Kat Netzler and Mollie Bailey

With flood warnings in effect, portions of the nearest interstate highway closed and the promise of several more inches of precipitation over the next 48 hours, it came as no surprise to anyone at the Lamplight Equestrian Center that officials announced an early end to the American Eventing Championships today, Sept. 13.

Yesterday’s steady rain turned into a downpour overnight, forcing organizers to re-evaluate the packed AEC schedule for today, Sept. 13. The ground jury deemed the cross-country course too sloppy for the advanced, intermediate and preliminary divisions, so those riders are now scheduled to saddle up this afternoon for show jumping.

Show jumping action kicked off amid fog and drizzle at 8 a.m. today, Sept. 12, but that didn't dampen any of the excitement as the biggest championship divisions concluded, the second day of cross-country commenced and the upper-level riders hit the dressage arena.

After yesterday’s dressage competition at the American Eventing Championships in Wayne, Ill., Kelsey Neely and Zula staked out a claim at the top of the junior beginner novice leaderboard, and today, Sept.11, she had to dig in her heels to hold onto the lead—literally.

Bonnie Mosser bested them all in Sunday’s show jumping phase to earn impressive come-from-behind victories in both the CCI*** and advanced division horse trial.

“The dressage has always been good enough,” she said of the 9-year-old gray gelding Merloch, whose double-clear show jumping round in the CCI*** earned quite a response from the crowd. “Show jumping-wise he’s usually been either no rails or one rail.”

Will Coleman and Icarus bounded into the lead in the CCI*** after a double-clear cross-country round this afternoon moved the pair up from third place.

The pair’s confident finish belied their new partnership, as this weekend marks only the second outing for the two. “I got him the week of Plantation (Pa.), I ran him there, then this is the second event I’ve done with him," said Coleman. "I’m just getting to know him and it’s going steady.”