Temecula, Calif. – An influential cross-country day at the Galway Downs International CCI3* shook up the leaderboard on Saturday. The USEF Land Rover Competition Grant recipients had excellent performances over Ian Stark’s challenging cross-country track with Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett and Phillip Dutton and Mr. Candyman moving into the top four.

Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) had a stellar round with Meadowbrook's Scarlett in the horse’s first run since the Pan American Games. She and Marie Le Menestrel's 2007 Thoroughbred Cross mare made light work of the tough track, adding just eight-tenths of a point to their dressage score. The pair heads into the final day of competition in second place with a score of 45.8.

“I couldn’t be happier with Scarlett today,” Kieffer said. “She was spot on through the whole course and full of running at the end.”

Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Mr. Candyman laid down a textbook round, having one of three double-clear rounds. Ann Jones, Bridget Colman, and Caroline Moran's 2007 Holsteiner gelding looked like a seasoned veteran over his first CCI3* track with Dutton in the irons. The duo moved into fourth place on their dressage score of 50.9.

“Mr. Candyman had a great education out on course and I’m really pleased with how he went,” Dutton said.

Dutton leads the division with his other mount, Fernhill Fugitive, on a score of 43.4 after having a double-clear round. Behind Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett in third place are Alexandra Knowles and Sound Prospect with a score of 46.7, also having a double-clear round.

Find out more about Galway Downs International and view results.