Nunnink And R-Star Shine At Twin Rivers

Solving control issues helps the California rider earn blue.

Hot weather didn’t slow down Kristi Nunnink and R-Star at the Twin Rivers Spring CCI**, April 17-19 in Paso Robles, Calif.

Despite past troubles with making the time on cross-country, Nunnink and R-Star were on fire at Twin Rivers, placing first in dressage with a score of 45.0 and retaining their lead throughout the weekend.

“She is such a wonderful horse and so talented. It was nice to have the last little piece come together,” said Nunnink, who finished with 1.6 time penalties on cross-country.

“Making the time has always been a problem for us. She’s so brave and has a huge stride, but sometimes if I let it out I can’t reel her back in,” said the Auburn, Calif., native of R-Star, an 8-year-old Holsteiner mare.

At last year’s Twin Rivers CCI**, Nunnink hadn’t been able to get R-Star under control after she accelerated to make up time on the course. “She tried to do four strides in a six-stride line and ended up cart-wheeling over,” recalled Nunnink, 48, who was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

After that tumble, Nunnink and R-Star moved down to the preliminary level for one event and then back up to intermediate for the fall. They completed the Fair Hill CCI** (Md.) with one stop on cross-country.

In February, Nunnink and R-Star completed their first advanced horse trials together and placed 12th in the Galway Downs CIC*** (Calif.) in March.

New Brakes

All that preparation paid off with better control for their second attempt at the Twin Rivers CCI**.

Just before the event, Nunnink, and trainer Derek di Grazia, tried a new bit on R-Star, a two-ring Myler combination, which offered a bit more leverage as compared to the plain snaffle the mare had previously worn.

“Saturday was the first time I used [the bit] on cross country,” said Nunnink. “I had just come to the point where I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to train her any more than I had without trying something new.

“The course didn’t seem difficult for her in size or technicality, but just in our ability to go forward and then come back. Our biggest obstacle was really just trying to be faster,” she added.

And while a win at Twin Rivers boosted the pair’s confidence, Nunnink has bigger goals in mind. “Ever since I started eventing, my goal was and always has been to jump around [the Rolex Kentucky CCI****]. I feel I can do it with her [R-Star], but the question is when it is right for her—in a dream world that would be next year.” Nunnink realized that R-Star might provide the gateway to her Rolex Kentucky dream four years ago when she saw her big white head hanging out of a stall at her friend’s farm. Since the mare had just been saddle broke, Nunnink was only able to watch the dappled gray mare move around in a round pen and jump a small pole.

“There was just something that I loved about her,” reflected Nunnink, who had to sell other mounts before she was able to purchase the young mare. “She has, in some ways, been so easy and in other ways she has given me such great respect for men because she can be so irrational with things,” Nunnink chuckled. “Derek’s mantra with me is just work through it and don’t get upset. Once she figures out what I am asking, she gives 200 percent!”

A Solid Base