After a brief bone-chilling downpour early this morning at the Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana, the competition heated up on the first day of competition for the CIC3*, CCI2*, CIC2*, Advanced, Intermediate, a few Preliminary divisions, and the Training Three-Day.
The chilly temperatures today made for some fresh horses, many of whom have been training in sweltering temperatures at their homes during the weeks prior to the competition. Many of the horses were a bit exuberant with the unseasonable weather, adding in a few extra flying changes or bucks for good measure.

In their inaugural visit to Rebecca Farms, Allison Springer of Philomont, Virginia, and her longtime partner Arthur added another notch to their belt, as they swept the competition with an 11-point lead in the CIC3*, the Adequan USEA Gold Cup division. Their accurate and flowing test earned them a 37.4, well ahead of second placed competitors Heather Gillette and Our Questionnaire (48.4), and third placed Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin N’ Juice (48.6).

Springer and Arthur are no strangers to the spotlight in the dressage ring, but because of the Irish Sport Horse gelding’s frisky attitude, sometimes his results can be a little capricious. “What happened in the dressage ring was considerably better than warm-up all day long. He was beside himself. The cool weather feels great and with all the tents flapping he was excited. But he is maturing well and being a good boy.

"What I have been working on is exactly this--he is not a relaxed horse. He is spooky and nervous; a superb athlete, but I need to work through how to be consistent. When he is that tense and nervous it's a challenge to put together a consistent test. Today I didn't give any points away. Everyone had excited horses. The question is how can you mange that? But that's the fun of riding--managing this partnership.”

In regards to the cross-country course she will compete on tomorrow, Springer added, "The course looks really nice. I love how great the footing feels. Beautiful design, beautiful construction, beautiful footing--you can't ask for more."

Springer and Arthur arrived here on Tuesday aboard Air Horse One, a charter flight that brought 19 horses here for The Event. "The people and the community here are wonderful. Everyone is so kind and laid back. It's such a blessing to have a world-class event like this in our country and a family like the Broussards who are so supportive of this sport and understand why it's important to have competitions like this in our country. For what I am trying to accomplish, the London Olympics, Rebecca Farm is a really important stop on this road."

Second placed Heather Gillette, also competing in her first event at Rebecca Farms, was thrilled with ‘Questie’s’ performance this afternoon. "Our Questionnaire was right on his job, didn't get sidetracked or get creative and did everything I asked. He was amazing."

Gillette, who’s based out of Califon, New Jersey, was also one of the riders who flew to Kalispell for the event. "Getting off the plane was surreal," she said. "We got swept off our feet. I felt like a president. The more you look at the facility, the more you appreciate all the thought that went into it.

"We decided to bring my Rolex horse Our Questionnaire out to Montana because the footing on cross country is legendary," she continued. "His owner Kathleen McDermott attended the Event in 2009 and just raved about it."

Hawley Bennett-Awad, a Canadian Olympian, has been competing in Montana for over a decade, and looks forward to her trip each year. This year, she’s riding six horses, including one in the Training Three-Day, and also coaching multiple students from her Temecula, California home base. "The organization and the Broussard family are second-to-none. There are 600 horses on the property and you'd never know it because it is so spread out. It's a favorite event of mine - a pivotal event in the calendar. This is my prep for going to a fall three-day in Europe."

Karen O’Connor and the Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred mare Veronica, owned by Team Rebecca LLC, had a foot-perfect test at high noon to lead the Advanced division with a 27.0—this is the mare’s first event at this level. Her fellow East Coast comrade Phillip Dutton is seated second with Ben, a big-moving Holsteiner gelding also owned by the Broussards.

Canadian rider Jessica Phoenix had a super test aboard Don Good’s Pavarotti—a 49.6 was enough to boost them to the top of the standings in the CCI2*. Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken, who trekked out to Montana from New Jersey, are close behind with a 50.2, while Ronald Zabala-Goetschel, an Ecudadorian rider from Pennsylvania, rounds out the top three aboard his own flashy gelding Wise Equestrian Mr. Wise Guy.

Only six riders are competing in the CIC2*, but so far James Atkinson is having a great weekend hanging onto the top two spots aboard Carolyn Hoffos’ two horses: Gustav (59.1) and Annie Oakley III (61.8).

The one-star riders kicked off their competition weekend yesterday, and at the end of the day Jolie Wentworth was leading the CCI1* with Tracy Bowman’s Bally Quinn (54.8), and Karen Laidley and Snow Globe Effect are atop the pack in the CIC1* (52.5).

Though Rebecca Farm cancelled their Preliminary Three-Day Event this year, 23 riders are enjoying the Training Three-Day Event, part of the SmartPak Equine/USEA Classic Series. Top professionals and horsemen like Karen and David O’Connor, Max Corcoran, Phillip Dutton, and Robert Kellerhouse, amongst others, have donated their time to give educational clinics throughout the weekend. Some of the clinics included an introduction to the jog-up, a steeplechase practice, course walks, guide to roads and tracks, and a guide to the 10-minute box.

While the most challenging and fun part of the three-day will take place tomorrow, Therese Russell, of Brier, Washington, and her Oldenburg gelding Dante hope to retain their lead of 28.2 over the second placed Tristen Hooks and Learning To Fly, who recently won the Inavale Training Three-Day.

After a long morning preparing the energetic Gin N’ Juice for her test, Bennett-Awad was pleased with how Linda Paine’s mare performed. "I am very happy with Gin N' Juice," said Bennett-Awad. "It can get a bit electrical with the cross-country going on at the same time and I actually rode her four times today. I am very happy with her trot work, although she got a little behind in the canter."

Looking to the cross-country stage tomorrow, the riders spoke about the course designed by Captain Mark Phillips, one of the leading designers in the world. Phillips designed the 12 cross-country courses that include four water complexes and over 150 different jumps. One special feature this summer is a newly built "old west town," where riders and horse will leap through the saloon doorway. The miniature town also features a hangman's gallows, an old west bank, a town hall, and more.

"The western decoration is one of the nice things about designing here," said Phillips. "You can indulge in a little bit of history and fun. As far as the horse is concerned, however, all they see is the actual fence."

In a town of less than 19,000, it’s not unusual for The Event at Rebecca Farm to pull in over 20,000 spectators during Saturday’s exciting cross-country day.

Day three of the Event at Rebecca Farm begins tomorrow, July 23 with the cross-country phase running all day from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 3-Star riders will begin competing on the course at 1:05pm. Admission for spectators is free. Guests may walk the cross-country course or view it from a hillside with a great vantage point of the complex. Six different arenas offer close-up views of dressage and show-jumping. In addition to the competition, a trade fair is also offered with a wide range of food and beverage concessions, as well as a new kid's zone with face painting and pony rides.

For more information, visit http://www.rebeccafarm.org.

The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors: Title: Adequan; Legacy: Nunn Finer, Nutrena; and Patron: Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, and Succeed.

Adequan is proud to be the official joint therapy treatment of the USEA.

The SmartPak Equine/USEA Classic Series is made possible through the support of its many sponsors: Title Sponsor: SmartPak Equine; Presenting Sponsor: Stackhouse Saddles; Silver Level Sponsor: Fleeceworks; Legacy Sponsor: Five Star Tack Elite Sponsors: FITS and Nunn Finer