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Elkton, Md.—Oct. 19—The main arena at the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill opened Thursday morning with dressage tests for the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship.
Olympian Lauren Nicholson (The Plains, Virginia) currently leads the division after producing a score of 30.6 aboard Landmark’s Jungle Gold, an 8-year-old Holsteiner-Irish Sport Horse gelding (Diarado x Jungle Tale) owned and bred by Ms. Jaqueline Mars. The crisp weather this morning created a sharp atmosphere inside of the main arena, but Nicholson, who has known “Richie” since he was a foal, handled it well and produced a solid test to hold the lead throughout the day.
“He’s a very settled horse. We’ve had him his entire life and career. He’s a homebred and really can handle an atmosphere quite well,” said Nicholson. Of the week ahead she said, “This is a strong three-star track, and it’s usually close to 10 minutes out there on cross-country, so it’s a great track for their education, but also for their base fitness thinking about the future, and that’s why we decided to aim him here. He’s got the maturity now to be competitive and thinking about the future being here will only help him continue to grow.”
Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Virginia) and Idefix van de Creumelhaeve, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Emir R x A. Adermie 1) owned by Katherine Coleman, currently sit in second place in the division on a 30.7, just behind Nicholson, while Woods Baughman (Lexington, Kentucky) and Kamara CFF, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Negro x Damara) owned by Kamara CFF, LLC, are slotted just behind them on a 30.9.
The second day of dressage in the CCI3*-L division will continue tomorrow with the first combinations scheduled to ride down the centerline at 9:05 a.m. EST.
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