Mill Spring, N.C. – Nov. 12

After torrential downpours overnight in the Tryon, North Carolina, area, Thursday stayed mostly dry for the first day of competition at the 2020 Buckeye Nutrition USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship. The first 35 of 62 total contenders for the championship title completed their tests today at the MARS Equestrian Tryon International Three-Day Event.

At the end of Thursday’s competition, Marilyn Little  and RF Scandalous, a 15-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Jacqueline Mars, topped the leaderboard by a comfortable margin, moving on to the cross-country phase with a score of 21.5.

“I believe Kitty and I both tend to produce our best performances in the most pressurized moments, so I really look forward to the butterflies,” said Little. “We know how to do weeks like this, and I believe we have come into this weekend prepared and ready to take on all three phases the way we would like. The fact that I have the chance to be here at all with Kitty this weekend, with all the excitement that I have is a blessing—and frankly, a miracle—produced by the many incredible people around us. Their support deserves a personal best from both of us.”

The second half of the dressage phase begins November 13, at 8:00 a.m. EST. Watch live on USEF Network.

Full results can be found here.

Watch Little’s test via USEF Network.