Lexington, Ky.—April 27

Jessica Phoenix was the last rider to canter down centerline today on Pavarotti, and she ended up in first after her test scored a 43.1.

“It’s exciting!” said Phoenix, who rides for Canada. “I’m just so proud of everything Pavarotti did today, and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the weekend with him.

“He felt so relaxed going down the runway into the ring,” she added. “He felt so confident and happy, and it was a pleasure to ride him in that ring today.”

Jessica Phoenix is sitting first after Day 1 dressage at Rolex Kentucky. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Phoenix is now looking towards her next task with Pavarotti—Saturday’s Derek di Grazia cross-country track.

“I think it’s really suited to him,” she said. “He has a massive gallop stride and sometimes takes some time to settle in. I think it’ll be well suited to him. It looks bold and forward; there are a lot of accuracy questions. The terrain is always a big question here. But it’s open and bold and galloping, not trappy. I’m really excited to get out there!”

Phoenix will do dressage with her third mount, Bentley’s Best, at 3:12 tomorrow.

U.S. rider Lauren Kieffer, who also went in the last set of the day, is sitting second on Vermiculus (43.8 penalties).

“He was so good!” she said. “He’s kind of being a bit of a cheeky stinker, and then he’s kind of come out this spring … well, actually he was terrible when he came out this spring, so we tried some new warm ups. I tried not warming up. That didn’t work at all. But then at [the Cloud 11-Gavilan North LLC Carolina International CIC*** (N.C.)] and Chattahoochee Hills [CIC*** (Ga.)] he was really, really good. I didn’t come in here expecting that, but he really was super for his first time in that ring.”

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus are second after Rolex Kentucky Day 1 dressage. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

“Bug” is an Anglo-Arabian who’s a full brother to her first four-star mount Snooze Alarm. But Kieffer noted the two are quite different characters.

“Snooze is very grumpy in the barn, and Bug is very sweet and loveable,” she said. “They were both equally feral as young horses. When I bought Bug, I couldn’t ride him at home as a 3-year-old. I turned him out with Snooze, and I couldn’t catch him for three months. I was like, ‘I’m never going to be able to ride this horse.’ He didn’t get broke until he was 4. He was a bit of a late bloomer.”

At one point during her test, Kieffer worried she’d gone off course.

“Apparently a bag blew by during the test, and I didn’t hear it. I heard the crowd gasp,” she said. “But he handled it really well!”

And slotting into third (44.6) was Maxime Livio, who came all the way from France with Qalao des Mers. His test had two small mistakes when the gelding broke to canter during both extended trots.

“I’m a little disappointed because of the two mistakes—they were my fault,” said Livio. “I think my horse was very focused on what I wanted. The first medium trot I asked a little too much, and he was surprised, and he cantered. After that, he stayed very focused, and during the second one I said, ‘OK, I won’t do the same mistake two times,’ and that time he was waiting too much. It’s my fault, and that’s why I’m disappointed. But the horse was very quiet, very focused, and he wants to give his best. I’m quite happy with him.”

France’s Maxime Livio and Qalao des Mers earned third place in the first day of Rolex Kentucky CCI**** dressage. Photo by Lindsay Berreth.

Part of the reason Livio flew his mount here is so the horse can experience that kind of travel. He’s eyeing the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Tryon, N.C. He said the horse traveled well.

“It’s an important thing to know that before such an important competition,” he said. “It’s amazing here. It’s incredible. The landscape, the organization, everything is very nice. My horse loves to be here.”

Tomorrow at noon German juggernaut Michael Jung, trying for his third Rolex win in a row, will do his test on FischerRocana FST. The first rider in the ring will be Liz Halliday-Sharp on Fernhill By Night at 9 a.m. local time.

See scores here, and tomorrow’s ride times here.