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.

Dutton started his day with a fall in the three-star aboard Loose ‘N Cool at fence 10. The medical team checked him out and permitted him to continue with Bailey Wick and Kheops du Quesnay, who ended the day in 18th place.

Other falls in the three-star included Great Britain’s Oliver Townend, who fell at Wayne’s Walls with Three Wishes II, and Debbie Rosen, who had an unfortunate fall three fences from the finish at the Double Brush.

Pippa Moon and Ribbo were eliminated for missing a fence. Noel Clark and James Moore were both eliminated for stops on course, while Tory Smith chose to retire Bantry Bay after two stops at Wayne’s Walls. Law retired his other horse, Evening Shade, when he just appeared out of gas in the third water jump.

Rosin Maintains Her Lead
Molly Rosin held onto first place in the two-star with a double-clear round aboard Havarah’s Charly. But second-placed Kelly Prather achieved the same result with Ballinakill Glory and only .4 penalties separate them heading into show jumping.

Coleman managed to jump up into a tie for third place aboard Nevada Bay. He and Sinead Halpin on Manoir de Carneville were tied after dressage and moved up together on their double-clear cross-country rounds.

“I thought the two-star was as tough as a two-star gets,” said Coleman. Although 50 of the 71 horses jumped clean, only 15 made the time.

“I thought it rode fantastic,” said Rosin. “I don’t think it was soft. It’s hard for me to compare. I haven’t ridden a CCI** since 1998.”

Rosin said the North American Young Riders Championship was her last CCI**, and she’s been bringing horses along and selling them ever since. However, “Charly” isn’t for sale.

“Charley’s the best athlete I’ve ever come across,” she said. “He’s a phenomenal horse in every aspect, but he’s by no means an easy ride.”

Rosin has been riding the 10-year-old Hungarian Warmblood for the last three years and is currently based in Elkton, Md.

Prather reported that Ballinakill Glory came off the course with “a ton of confidence. I was very pleased. I felt like there was a ton left in the tank.”

No one jump caused too many problems on the two-star track, but there were plenty of places for an easy run-out. A fall at 6a, the first of the Radnor Corners, forced Jane Jennings and Ringmoylan to walk home. Brittany Kart parted company with Llewellyn at 8ab, the Elk Chapel Cabins and Gardens, as did Doug Payne and Rocket. Madison Foote fell off Sam I Am at the end of the course at The Punkin Patch at 23ab. Christine Ehlers technically missed a fence when Reggae Moon jumped just to the left of the corner at 12b after knocking down the flag in an earlier run-out.

Fourth-placed Sally McKechnie Lofting chose to retire Balmoral Avenue after he bled from his nose on course. Karen Shull retired Rustic Design after two stops, while Frankie Simpson, Katie Wherley and Shawn Price were eliminated for three refusals.