After a one-year gap in 2020, international eventing competition will return to Morven Park this week starting Thursday, October 6, and running through Sunday, October 10. Not only will Morven Park see the return of their CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S divisions, but for the first time ever the event is host to a CCI4*-L in which 26 top international competitors will battle it out for top honors. Add in their national divisions of Novice through Preliminary (which did run in 2020) into the mix and over 300 horse and rider duos will pay the historic property at Morven Park a visit this weekend in hopes of bringing home a blue ribbon.
The Field:
The inaugural CCI4*-L at Morven Park will feature 26 entries. Of those 26 entries, there are only two riders with multiple horses: Buck Davidson who will be presenting Rolo 7 LLC’s 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Candyman (Sligo Candy Boy x Dashing Hill) and Karleigh Wright’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Sorocaima (Rock Hard Ten x Sankobasi) and Canadian rider Jessica Phoenix who has the ride on her own and Jim Phillips’ 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Wabbit (Line of Departure x No Kissing) and her own 10-year-old Trakehner gelding Watson GS (Humble GS x Woodstock GS
While most of the field are seasoned at the CCI4*-L level, seven horses will be making their CCI4*-L debut at Morven Park: Albano ridden by Bobby Meyerhoff, Ally KGO ridden by Caitlin Silliman, Bronte Beach Z ridden by Ema Klugman, CharmKing ridden by Holly Payne Caravella, Cooley Candyman and Sorocaima ridden by Buck Davidson, Quasi Cool ridden by Phillip Dutton, and Wabanaki ridden by Boyd Martin.
Three pairs will be tackling their first CCI4*-L format together: Amanda Beale Clement and Carlson 119, Andi Lawrence and Cooley Northern Mist, and Isabelle Bosley and Night Quality.
Dutton and Caroline Moran’s 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Quasi Cool are coming off of a win in the CCI4*-S at Plantation Field in September. Also fresh off of a recent victory are The Dawnland Syndicate’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Wabanki piloted by Boyd Martin who dominated in the Advanced division at the Tryon Fall Horse Trials.
Who will be the first to inscribe their name in the Morven Park history books?
The Facts:
Wayne Quarles (USA) is the technical delegate with John Williams (USA) assisting.
Gretchen Buttss (USA) is the president of the ground jury of the CCI4* competition and will be assisted by Jo Young (CAN) and Jane Hamlin (USA).
Derek di Grazia (USA) is the cross-country course designer for the CCI4* divisions, assisted by Jeff Kibbie (USA).
Chris Barnard (USA) is the show jumping course designer.
We all do our best to respect ourselves and believe in our abilities, but sometimes it can be a bit harder than we might expect. As a matter of fact, it’s been proven that we respect and believe in others more than we respect and believe in ourselves!
The United States Eventing Associations’ (USEA) Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) is pleased to announce the dates and location of the upcoming 2024 ECP Symposium. The annual ECP Symposium, which is held in the southeast to accommodate the migration of eventers for the winter season, will be hosted at ...
