Saturday,
June 3rd - Cross Country Day
It
sprinkled rain on and off all morning long during the CCI**. Then during the lunch
break the heavens opened, changing the conditions under foot from good to deep
and slippery. The rain stopped before the CCI*** began at one o'clock; but, the
down pour had done its damage.
None
of this seemed to have any effect whatever on Jan Byyny, of Purcellville, Virginia,
and her two horses Waterfront who ran in the second starting position
in the CCI*** and Task Force who ran in the second to last starting position in
the CCI***. Waterfront led the Division throughout on a score of 64.1, until Jan
rode her second horse Task Force and scored 60.6. First and second in the CCI***!
What a tour de force for Jan who felt that Waterfront was "ABSOLUTELY"
a candidate for the Squad for the WEG to be held in Aachen, Germany in August.
(Jan and Task Force are pictured at the right above jumping out of the last
water.)
"What
the Selectors are looking for is improving form. They told me to do whatever I
though I needed to do to prepare.
Task Force says, 'Mom, if you believe
in me, I'll give you 150% all the time.' He has Four Star form. He was the second
highest placed American horse at Rolex last year. (2005) (Jan and Waterfront
are pictured at the left jumping the oxer in the water the first time.)
Bonnie
Mosser, who lives in Coatesville, Pennsylvania rode Rebecca Polan's Dutch Warm
Blood Thoroughbed cross Close The Deal to third place on a score of 71.5. Bonnie
said, "Rebecca, a student of mine, gave me the ride last fall. We were heading
to Fair Hill last fall when he had to 
have
tie back surgery (for his wind). Rebecca has made him. (Bonnie and Close The
Deal are pictured at the right jumping Wylie Coyote after a bounce out of the
water.)
We could head to Burghley.
It's something I still need to discuss with Rebecca's
father. Speed will be an issue; but, his heart's in the right place. We could
go to Blenheim instead. (Blenheim is a Three Star).
""He
got a virus as a weanling. (His legs swelled and split open.) There were
scars; but, they have never affected his performance."
The
overnight leader D
arren
Chiacchia's, dreams of the WEG ended at the last water. Windfall II had a glance
off at the corner in the water. When represented, he had a second glance off.
At the next fence, a bounce out of the water to the wooden sculpture of Wiley
Coyote, Windfall decanted Darren, putting a final period to Darren's aspirations
of a trip to Aachen. The pair's final score was - 221.5. (The End of a Dream
- Darren and Windfall are pictured at the left after the Wylie Coyote fence at
the last water.)
The
CCI*** Top Ten After Cross Country:
1.
Jan Byyny, Task
Force - 60.6
2. Jan Byyny, Waterfront - 64.1
3. Bonnie Mosser,
Close The Deal 71.5
4. Jonathan Holling, Lion King II - 72.3
5.
Jennifer Libby, Draco - 73.8
6. Buck Davidson, New Moon - 75.7
7.
Missy Ransehousen, Critical Decision - 88.2
8. Michael Pollard,
Voltaire - 89.5
9. Molly Bull, Kiltartan - 90.0
10. Emilee Libby,
Cahir - 90.1
(The
picture at the right is the first of several frames which show the cause of Darren's
fall.)
(The
picture at the left is the second of several frames which show the cause of Darren's
fall. Only a great athlete like Windfall could have stood up after this dilemma.)
*
* * * *
CCI**
Kate
Ditchey, who lives in Unionville, PA, and rides with Phillip Dutton, leads
the CCI** with Belmont on a score of 49.6. (Kate is pictured at the right on
Belmont jumping the fence after the last water.)
Kate is two faults ahead of Wendy Bebie of Round Hill, Virgina, and her Phoenix
and 2.9 faults ahead of her mentor Phillip Dutton, who is in third place riding
Mrs. Annie Jones and Shannon Stimson's Tru Luck.
Kate
said, "I have been with Phillip almost two years. He makes you get it done!
You just go out there and ride and get it done. Go out there and do it!"
When
asked about Sunday's Show Jumping, Kate said, "If I ride him just how he
wants to be ridden . . .". I could choke. I'll try not to get lost.
The
CCI** Top Ten After Cross Country:
1. Kate Ditchey, Belmont
- 49.6
2.
Wendy Bebie, Phoenix
- 51.0
(Wendy
and Phoenix are pictured at the left coming out of The Splash.)
3.
Phillip Dutton (AUS), Tru
Luck - 52.3
4.
Becky Holder, Glorious
Joy - 53.5
5.
Kristin Bond, Are
You Ready - 61.5
6.
Dana Witstrand, Relentless
Pursuit - 61.6
7.
Lauren Kieffer, Snooze
Alarm - 62.8
8.
Kelly List (CAN), Minstral
- 67.1
9.
Kim Severson, Tsunami
- 70.0
10.
Samantha Taylor, Lucinda
- 72.6
The
Final Veterinary Examination is at 8:00 AM, on Sunday. The CCI** Show Jumps at
11:00 AM. The CCI*** Show Jumps at 2:00 PM.
