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Cross-country played a huge factor in the leaderboard today at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, ultimately shifting U.S. pair Tamie Smith and Alexandra and Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell’s 17-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Mai Baum (Loredano x Ramira) from third into the pole position going into show jumping on Sunday. Smith and Mai Baum were one of only six pairs to go double-clear across Derek di Grazia’s five-star track. Prior to the afternoon’s action kicking off, Lauren Nicholson opted to withdraw Landmark’s Monte Carlo. As the day played out, eight pairs elected to call it a day on course and three pairs were eliminated. Miss out on the livestream?
We’ve outlined the full play-by-play for you below.
#1 The afternoon’s pathfinders Buck Davidson and Erroll Gobey just seemed to lose a bit of power after the A element at the Park Question at 6, resulting in a stop later at C and 20 penalties being added to their score after successfully navigating the option. As they tackled the Equestrian Events Trifecta at 8, the horse didn’t appear to lock onto the second corner. Davidson circled back to the long-track and popped the horse over another fence, then raised his hand to retire and save the horse for another day.
#2 Twilightslastgleam took a small peak at the Park Question as well, but Saville rode through it positively. Unfortunately, the duo activated the MIMS clip at A resulting in 11 penalties being added to their score.
#6 Alexandra Knowles and Morswood encountered some trouble at the Normandy Bank, resulting in an elimination for the pair.
#12 German pair Alina Dibowski and Barbados 26 had a bit of trouble today with a 20 at both the final part of the Mars Sustainability Bay and at the Park Question. Dibowski opted to save the horse for another day and retired after their second refusal.
#14 The Mars Sustainability Bay caused some more issues for Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 as they appeared to have some control issues riding up to the B element. Baughman elected to raise his hand and end the day for the duo.
#18 Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI picked up 20 penalties after the ditch at 6ABC, the Park Question. They rerouted to the option and kicked on, finishing the day with the 20 plus 18.8 in time.
#23 Davidson returned with his second of three mounts for the day, Sorocaima, but unfortunately had an issue at 21, the third part of the Normandy Bank, to add 20 to their score.
#24 Heartbreakingly, Saville retired on her second mount of the day, Stella Artois, before the second-to-last fence. As a result, Will Coleman and Off The Record, Maxime Livio and Carouzo Boise Marotin, and Emily Hamel and Corvett were all held on course. Saville later posted on her Facebook page that the mare had felt off, so she pulled up, and she was transported to Hagyard Equine as a precaution.
#28 Probably one of the biggest shakeups of the day was overnight leader and reigning World Champion pair Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir having a run out on course at the C element of the Park Question. They picked up a 20 and an additional 20 for time, dropping them to 21st place.
#29 Booli Selmayr took a tumble from Millfield Lancando when the horse hung a leg at the A element into the water at the Mars Sustainability Bay. Both horse and rider walked away seemingly unscathed but were eliminated.
#30 Colleen Rutledge picked up 20 penalties at question 8, the Equestrian Events Trifecta with her homebred Covert Rights and elected to retire on course.
#31 After successfully navigating his five-star first-timer Contessa around the course earlier in the day, Boyd Martin had an unfortunate glance off at C at the Mars Sustainability Bay aboard Tsetserleg TSF. Martin opted to retire and save his longtime partner for another day.
#34 Sydney Solomon had an unfortunate parting of ways with Early Review CBF at the Cosequin Cove at 23 resulting in elimination. Early Review CBF landed on his feet and Solomon got up and walked away.
#37 The Park Question caused trouble for another pair, Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8. They added 20 to their score, but continued on.
#35 James Alliston and Nemesis had a refusal at fence 21 at the Normandy Bank, but they circled around and got it done. Despite their trouble on course, the pair rocked and rolled around the course and still finished with just 6.8 time penalties in addition to their jump penalty.
#39 Zachary Brandt’s plan a didn’t quite work out at the Rolex Grand Slam Challenge with a refusal at 10B, but he moved on to plan B and rode on. Unfortunately, the pair would later add another 20 to their score at 12, Pete’s Hollow, resulting in 40 jumping penalties being tacked on to their score.
#42 Up until later in the order of go, the Head of the Lake had yet to cause issues for any of the five-star riders. Sadly, Hawley Bennet-Awad and longtime partner Jollybo didn’t quite get into the rails at 17 the way they needed to and called it a day.
#44 In a seriously heartbreaking turn of events, Davidson also had issues with his third and final ride of the day, Carlevo, at the Head of the Lake, just glancing off the final corner at 18. Davidson raised his hand to indicate his retirement and the crowd cheered for the pair.
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