Mill Spring, N.C.—Sept. 3

Ryan Wood was busy with four horses to ride around the Adequan USEA Gold Cup advanced cross-country at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships, and he was the pathfinder with Woodstock Bennett. He used that first trip around to give Powell the best ride he could.

“He was my second ride, so I had a little bit of a feel of the course, and there were a couple of spots that you needed to ease off around the turns,” said Wood. “It was getting a little greasy from the rain yesterday, but there were some areas where you could push on a little bit and make up some time.”

Ryan Wood and Powell jumped to the advanced lead. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. 

After dressage leaders Allison Springer and Arthur accrued 17.2 time penalties over a course that saw no double-clear rounds, it opened the door for Wood and Powell. They picked up 8.8 time penalties, but it was enough to give them a 3-point lead over Doug Payne and Vandiver.

“It wasn’t my plan to go under the time,” said Wood. “It was probably a tough course to get it with the terrain and the turns. You’ve got to take into consideration balancing before fences, and the rollbacks to combinations and stuff like that, so you’re not traveling at your 570 meters a minute, and if you do that five times on the course, there’s the time.”

Marilyn Little was sitting third with RF Demeter, but she was eliminated after the pair missed a fence on course. Courtney Cooper and Who’s A Star were also eliminated on course, and Lillian Heard parted ways with Arundel but was uninjured.

Marilyn Little And RF Scandalous—Merial Intermediate Champions

RF Scandalous might have only had a single start this season prior to traveling to the AEC, but her preparation in dressage and show jumping with Marilyn Little paid off with a start to finish win in the Merial open intermediate. Little also took second with RF Overdressed.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Carla Duran for Shannon Brinkman.

Little brought both of her mounts to the Tryon International Equestrian Center earlier this year to give them one final show jumping prep, something she felt was productive.

“Overdressed did not get to go into that arena before, but Scandalous did,” said Little. “She did the 1.30-meters, and that was a lovely experience for her, so she was comfortable in there, and she was very comfortable in there all weekend. 

“I think it’s both because she’s been here and because she’s maturing a little bit,” she continued. “It’s exciting because I’ve only had her for a year-and-a-half, and some of that time was off. I’m thrilled with her today. I thought she had a nice, regular, consistent round, which is what I was looking for, and finished very close to a good dressage score.”

Cynthia Deporter and Ana D—Master Novice Amateur Champions

Cynthia Deporter had an uphill battle to her win in the master novice amateur division with Ana B. Two hospital stays this spring put her competition plans on hold this spring and she wasn’t sure they’d make it to Tryon at all.

Cynthia Deporter and Ana B. Photo by Carla Duran for Shannon Brinkman. 

“It has been a long trip to get here, but it was the one goal I had with this horse because she’s so nice,” she said. “I’m just proud to be here and tickled to death. This is a wonderful place to have this, and I’m just so fortunate. I thank the good Lord and the people around me who supported me, and I really appreciate it.”

Deporter started the weekend tied for fourth after dressage on a 29.5, and when she went double clear in both cross-country and show jumping she was able to bring home the championship.

Steph Butts competed the Hanoverian up to preliminary before Deporter purchased the mare in 2016.

Sarah Fischetto And Sin Fallo—Novice Amateur Champions

Though Sarah Fischetto’s season with Sin Fallo didn’t go exactly the way she was hoping, things came together at just the right moment. She moved the Lipizzaner up to training in 2015, but when they had multiple eliminations they dropped back down to novice. But the lower level did them a world of good, and they took home the novice amateur championship at the AEC.

“I think honestly we’re going to call it for the end of the season,” said Fischetto. “We’re going to go back to the drawing board and really work on some stuff and work on getting her confidence up, and hopefully we’ll be back in a year or two at training.”

Fischetto and her mare led the competition from start to finish after earning a 24.3 in dressage and adding nothing in the two jumping phases. 

“Warm-up did not go quite as planned, but I came in, and for whatever reason she was probably the most relaxed I’ve ever felt coming into a stadium course,” said Fischetto. “She was just like, ‘Where would you like me? What would you like me to do?’ I think she thrived [on the atmosphere]. I think she really enjoyed it.”

Kelly Young And Shaqir—Broadstone Beginner Novice Amateur Champions

Before this season, Shaqir had never competed in a recognized event, and today he took home the championship ribbon in the Broadstone beginner novice amateur division with Kelly Young.

The 18-year-old Arabian started his career with Young in endurance. When Young’s plans to event her Thoroughbred mare fell through, her trainer Lauren Eckhardt thought she should try Shaqir.

“I was like, ‘He’s never jumped. He’s going to buck me off over every jump. He’s going to be a freak.’ It’s a lot of mental game, and he took to it like a fish to water,” said Young. “He loves it. The dressage is his least favorite part, but we’ve been working so hard on that. He’s just been incredible, so I’m so lucky.”

The pair sat fourth after dressage, and when they put in two clear rounds over fences, Young found herself with the championship ribbon.

“He felt amazing in the warm-up,” she said. “He was so relaxed, and I just tried to keep my composure through the whole thing and wait. The course rode great. I’m really happy he didn’t spook at anything. I was lucky to get around; there were a lot of rails coming down, and I was lucky to get around. I’m really grateful for that.”

William Barclay And Stormn Hudson KD—Broadstone Master Beginner Novice Amateur Champions

It was the AEC that brought William Barclay back into the horse world, so it’s only fitting that he got to bring home a championship from the Broadstone master beginner novice amateur division with Stormn Hudson KD.

Back when the championships were held at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Ill., Barclay’s wife Sandra went over to volunteer. The two had ridden in their younger years but took a break to start a family, but that volunteer opportunity sparked the bug again after 25 years.

“You can thank my wife!” he said.

William purchased Stormn Hudson KD, a 7-year-old U.S.-bred Trakehner three years ago. He qualified for both the beginner novice and novice, but since his wife was riding at novice, he chose not to compete against her.

“He was very good, he thought that narrow run through the water was a little bit scary, but that was just a trot, and everything else was great,” he said. “I think the footing was wonderful. The fences were good, and I had a good time.”

Tidbits

–William Zuschlag retained his lead in the Jr./YR preliminary with RF Southern Command by putting in a double clear cross-country round.

–McKinsey Wickman added nothing to her dressage score with Dassett Profile in the Professional’s Choice junior training division. She’ll have a rail in hand in tomorrow’s show jumping. 

–Alexis Mazzatta had a double clear run in today’s junior novice cross-country with Shigatzi and is sitting on a 26.0.

–Julia McElligott leads the Broadstone junior beginner novice with her own Ricky.

-With a clear cross-country round Annabelle Kress moved up into the lead in the Broadstone junior beginner novice 14 and under with Batteries Not Included.

See all the results from the AEC. Don’t miss any of the Chronicle’s coverage.