PrintTHE FIRST ROUND
I'll try and post every 25 riders or so, with updates on how the course is riding, who has done well, who hasn't, etc. Please don't expect an account of every rider's trip, but I'll try to keep you up to date!! Scroll down to see the most recent posting.
Disclaimer: I’m providing this as a service to those who are interested, and I'm just recording my observations. I’m not a judge, just a reporter who has watched the Medal Finals in their entirety for the past 11 years. You may not agree with my notes, and that’s fine—I’m not putting them out there as the authoritative word, but as information for those interested. That said, read on!
THE FIRST 25
Sydney Smith didn’t follow the course directions of proceeding directly to Fence 1, instead trotting to the end of the ring, then circling to the jump. She did the intermediate option at the turn from Fence 6 to 7. All in all, she had quite a nice round with no major mistakes.
Elizabeth Kenny trotted into the ring, then struck up and canter and went to Fence 1. She also did the intermediate turn to Fence 7, going around the straw bales but inside Fence 9. She had a very nice, flowing trip.
Christina Couper stuck off the ground at Fence 6 and wisely made the choice to swing wide to Fence 7, going around Fence 9. She squeezed three strides into 10AB. A fine round.
Allison Fithian cantered right down the ring and to Fence 1. She fit five strides to 4ABC, and stalled off the ground at A, putting two strides from A to B. She was the first to make the tighter option turn, through the gap, to Fence 7 and did it nicely.
Elizabeth Mahoney had a fine trip, with no major mistakes, but it had an overall tense feel to it. Olivia Jack had quite a lovely go, with confident decisions and a confident flow. She did the shorter turn option from 6 to 7.
Taylor Ann Adams was having a beautiful, flowing trip and was riding forward and positively, but she ran into trouble at 10AB. She jumped in quite definitely, but her horse wasn’t sure about the two strides and jumped out awkwardly.
Shawn Casady rode a decisive track and just had a few distances that were a hari close. Victoria Efird’s horse spooked at the end of the ring on her way to the first fence, but she got him going again. He then spooked at the ferns and straw bales after Fence 6 and she trotted the turn to Fence 7. He then stopped at the wall at Fence 8 and had a rail at Fence 9.
Abby O’Mara got a bit tight to 4A and got jumped a little bit loose through the combination. She then did the intermediate turn option to Fence 7. A rail came down at Fence 10. In all, not as organized as the judges are looking for.
Catie Verano did the wide turn to Fence 7, and then a more direct line to the wall at 8. But her horse slammed the brakes on at the Swedish oxer at 9, and then she added a stride in 10AB. Carolyn VanHouten chose the intermediate turn option from 6 to 7, but then got quite close to the coop at 7. A solid trip with just a few minor imperfections.
Navona Gallegos started with a bold, forward ride at the first jump and didn’t look back. She chose the tighter turn option to Fence 7 and it worked out well for her. I’d say this was the best round we’ve seen so far.
