Mill Spring, N.C.—Sept. 1

The second day of the Nutrena American Eventing Championships kicked off today with the cross-country for seven divisions and dressage for an additional five divisions. We checked in with the leaders after today’s cross-country.

Beginner Novice Horse: Lauren Chumley on Nikolas

Lauren Chumley retained her dressage lead in the Broadstone Beginner Novice Horse division to come home on a 27.3 with Nikolas. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

While some weeks Nikolas and Lauren Chumley can be spotted dressed to the nines in the dressage ring, this weekend they’re tearing it up around the American Eventing Championships. Chumley is a dressage trainer with a taste for eventing, so she brought two ponies to show at the championships.

“Niko” regularly shows second level and is heading for USDF Dressage Regionals in two weeks.

“Oh, God. I think I need it. I love dressage, don’t get me wrong. I just think the eventing keeps you brave,” she said with a laugh. “I think six days a week of dressage in a ring is a lot, and I’ve always loved eventing, so I think it’s really good to get them out of the ring. It makes them braver. It makes them smarter, and I think it keeps their minds fresh.”

Chumley led after yesterday’s dressage on a 27.3 and added nothing today, but she’s feeling the pressure from Doug Payne who is on a 28.3 on Mr. Mitchell.

“There’s significant pressure,” she said about going into tomorrow’s stadium. “I’m going to do a lot of praying. I saw Doug Payne on cross-country—I tried to pay him off; it didn’t work. I thought about pushing him off his bike, but Andrea Davidson told me that was probably bad. So I didn’t do that. Doug and I are also tied in the training horse division [with Quantum Leap and Avatar’s Jazzman], we’re in the middle, but we’re tied. I thought I could just knock out two birds with one stone.

“Unfortunately I’m going to have to actually jump the jumps,” she joked. “I’m going to do a little praying tonight, and Andrea Davidson is going to warm me up tomorrow and see if I can’t figure out how to show jump really fast and clear.”

Novice Horse: Lucia Strini and Cooley Daydream

Lucia Strini retained her lead in the Novice Horse with Cooley Daydream on a 24.3. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

Lucia Strini’s partnership with Cooley Daydream is still in its infancy as the 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse is typically ridden by Strini’s sister Benita, but she handed over the ride for the AEC since the mare is still young.

“She was super,” said Lucia. “She was a little spooky in the beginning because in the training we start in the arena and then the grass, back to the arena, back to grass, so it was actually the footing changes that got her the most. Having the jumps, when she saw them, she kind of settled a little bit. She’s like, ‘I know my job!’ I was really happy with her. She was really bold and brave, and then by the time we got to come finish in the big derby field she was super full of herself and very, very confident so she finished even more confident than she started, which is always good.”

After the AEC, Cooley Daydream will head to the 5-year-old Young Event Horse East Coast Championships held at Fair Hill (Md.) in October, and after that they’ll make the decision as to whether she’s ready to move up to training.

Professional’s Choice Training Horse: Leslie Law and Sky’s The Limit

Leslie Law held onto his narrow lead in the Professional’s Choice Training Horse with Sky’s The Limit. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

Since pairing up with Law, Tracey Corey’s Sky’s The Limit has never scored above a 26.1, and she continued her success yesterday, scoring a 21.8 to lead the Professional’s Choice Training Horse division. The pair came in inside the time out on today’s cross-country to retain their lead.

Law imported the 6-year-old Westphalian from England last November and has had a quiet season as she learned the ropes of the discipline.

“Jump wise she jumped very well. I think she was a little cautious to go down the steep hill,” said Law. “She was a little cautious going down there, and a little bit looking down there, and that was just going down the galloping lane. I just let her get used to the surroundings going down there, and then I felt her relax through her body, and I just asked her to go on again, and she did. Jump wise she exceeded my expectations.”

Professional’s Choice Training Amateur: Anna Kristin Paysinger and Lusitana

Anna Kristin Paysinger and Lusitana also retained their lead in the Professional’s Choice Training Amateur on a 26.7. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

Like many riders Anna Kristen Paysinger grew up in the saddle, but college and medical school soon meant she spent more time hitting the books. But four years ago she decided to make a change and got back into eventing between her shifts at the emergency room.

She bought Lusitana, an 8-year-old Oldenburg mare, in 2014, and they’ve steadily progressed up the levels. While they’re showing in the Professional’s Choice Training Amateur, the pair has contested a few preliminary events this year.

Paysinger was also the only person to experience a hold on course when there was a fall. The rider Nicole Rich was uninjured.

“That was tricky. I’ve never had a hold before,” said Paysinger. “Luckily the girl was fine who fell, but [Lusitana] thought she was done and was like, ‘What are we doing out here? Can we go back to the barn?’

“I just asked before I started back if it was OK if I trotted a circle or two, cantered again, and then they were nice enough to let me jump the novice jump to get back in rhythm so she didn’t think, ‘OK, we’re done,’ especially since we were at the top of the hill, and then she’s going away still, and the horse that had fallen was getting led back up, and she’s like, ‘But that horse is going back, can I go back?’ She was good about it; she got right back in her rhythm.”

Professional’s Choice Master Training Amateur: Sandra Holden and Cano Cristales

Sandra Holden and Cano Cristales hold their lead in the Professional’s Choice Master Training Amateur on a 23.4. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

Sandra Holden’s seven-year partnership with Cano Cristales paid off today in the in the Professional’s Choice Master Training Amateur. The pair led after yesterday’s dressage on a 21.6 and added nothing to their score.

Holden first purchased the 13-year-old Hanoverian as a dressage prospect, but when she took an interest in eventing, they made the switch.

“He’s turned out to love jumping, and we’ve gone from beginner novice up to training,” said Holden. “He progressed quicker than I did. This season, I finally feel like we’re ready for the next step. He excels in dressage, but it would be a super close call with cross-country. He eats up all of the courses and gets more excited for that than anything in the three phases.”

Preliminary Horse: Boyd Martin and Barry

Boyd Martin took over the lead in the Preliminary Horse with Barry. Photo by Kimberly Loushin

After a torrential downpour complete with lightning caused a lengthy hold, the preliminary horse section got underway with Boyd Martin and Barry first out of the start box. They made quick work of the course and moved into the lead from third after leaders Dana Cooke with FE Mississippi and Allison Springer on Lord Willing picked up time faults.

“It was an amazing cross-country course,” said Martin. “The first third of it was in the derby field, so it felt like the Wellington Showcase (Fla.) event, and then the course really opened up to be galloping and open, so the first part of the course was a test of accuracy and control, and then the horse’s stamina got tested. There’s quite a long hill out the back. I didn’t realize how hard it would be. The horses were huffing and puffing at the top of the hill, so it was an interesting course.”

Barry, a 7-year-old Thoroughbred, was started in beginner novice by Caitlin Silliman, and Martin took over the ride at training level in February of 2015.

Preliminary Amateur: Ruth Bley and Rodrigue du Granit

Ruth Bley’s round with Rodrique du Granit in the Preliminary Amateur helped them retain their lead. Photo by Kimberly Loushin.

Before pairing up with Bley, Rodrique du Granit competed up to the one-star level in France with Steve Partington and Nicolas Touzaint. Bley purchased the 11-year-old Selle Francais in 2013. They’ve won three of their events since pairing up. They finished today on their dressage score of a 27.2.

Want more from the American Eventing Championships? There’s a live stream of the intermediate and advanced action, which can be found here. Don’t miss any of the Chronicle’s coverage, which is located here.