Lexington, KY— With five CC1* National Championship trophies being awarded in one day at the Kentucky Horse Park for the Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event, the National Championship division of this competition was unique because it was held in the traditional format which includes steeplechase. Melissa Miller and Detail Specialist topped the competition with a score of 47.1 to win the USEF National One-Star Eventing Championship while also taking the 19- to 21-Year-Old Eventing Championship title.

Taking second place in the One-Star was Dorothy Crowell and Hondo with a score of 63.4. Hondo was Crowell’s second mount who was performing well in the competition but she had to withdraw Pikadilly prior to the jumping phase.

Miller traveled from Hamilton, OH to compete for the second time at this competition but it was Detail Specialist’s first CCI* and first long format. He had also never done steeplechase until this past weekend.

“I was really happy with him,” said Miller. “He loves steeplechase. I think it was his best part. He came out and he felt great the whole cross country round. I never really felt him getting tired. I was a little worried about that because it was a really long course.”

The long format of the three-day event requires the horse and rider to compete a series of endurance phases, including Roads and Tracks, then Steeplechase, another Roads and Tracks portion and finally, Cross Country. Stamina and good conditioning is key to the success of this event.

Miller has helped to train 11-year-old Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred cross Detail Specialist for the past year and a half. When Miller bought Detail Specialist, he had never evented before, nor had he been in a dressage arena. When she first got Detail Specialist, Miller said that he was afraid of people and had been shipped around to multiple trainers. He even did a stint as a Western pleasure horse for awhile before Miller bought him.

To get Detail Specialist conditioned and ready for this event, Miller went to an adjacent 110 acre farm once or twice a week to do trot and gallop sets

“The footing is perfect over there,” said Miller. “If it wasn’t for that, it would have been a lot harder. We have acreage at the farm I’m at but just having those rolling hills and the really good footing—Good footing really helps keep them sound.”

Miller plans to give Detail Specialist a break from training and hopes to move up to the Intermediate level and participate in the CH-Y** division of the CN FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championship presented by Gotham North next year.

Adding to her accomplishments, Miller and her teammates from Area 8 won the USEF Eastern JR/YR One Star Team Championship. In addition to Miller and Detail Specialist, the team included riders Helen Morris and her horse Awesome KC, Kyle Smith riding Stunt Pilot and Alison Wilaby and her horse Memphis II with a score of 207.

Morris and her 13-year-old bay Thoroughbred mare, Awesome KC, continued to top the competition by winning in the Junior Championship with a score of 89.5.

Winning the Amateur Championship division was Mary Evert and Ariel with a score of 69.3. Ariel is an 11-year-old bay Oldenburg cross mare, owned by Evert. Second went to Kyle Smith and Stunt Pilot with a score of 70.4.


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