But it was Wednesday when the horses were presented to the Ground Jury at the first veterinary inspection at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park – the National Horse Center located in the undisputed “Horse Capital of the World.” Fifty-seven horses passed “the jog” – the inspection where the riders travel, in-hand, in front of a panel of judges who determine soundness of the horse and whether or not it will be allowed to enter and compete in the first two days of competition – dressage. After the jog was complete, riders were able to take their mounts into the dressage arena in preparations for the start of the three-day event.
Two horses were held for a second inspection among the entrants and allowed to pass on to compete: Ocotillo (ridden by USA’s Cathy Wieschhoff) and Edward 16 (ridden by Germany’s Kai Rueder). A third horse, Roundabout (ridden by Canada’s Penny Rowland) was the only one of the 58 entered to be withheld from competition.
Horses and riders represented the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands and Germany.
Over the last few years, there have been some fundamental changes to the sport of eventing at the highest levels, namely during the endurance or cross-country day. The removal of Phases B (Steeplechase) and C (Roads & Tracks) has come to be known as the Modified or Short Format, which falls in line with Olympic and World Equestrian Games (WEG) competition. As the sole CCI**** in the U.S., this year’s challenge will be serve as the lead qualifier for the U.S. for the 2006 WEG in Aachen, Germany. In addition, to serving as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National CCI**** Eventing Championship, the event will crown the winner of the 9th Annual Rolex/United States Equestrian Federation CCI**** Championship for the Pinnacle Cup – awarded to the highest-placed U.S. rider.
At the end of the first day of dressage, 29 horse-and-rider combinations entered the dressage ring, and it was Virginia’s Mara Dean and Nicki Henley (owned by Willow Bend, LLC) that stood atop the leaderboard on a score of 43.2. In fact, four of the five top-placed riders were Americans. Only New Zealand’s Donna Smith and Call Me Clifton were able to crack the top five during the first of two rounds.
At second place for the day, and five-tenths of a point behind, was Minnesota’s Becky Holder aboard Courageous Comet (owned by Tom Holder). Two-tenths behind Holder was another Virginian, Stephen Bradley, and From (owned by Maria T. Land).
Dean, who had not competed at Rolex since 2001, made a welcomed return to the venue, and immediately shared her impressions of the course. “The whole park looks amazing. The course is just beautiful.”
Her involvement with Nicki Henley, a 10-year-old bay Thoroughbred, began when she first saw the horse five years ago at Jan and Craig Thompson’s farm. She tried the horse out, and was “on the fence” as whether or not to make the purchase. She had no idea the personality that this horse had in store, and it proved to be quite a big one as far as Dean is concerned.
“He’s like a dog, and loves to be in your pockets begging for food,” she laughed. And it was in learning to deal with the horse’s control issues that she finally had a breakthrough that has taken the team’s riding to “the next level.”
“I’ll never forget a comment that Karen O’Connor made. I used to go out and try to control the horse on every stride on cross-country – and he is very strong. And Karen said to me at one point, ‘You just have to let him run, just let him go.’” According to Dean, that was the turning point.
“When I figured out that I could let go, and still get him back. And, of course, working with Phillip Dutton. He put it all together to a whole new level,” she continued.
A returning Rolex competitor from 2004, Holder, and her 10-year-old grey Thoroughbred, seemed to suffer a self-described “meltdown” during their warm-up. However, Holder calmed her nerves and took to heart words of wisdom departed upon her from six-time dressage Olympian Robert Dover, who has been working with the riders. It was in her flying changes that she found her challenge in the warm-up, missing as many as eight, according to her. Dover’s advice was to simply “go in the ring and go with the flow.” Obviously, his words and Holder’s determination to post a respectable score did the trick.
At her last Rolex attempt, it wasn’t nerves but the distraction of preparing for a soon-to-be wedding that blocked her concentration. She is steel-minded and ready to tackle Saturday’s cross-country course, which she admitted she would need to walk a few more times to sort out. “It’s all relative to what you are sitting on,” she said.
She described Courageous Comet as something of a “quirky horse” and one that is very particular about his footing, and where he puts his feet.
She said that she had hesitated taking the horse out for competition, and it took her quite a while before she decided to enter him. Then, one day she realized that her mount had something of a “tremendous game face.” To her, she feels that he is one of the most amazing horses to ride, especially cross-country. “He’ll give you a wonderful feeling galloping round.”
Both of the top-placed riders are themselves instructor, and in a nod to their lower level and grassroots students, they commented that it is an experience from which they learn.
“I’m always very good at picking out problems of my own,” said Dean. “But, it’s also amazing to stand on the ground and watch somebody and see them develop, and to learn from it.”
Holder agreed wholeheartedly. “When I’m doing a lot of teaching, I am able to stay outside of myself, and try to be more objective of what’s happening.
Day Two of the dressage phase will see the remaining 29 horse-and-riders enter the dressage ring to round out the dressage phase. Adding their marks to those posted on Friday will scramble the overall placings, and set the stage for phase two of competition – the always unpredictable cross-country test.
Competition continues on Friday with the second day of dressage tests, to be followed by Saturday’s cross-country, culminating with the final challenge of show jumping on Sunday, where a horse-and-rider combination will be crowned champion.