Ashton And Dobbin Cruise Ahead After Cross-Country At Fair Hill CCI***

The standings went topsy-turvy after three hours of Fair Hill CCI*** cross-country, but at the end of the day, Corinne Ashton moved up from fifth place to first with a double-clear round aboard Dobbin.

Will Coleman and Twizzel advanced one place into second with 2 time faults ahead of Amy Tryon and Leyland, who added just .8 to their dressage score.

But the shocker of the afternoon occurred when first-placed Leslie Law incurred three refusals aboard Fleeceworks Mystere du Val, and second-placed Kim Severson retired on Tipperary Liadhnan.

Law had his first stop at fence 10ab, the Aqueduct, and his next at fence 12abc, the Wayne’s Walls coffin. When Mystere du Val quit again at 14ab, the Chesapeake Water, Law was eliminated. Fédération Equestre Internationale rules changed this year from elimination after the fourth refusal to the third.

Severson made it as far as the Cherry Tree Corners at 18ab when “Paddy” ran out at the first corner and stopped at the second. Severson decided to call it a day at that point.

However, the Olympians’ misfortune was good luck for those riders who did run fast and clear over Derek di Grazia’s testing 10-minute course.

“It’s always good to be first, even if it’s just for a day,” joked Ashton. She said she’s had bad luck at Fair Hill in the past. Last year they finished in the top 10, but had a run-out on course.

“I’ve got to say he feels the best physically and mentally that he’s felt in all 10 years [that I've been riding him],” said Ashton. “He loves what he’s doing, and he’s incredibly good at it.”

Ashton said the 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding is very quick across the ground and took care of her on course.

“Most things he can fix up himself. He’s plenty experienced,” she said. “I was eating his mane in the arena there. I never saw the fox [fence 8c in the Dansko Village], but luckily he could see where he was meant to go.”

Coleman blamed himself a bit for not making the time with Twizzel. Had he gone double-clear, it would have been him instead of Ashton in the leading position.

“I honestly felt like I was jumping around preliminary today. I should have made the time.”

Coleman said that the 12-year-old Westphalian was galloping very quickly in the beginning of the course, and he slowed him up so he wouldn’t run out of gas at the end.

“I think I should have let him blast around,” said Coleman. “He pulled me to the 9-minute mark. He loves the job. If a horse could smile, he was showing his teeth across the finish line.”

Tryon won the Jersey Fresh CCI*** aboard Leyland this spring, but the 8-year-old Thoroughbred has only done two events since then because Tryon spent so much time abroad for the Olympics.

“I have two working students at home who do a lot of hacking, canter and fitness work for me. I haven’t been home since January, so that let’s you know the quality of the backup team I have at home,” said Tryon. She also stands sixth with Coal Creek after cross-country.

Less than 3 points separate the top five, and with Phillip Dutton in fourth aboard Bailey Wick (48.9) and Boyd Martin in fifth with Belmont II (50.2), the pressure will be on for show jumping. Ten riders finished double-clear on cross-country of 52 starters, and 34 finished with no jumping penalties.