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Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM jumped a double-clear show jumping round today to win the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series Advanced division at Millbrook Horse Trials for the fourth time in their career.
Winning in 2010, 2011, 2012, and now 2015, Buck and the 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse owned by Carl and Cassie Segal have won every time they've entered the Advanced division at Millbrook, but going in to the final phase, Buck wasn't expecting a victory.
"I said to Kathleen [Blauth-Murray] in the warm-up, well he's jumping good, but we're not going to win this one anyway," said Buck, who was sitting in fourth place after cross country.
With scores so close at the top of the leaderboard, there was little room for error, and as each of the top three horses after cross country lowered rails, Buck and Reggie moved up. Marc Donovan designed a tough track that challenged the riders to maintain their focus and hold their lines. Several riders nearly went off course as they started to turn the wrong direction after a triple bar to two verticals.
"I really like Marc's courses," Buck said. "You see rails down and it's influential but you don't have to see four, five and six rails down which is disheartening. The lines are all good lines and everything is smooth and even. I think he does a great job, and when you have a horse like Reggie that jumps like that, it really doesn't matter how they set the jumps."
Reggie will have his usual check-up with Dr. Brendan Furlong on Tuesday and then carry on preparing for Richland Horse Trials later this month and Plantation in September. For the first time in his career, Reggie may even make an appearance at Fair Hill. Since age 8, Reggie has been involved in Team activities in the fall, so Fair Hill just hasn't happened yet.
"When he was eight he was the alternate for the Olympics so he was in Europe. When he was nine he did Burghley. When he was ten he did the World Games," Buck said. "Maybe it will happen this year. Like I always say, every event that I ever get to ride him and every day I get to ride him is a privilege. Whatever he wants to do is cool."
Kim Severson and Fernhill Fearless, the leaders after dressage, ultimately finished second despite lowering one rail in show jumping today. Lynn Symansky and Donner jumped double-clear to move up from fifth to finish third. Maya Black and Doesn't Play Fair picked up four penalties to move down one place to fourth.
Overnight leaders Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights were the last combination to jump today, and two unfortunate rails resulted in a seventh place finish. They will travel to England in preparation for the Clydesdale/Thoroughbred's first attempt at Burghley with plenty of work to do.
Jennie Brannigan jumped 1.46 meters to win the PRO 4-Bar Jump-Off prior to the start of Advanced show jumping this afternoon. The $1,500 in prize money will be split between Jennie, her mount's owner David Hopper, and the Dutchess Land Conservancy.
It was another great year of competition at Millbrook Horse Trials in Millbrook, New York. The next USEA Gold Cup event will be Richland Park Horse Trials in Richland, Michigan August 20-23, and the next stop on the PRO Tour is Aspen Farms Horse Trials in Yelm, Washington September 4-6.
About the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series
Qualifying for the 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup began last fall with the Plantation Field CIC3* (PA) and the Woodside CIC3* (CA) and features 11 qualifying competitions throughout the United States at the Advanced Horse Trials and CIC3* levels. The final will take place at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships September 2015 in Tyler, Texas. Riders who complete a qualifier earn the chance to vie for $40,000 in prize money in the Adequan Advanced Division and the title of Adequan USEA Gold Cup Champion.
The 2015 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its many loyal sponsors: Adequan, Standlee Forage, Nunn Finer, Nutrena, Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, Point Two, Dubarry, and FITS.
The PRO Tour Series consists of 13 premier destination events in the United States and Canada, featuring the best riders and most entertainment. Riders and Horses are awarded points on the PRO Tour Rider Leader Board and PRO Tour Horse Leader Board.
The Professional Riders Organization would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2015 PRO Tour Series: KER Optimum Time, Tex Sutton, Triple Crown Nutrition, and SSG Riding Gloves.
