Red Hills

Members of the U.S. eventing community can agree on one thing: our team should be winning medals at international championships. But beyond that, the common ground continues to recede in the wake of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s announcement of a two-man short list for the chef d’equipe job in 2013.

March 13, Tallahassee, Fla.

Allison Springer came to Florida in her mud-splattered Honda Civic, but she’ll be looking classy as she leaves Tallahassee in her new Mercedes SUV—a one-year lease was the top prize at the Red Hills CIC***.

Springer, of Upperville, Va., show jumped double clear today to finally clinch her first FEI win aboard her longtime partner, Arthur, on a score of 53.3. It’s been a long time coming, as they’ve placed in the top five at eight CIC***s since 2007.

March 12, Tallahassee, Fla.

Allison Springer blazed the CIC*** trail as the first rider out of the Red Hills box in the division this morning, but as the hours wiled away, not one rider managed to best her score.

Announcers Nigel Casserley and John Kyle made plenty of hay throughout the day about the fact that no one has ever gone double clear at the advanced level here at Red Hills. And Springer and her mount Arthur were no exception, adding 8 time faults to their third-placed dressage score of 45.3.

There’s a new queen reigning over the Red Hills CIC***, and her name is Isabella II. 

After cross-country on Saturday, Mara Dean knew that she would have to jump clean on Sunday, March 8, in order to win the Red Hills International CIC***-W, Tallahassee, Fla. However, she was able to take a bit of a deep breath when Phillip Dutton and Truluck added 5 time penalties to their otherwise clean jumping round. Nicki Henley took one rail down and added 4 time faults, but he and Dean’s score of 59.8 was enough to take home blue.

While Hugh Lochore’s cross-country course caught some horse-and-rider combinations by surprise, Nicki Henley and Mara Dean put in a flawless jumping trip today, Saturday, March 5, to maintain their lead in the Red Hills International CIC***-W.

Familiar faces filled all the top spots in the Red Hills International CIC***-W in Tallahassee, Fla., today, Friday, March 5. Mara Dean and Nicki Henley put in their usual elegant test (42.0) to claim the top spot over Phillip Dutton on Truluck (45.6) and Bonnie Mosser on Merloch (47.4).