Molly Rosin and Havarah's Charly (Shannon Brinkman)
Amy Tryon was having a stellar test on Coal Creek (an 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Tim and Kathryn Sullivan) when the loudspeaker malfunction causing a loud noise during the third to last movement in the bottom corner of the arena. Tryon used her experience to coax Coal Creek through the final two movements and scored 47.0 to hold the lead over Corinne Ashton and Dobbin by .2 at the end of the day. 2004 Olympic Gold medalist Leslie Law is third with Evening Shade for Great Britain on 47.8.
“I adore this horse,” said Tryon about Coal Creek, who is contesting his first CCI***. “He has the greatest temperament. What he did when the loudspeaker went off, scoot a little bit like that, is the worst he ever does. I’m playing catch up a little bit because I haven’t really ridden him since April until the last six weeks. He has a long way to go quality-wise but he’s always gone into the ring and risen to the occasion. I’m bummed about the loudspeaker but what are you going to do?”
Tryon, who injured her knee when she fell off Poggio at the Olympic Games and ended up spending time in a hospital in Hong Kong, is recovering and will ride Leyland in the CCI*** tomorrow afternoon. Leyland won the Jersey Fresh CCI*** in May.
“This has been a way longer recovery than I was expecting,” said Tryon who lives in Duvall, WA. “It’s been frustrating, but everyday it improves.”
Ashton was pleased with her veteran’s performance. The 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding has been a staple on the eventing scene for years.
“He felt great,” said Ashton. “He did one very nice lead change in the wrong place which the judges didn’t really appreciate.”
53 horses are entered in the CCI*** championship which has been held annually at Fair Hill International for two decades. Defending champ (and US Olympic Team member in Hong Kong) Phillip Dutton is the only rider with three horses in the division, he went to the lead early on with Nina Gardener’s Loose n’ Cool on a score of 56.3. That score held until through the lunch break but they ended up fourth by the end of the day.
In the CCI**, local rider Molly Rosin, fresh from her win in the CIC** at Plantation Field Horse Trials last month put in a really good effort and went to the lead with a score of 46.2 on Havarah’s Charly. Her ride was fluid and active, and she rode a very accurate test to impress the judges at the halfway point of the 73 CCI** horses.
Rosin, originally from California is now based in Oxford, PA and rides with Boyd Martin. Owned by the Minyan Syndicate, Havarah’s Charly, is a 10-year-old Hungarian Warmblood, the former CCI* winner has impressed throughout his career.
“I’m going to spend the winter putting the syndicate back together,” said Rosin. “It is a four year contract and it is up, some people have lifestyle changes and want to sell their shares. Others, luckily want to stay in. I would like to take him to Aiken and begin the season with some Advanced runs.”
Law is second riding Liz Milliken’s Quintus 54. Law is catch riding the 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding because Milliken tore her meniscus in her knee last week. They are on a score of 47.5.
The second placed American rider is Will Coleman riding Nanki Doubleday’s Nevada Bay. They lie in fourth place overall (Australia’s Ryan Wood is third on Wynella Wolverine is on 48.4) after a very solid effort in the 9-year-old English import’s second CCI**. They are on a score of 49.7.
Dressage continues for the USEF National CCI** and CCI*** Championships tomorrow at 9.00 a.m. with both rings again running concurrently.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Joanie Morris at [email protected].