Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM on their way to winning Richland Park CIC3*. (USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo)
Ballynoe Castle RM have won the Adequan USEA Gold Cup CIC3* at Richland Park, having previously being named champions in 2011.
It was not optimal conditions today for Davidson and his five CIC3* rides as the times were moved up due to the impending weather, and he had to ride every 18 minutes. In addition, he was riding through quite a bit of pain after a fall from his CCI2* horse yesterday.
"I broke some ribs in my fall yesterday so I was not on my A game,” said Davidson. “I'm not joking when I say I usually let [Ballynoe Castle RM] go at his own pace, but today I was just too sore to go that fast. For sure it was not as smooth as it could have been; once you pull on him he starts to pull on you. My goal was just to get balanced and try to survive today. I did the math and figured Jennie [Brannigan] would make the time, and figured that some others wouldn't, so it gave me a bit of a cushion. He is a champ. He looked after me. He was awesome, as all my horses were. I'm very proud of them."
A double clear round bumped Jennie Brannigan and Nina and Tim Gardner’s Cambalda up from fifth to second – finishing just a little over a point behind Davidson.
“It is a great Event,” said Brannigan. “I have been joking around for ages that I have always wanted to win this event, and I have been second a lot. I have been second to Buck before in a tie at this Event so I am laughing. Buck is a great guy and we have gone head-to-head a few times on these horses. This was his weekend to win.”
Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon adding 5.2 time penalties to their overnight score to drop from the tie for second to third in the standings.
Wire-to-Wire Win for Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border
Thank goodness the times were moved up as the skies literally opened up as the last Advanced riders were on course, and the brunt of the storms occurred during this division’s original times.
Kim Severson didn’t let the schedule rattle her although a mistake with the posted optimum time proved to be quite confusing. As she crossed the finish line of the Cross Syndicate’s 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Diamond Roller x Whos Diaz) first Advanced, Severson thought for sure she had added a ton of time penalties to her score. However, the posted optimum time was incorrect, and she actually finished only one second over optimum to win the class wire-to-wire.
“He was great; I had questions just like everyone else,” said Severson. “I knew that he could jump the jumps, it’s just a matter of whether he was going to put it all together. He was terrific – out of the sunken road he was especially good, and he was great everywhere. No complaints, he is such a nice horse.”
Cooley Cross Border is quite a large horse and not the same type of ride that Severson is used to, but they have worked hard to figure it out over the years. “He is very different for me, and I often times think that I don’t ride him very well,” continued Severson. “He has a big step, and he is harder for me to ride, but he is such a lovely horse and he is genuine and we know each other very well.”
Severson and her crew will spend the night in Michigan before getting back on the road. “It is 12 or 13 hours home and I just can’t do it to him, I am sore when I get out of the truck when I am driving home, so I just can’t do that to him. I like that they have an extra night.”
Holly Payne Caravella finished two horses in the top-five of the Advanced, Santino in second and Never Outfoxed in fifth. Matthew Brown and Super Socks BCF rounded out the top three – having moved up from sixth after dressage.
Full results are available here.
About the Adequan USEA Gold Series
Qualifying for the 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Plantation Field CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside CIC3* (CA) and features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels. The final will take place at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 2015 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.
The 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many loyal sponsors: Adequan, Standlee Forage, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two, Dubarry, and FITS.