a 47.8. I was really proud of him and really excited about the next day.
The World Cup had a great group of horses and riders – many of Woody’s teammates from Aachen. So great to see everyone and all the horses looking so well leading up to the spring three-days.
Mark Phillips designed the cross-country course at The Fork and was very smart to integrate some Four Star questions with Three Star options - a great way for everyone to test themselves before Kentucky and Badminton. Woody and Ted blazed around the tracks each picking up a few time penalties. Best part – they looked great after their run.
Both horses trotted up amazing at the Vet Inspection the next day. Then I was running off to show jump the three intermediate horses and cross-country my preliminary horse.
Marc Donovan always designs a superb show jump course. He kept all the levels very different so no one had the advantage of jumping a horse in a different division. The World Cup jumped first and a few in the early going had clear rounds – a few rails here and there, but no bogy fence. Woody jumped a really nice round, but had cheap rail at the second to finish 9th where he was placed all weekend. Kim Severson had her pal Dan back on excellent form and smoked us all. She is off to Badminton where we hope she’ll show those Brits!!!!
Then to the CCI***. Ted was warming up great – went into the ring and jumped a rub free round. Kim was in the lead with the big gray – Tipperary Liadhnan. Surely it wasn’t fair that she win two divisions! Luck was with us and not Kim as she had the very last rail down – making Super Ted the winner!!!!!
How about that?!!
We are back in Ocala – check ups with Dr. Ober and final shoeing Monday the 16th…. 3 more gallops, 2 more jumps, and some dressage in between. My groom Max is making herself crazy micro managing the horses… hoping all stays well between now and then. We are planning to head up on the Monday after the Ocala CCI* and CCI**.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Janie and her FABULOUS organizing crew at Rolex for their unprecedented continued effort to host the premier four-star competition in the world. This is defiantly the highlight of our year as event riders.
Sleep, no sleep, sleep, no sleep. We’ll be very happy when we pull into the KY Horse Park with two sound, fit and healthy horses. Until then – keep those fingers crossed!