Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (Shannon Brinkman)
The US Team finished on a score of 121.50 behind the Australians who were on fire with a three rider total of 102.8.
Riding the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Courageous Comet (whom she owns with her husband Tom), Holder survived a few spooky moments at the beginning of a test that got better and better as it went. The canter work consistently scored eights and nines and her collective marks reflected her best efforts highlighted by two eights and a nine for Holder’s riding.
The score shone on the Sha Tin scoreboard and 35.3 was good enough for fourth place halfway through the dressage.
“It is very rewarding,” said Holder. “It is my best score ever and to do it at my first Olympic Games is really special.”
Holder, from Mendota Heights, MN and ‘Comet’, a former racehorse did excellent canter serpentines and flying changes, all four were equally straight and expressive.
Holder’s teammate, Gina Miles put in a personal best with McKinlaigh at her first Olympic Games to go into third place after the morning session. They ended up seventh halfway through the dressage.
The Creston, CA rider and the giant 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse (owned by Thom Schulz and Laura Coats) had beautiful trot work, quality walk and canter transitions. The pair received some nines, and would have scored even better save for a couple of mistakes in their flying changes at the end of their test to finish up on an excellent score of 39.6.
“I was very pleased with McKinlaigh,” said Miles. “My personal goal has always been to break 40. I’m thrilled that it happened today at my first Olympic Games.”
US pathfinders: Amy Tryon and Mark Hart’s Poggio were the fifth pair in the ring and put in their typical dependable performance picking up a very respectable score of 46.5. This leaves them in 14th individually.
Hard-trying Poggio made every effort to pick up every point for Tryon who consistently rides an accurate test. They were a stride late in one flying change but aside from that, it was a very honest effort. The 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding tuned up for his second Olympic dressage test (team Bronze medalist in 2004) with a morning jump school.
The morning leader, Australia’s Lucinda Fredericks, held onto her lead with Headley Britannia on a score of 30.40.
Fredericks, who won Burghley last year with the diminutive chestnut mare, doesn’t have much trot to work with but rode a masterful test and did not give a point away.
“She really didn’t make a mistake,” said Lucinda. “The more atmosphere, the better she is. She’s so trustworthy.”
Belgium’s Karin Donckers and Gazelle de Brasserie slipped into second on a 31.70 as the second to last rider to go on the first day of dressage. Fredericks’ teammate Megan Jones who rode Irish Jester immediately following Holder bested her score by .3.
Fredericks’ husband and teammate, Clayton, ended up fifth on a score of 37.00.
The final two US riders have eight Olympic Games between them and will anchor the US effort tomorrow. Karen O’Connor who, at 50 years old, is riding in her fourth Games will ride Joan Goswell’s Mandiba at 6.58 am. The 9-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding is the least experienced of the horses on his team but he makes up for it in ability. His rider has enough for both of them, having two team medals on her bookshelf already (silver in 1996 and ronze in 2000).
Phillip Dutton will do his best to beat his former teammates when he rides Bruce Duchossios' Connaught in the final spot of the US squad. The former Aussie won two team Gold medals for his homeland in 1996 and 2000, this will be his first Olympics for Team USA. Connaught most recently won the 2008 Rolex Kentucky CCI****, and at 15, continues to improve. They go in the final rotation at 9.13 am.
Despite all the impressive dressage, the biggest story at the end of the evening was the last minute scratch of France's Galan de Sauvagere by Nicolas Touziant. One of the heavy individual medal favorites withdrew in the warm-up because of a hind leg lameness.
A despondent Touziant didn't have a diagnosis, but his explanation involved an accident in the stables during a thunderstorm that took its time materializing. The French team was in shock and made the decision to withdraw him in the horse's best interest.