Cathy Wieschhoff, who operates out of her Carriage Station Farm, in Lexington, Ky., scored a hometown win in the Midsouth CCI*, winning the open division with Betsy Watkins’ 12-year-old Holme Truth. The pair finished on their dressage score of 46.1 to take the win, Oct. 20-24 in Lexington, at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“I am really psyched that this horse won the dressage,” said Wieschhoff. “He was so relaxed and rideable. I was impressed with him winning that phase.”

“Homer” competed at the 2002 Rolex Kentucky CCI****, with Ralph Hill. “Betsy Watkins of Ocala, Fla., owns him,” said Wieschhoff of the 16.2-hand Irish-bred. “He had been sent to Ruthie Harbison, who lives in Florida. He was with her for a year, hacking out and being turned out. Ruthie did a great job reprogramming him.”

In March, Watkins sent Homer to Wieschhoff to compete and sell. “He has run in several prelims and intermediates,” said Wieschhoff. “I was thinking about trying to compete him at Fair Hill [(Md.) in the CCI***]. [However], he’s gotten so relaxed and quiet that it wouldn’t have been good for him. My schedule didn’t allow Radnor [(Pa.) CCI**], so I brought him back here to run in the one-star.”

Significant rain at the beginning of the week thwarted speed and en-durance plans. Wayne Quarles, the FEI technical delegate, said that it had been decided on Thursday night that there would be no steeplechase.

“Two fences in the steeplechase field were in standing water. There was really not a way to get through the field. There is a swale there that runs all the way across,” Quarles said. He added that FEI permission to change was not necessary; however, the fact that the competition was run with a 4-kilometer phase “A” and a 7-minute, 7-second, cross-country would be noted in his TD report.

Wieschhoff enjoyed the cross-country course, designed by Derek di Grazia. “It asks all the right questions. For the old timers, I was glad the steeplechase was removed,” she said. “It’s easier on them. At the end of the course there were accuracy questions, which I believe is the essence of a one-star course. You need rideability not a tired horse.”

The coffin, fence 14 ABC caused trouble throughout the day. “When we walked the course, I thought that the distance at the coffin was short,” said Wieschhoff. “However, because the brush was on a slight angle, horses that jumped bravely and boldly weren’t punished.”

Wieschhoff had a slightly nervous moment at the log to the corner at fence 18-19, which was an accuracy question. At first the fence judge called a refusal when Wieschhoff circled between the two fences. “This horse tends to jump far into combinations. He jumped halfway down the hill. I thought, ‘I’m on the clock. I can go a little faster afterwards.’ I yelled ‘Option–long way!’ and turned right. I heard a refusal announced and spoke to the FEI Steward, Pat Maykuth, when I got to the vet box. It was already being rectified,” she said.

Holme Truth jumped a double-clear show jumping round. After the Swedish oxer, Wieschhoff took a pull. “I’ll just slow you down and let you think,” she said. She and Buck Davidson, of Ringoes, N.J., (third on May I Tell Ya) were the only competitors in the open division to finish on their dressage scores.

Rogers Earns Peters Trophy

On the strength of a double-clear cross-country and a double-clear show jumping round, 17-year-old Stephen Rogers, of Dallas, Texas, came from ninth after the dressage, and second after cross-country, to win the Harry T. Peters Trophy for the U.S. Equestrian Federation National Junior Championship.

For those who are not old enough to remember Mr. Peters, he owned Markham, the horse Mike Plumb was to ride in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Markham threw a fit on the plane and had to be destroyed in flight. Plumb later rode Billy Haggard’s Bold Minstrel, who was flown to Japan especially for the Games, to the team silver medal.

In his first three-day event, Rogers, a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School, in Dallas, Texas, rode his 9-year-old Australian Thoroughbred, Kelecyn Applause. He trains with Becky Brown in Dallas and with Rainey Andrews in Upperville, Va.

The two co-leaders after dressage, Nate Chambers and Shawn Price, dropped out of contention as Chambers was eliminated for three refusals at the very influential coffin, and Price had an early refusal.

Kelecyn Applause was bought from Ross Smith, in Australia, after Rogers viewed a video just over a year ago. This season the pair have placed third at Surefire (Va.), third at Waredaca (Md.), and won at Las Colinas (Texas). Rogers and his mother trailered “Yogi” back to Texas from Virginia and then shipped him commercially back to Lexington for the CCI*.

“He started strong,” said Rogers of his cross-country round. “I was very nervous about the Weldon’s Wall [a ditch and brush] fence at the top of the hill. He was very strong and very brave. I took all the fast routes and came in 14 seconds under the time.”

Paige Hewlett, who led after the cross-country with Steely Dan, had two rails down in show jumping and dropped to second place.

Chelstrom Secures Alexander Mackay-Smith Trophy

Leslie Chelstrom, of Bluemont, Va., won the Alexander Mackay-Smith Trophy for the U.S. Equestrian Federation National Senior Championship. Mr. Mackay-Smith was, for many years, the editor of The Chronicle of the Horse. He was also a member of the group that founded The U.S. Pony Clubs.

Chelstrom, originally from Green Lake, Wis., is based at Champagne Wishes Farm, just outside Middleburg, Va., with Paul Ebersole. She works with Regi Lorenz on her flat work.

Sara, an 8-year-old Thoroughbred who raced under the name Sarah Bear, was bought from an Illinois dealer for $1,000. “I felt bad for her,” said Chelstrom, who had planned to go to Radnor but separated her shoulder in a fall with Sara at the Kentucky Classic in September.

Back in Kentucky for the CCI, there were a few bumps along the way for Chelstrom and Sara. Their original dressage score, as posted, put them in 23rd place. “I went to the 5 p.m. meeting [on Friday] and picked up her tests. She had gotten 6s and 7s from the judges,” said Chelstrom.

After the scoring error was corrected, she ended up third. “I knew that she had put in the test of her life,” Chelstrom said. “I was really proud of her. She never missed a beat.”

The pair had no problems on cross-country. “She was a little strong. I had had a problem [previously] at the Head of the Lake, so I growled at her so she knew I meant business,” said Chelstrom.

“Problem free” did not describe Chelstrom’s other cross-country ride with Brio, who had been second after dressage. He fell on the flat early in the course, but Chelstrom remounted quickly and only picked up 7 time faults.

Both Sara and Brio, who placed fourth, show jumped double clears.

“My Mom was there this weekend, and I know that she’s very excited,” Chelstrom said. “I really appreciate the support of my mother and my family and friends at home in Wisconsin!”