Cross-Country
Cross-Country
Apr 26th, 09
Lexington, KY – It was a sweltering day out on cross-country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event that left Friday’s three leaders on top with first and second place swapping out. Australia’s Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia took over the top spot after a double-clear round on a tough course that had an optimum time of eleven minutes and two seconds. Friday’s leader Bettina Hoy of Germany and Ringwood Cockatoo slipped into second after going clear but receiving 9.6 time penalties. Buck Davidson and My Boy Bobby kept their hold on third place with a clear round and just 1.2 time penalties.
Fredericks and Headley Britannia, the self-dubbed “two old women” had a great time on the cross-country course, especially the second half. “She just motored,” Fredericks said. “I had a fantastic ride over the second half of the course. It’s a bit easier riding to the bigger fences. She can stretch if she’s got speed.” The pair currently holds the lead with only 32.3 penalty points.
Despite Fredericks' vast experience, her knowledgeable mare made some decisions of her own. “No, things didn’t quite go according to plan at the lake,” laughed Fredericks. “Brit’s a funny little thing, she very strong and quite difficult to manage at the start of the course. “I’d always planned to do the long route at the sunken road. I just had a bee in my bonnet about it, and that’s what I was going to do. I was making up time and she sort of opened up quite a bit, and I came around the corner and saw this nice open distance. I had planned to go in six strides and it turned into four. Brit took control.”
Hoy’s goal today was for her mature partner, Ringwood Cockatoo, to have a happy round. “I went a fast as I felt was good for him and for his age,” she said. “He gave me a fabulous ride. He’s not the most confident horse with drop fences, and obviously there were a lot of drop fences on this course, but he was very much on my side. We sort of knew exactly what to do in our own time, and I am very, very proud of him.” The pair is currently in second place with 38.4 penalty points.
Davidson is in third place going into show jumping with just 40.2 penalty points on one of his two mounts, My Boy Bobby. On his first mount, Ballynoe Castle RM, Davidson picked up 20 points at fence #13 where a loose dog chased his horse and bit "Reggie" above the hock. “I had to change my line,” he said regrettably. “Nobody wants to hurt a dog even if it’s in the wrong place. It was just an unfortunate situation, and I wish it hadn’t happened, but it did.”
Davidson's 20 penalty points were later removed from his score after officials reviewed the tape from fence #13.
Despite his disappointment, Davidson had a great ride with Bobby even though they had to go near the end of the day when the temperatures were soaring. “He gave me everything he had today,” stated Davidson. “I’m really happy with him. He was so good through the lake. He did what he always does. He’s a beautiful jumper. He kept galloping. It got hot, but he dug in and kept trying.”
Just over 40,000 people watched today’s action which included 10 double-clear rounds and 28 clear rounds with time penalties. Three riders withdrew, one retired and seven were eliminated.
Show Jumping starts promptly at 1:00 p.m., and will include the remaining 38 horse-and-rider combinations. Prior to show jumping, there will be two ceremonies—a presentation to the 2008 Olympic Team Medalists and the retirement of Poggio II.