FOX-PITT IN THE LEAD AFTER ROLEX DRESSAGE CONCLUDES
Apr 24th, 10
By Jeannie Blancq Putney
FOX-PITT IN THE LEAD AFTER ROLEX DRESSAGE CONCLUDES
Lexington, KY—The leader board took on a new look after day two of dressage at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Karen O’Connor remains in the top three, tied for second with Allison Springer and Arthur on a penalty score of 43.7. William Fox-Pitt put in a solid ride aboard Cool Mountain toward the end of the day, giving them 42.8 penalty points.
“He is a very talented horse on the flat,” said Fox-Pitt. “He’s been a pleasure to train always. He’s been very straightforward. He doesn’t always find everything easy, but he’s always had a go at it. Therefore when things start coming together it can create a good test, and I think today it did come together. I didn’t expect it to. I hoped it might. To produce his best test on a day like today is a credit to him—and in this atmosphere—that’s very exciting for his future. He’s got a fantastic temperament, and he’s got more to come which is very exciting.”
Springer was thrilled to be in such good company after dressage. “It’s great to be here for sure,” she said. “I’ve been working really hard to improve the consistency of my horse and myself in all three phases. This is a place I’ve always dreamed to be. It’s wonderful.”
She was the only rider to make the decision to wear a helmet during her test and said it was strictly a personal choice, not a statement. “It’s just something that felt right to do,” she said. “I like getting pretty. I do. I do my nails. I get my hair done. I do all of that. The reason why I love my top hat is because it’s so pretty. That’s why I like to wear it, but I did start wearing a helmet for horse trials. Charles Owen gave me a helmet yesterday, and this morning and we fitted it and it’s beautiful.”
In the wake of Courtney King’s accident and because Springer’s only brother passed away as a result of severe head trauma, she felt it was time for her to institute this change. “It’s just a personal thing; I’m not making a stance. It’s just something I am doing for me.”
Despite the prediction of rain and potentially severe storms, the riders are looking forward to cross-country tomorrow. O’Connor said she isn’t focusing on the WEG or the 2012 Olympics just the course in front of her tomorrow, and she feels Mandiba is ready for it. “For me it feels like his experience matches the questions asked tomorrow,” O’Connor said. “I’ve also taken him pretty slow all spring, getting progressively quicker, and that was always my plan so that tomorrow I’ll make every effort to get inside the time or close enough.”
Although this is Cool Mountain’s first Rolex, Fox-Pitt feels that his mount will have a good go at tomorrow’s course. “It’s going to be his first four star,” he said. “I very much believe he’s ready, but you never quite know until you’re out there. There are a few good questions around that course, and it’s going to be certainly bigger than anything he’s seen before. I think as far as four stars go it’s a good one. In my opinion it’s a little more straightforward than last year. Sometimes that’s quite a dangerous view to take. For my horse he’s very ready for it, and I should just be riding him and giving him all the confidence he needs…I certainly wasn’t coming here expecting him to win, but who knows. I am not going to let go without a little bit of a fight.”
Kim Severson had a good ride late in the day aboard Tipperary Liadhnan and is currently sitting in fourth place with 44.8 penalties. She said she’s not thinking about anything beyond tomorrow with the gorgeous gray. “There is no other Dan,” said Severson. “I’ve had faith in this horse for a long, long time…with him it’s taken a long time and it still might take a little longer, but I do have a lot of faith in him.”
The field narrows by one—to 52 riders—after Phillip Dutton withdrew one of his four mounts, Kheops Du Quesnay. The pair stood 27th after yesterday’s dressage. Dutton and his other three mounts are all currently in the top 10.
Oliver Townend, who is on the hunt to become only the second rider in history to earn the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam, currently sits in sixth and ninth place with his two mounts. “The horses were both as good as they could have been just about, but obviously this is a four star and this is top competition here,” said Townend. “They are both very green, relatively, but at the same time I am pleased with their performances and tomorrow is another day.”