www.eventingetc.com

The competitors who ran Cross country on Saturday afternoon, Phillip Dutton with Connaught and Stephen Bradley riding From slipped into the second and third places though neither ran double clears. (Phillip and Connaught are pictured at the right jumping into the Second Water.)

Allison Springer did run a double clear which put her in fifth place with Arthur on 53.7 faults.

Kim Severson and Tipperary Liadhnan, the first to go in the afternoon session ran a double clear for 54.6 and sixth place.

The afternoon was marred by a bad fall at The Flower Basket for Laine Ashker and Frodo Baggins. Laine was helicoptered out. The removal of Frodo Baggins, who was not dead, took and hour and fifteen minutes. No further word on either Laine's or her horse's was available at Press time.

Thirteen horses ran double clears.

The Top Ten at the End of Cross Country:

1. Becky Holder, Courageous Comet - 39.3
2. Phillip Dutton, Connaught - 41.7 (.8 time faults)
3. Stephen Bradley, From - 47.8 (5.2 time faults) (Steve and From are pictured at the left in the Second Water.)
4. Missy Ransehousen, Critical Decision - 53.3 (DCXC)
5. Allison Springer, Arthur - 53.7 (DCXC)
6. Kim Severson, Tipperary Liadhnan - 54.6 (DCXC)
7T. Phillip Dutton, Woodburn - 55.0 (DCXC)
7T. Boyd Martin (AUS), Neville Bardos - 55.0 (DCXC)
9. Cammy O'Rourke (AUS), Kirby Park Irish Jester - 55.1 (2 time faults)
10. Stephen Bradley, Brandenbrg;s Joshua - 57.5 (6.8 time faults)

Saturday Morning:

A notable change in the weather was featured at the start of Cross Country day - temperatures in the fifties and spits of rain. Suddenly it was "break out the sweaters and Barbours time!"

Nineteen horses ran Cross Country before the Lunch Break. Dun To A T, ridden by Jonathan Holling did not run.

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet held on to their overnight lead with a double clear for a two day score of 39.3. They are not catchable heading for Sunday's Show Jumping.
Becky and Courageous Comet are pictured at the right jumping the brush before the Head of The Lake.)

Becky was held on course due to a fall of Dornin Anne North's ahead of her. She double punched her stop watch when she was re-started it accidentally resetting it to zero, so she has no idea of her time.

Becky commented, "I am not very good at math, and then I thought, 'Maybe this is a good thing. It will make me concentrate on jumping the fences, I often wear a watch only to make sure I don't go too fast on him. He was still full of run at the end, and he'd just hit another gear every time I put my hands down to pat him.'

The Top Ten After the Morning Cross Country Session:

1. Becky Holder, Courageous Comet - 39.3 (DCXC)
2. Missy Ransehousen, Critical Decision - 53.3 (DCXC) Missy and Critical Decision are pictured at the left below jumping the Lighthouse on the Island at the Head of the Lake.)
3T. Phillip Dutton, Woodburn - 55.0 (DCXC)
3T. Boyd Martin (AUS), Neville Bardos - 55.0 (DCXC)
5. Cammy O'Rourke (AUS), Kirby Park Irish Jester - 55.1 (2 time faults)
6. Stephen Bradley, Brandenburg's Joshua - 57.5 (6.8 time faults)
7. Karen O'Connor, Theodore O'Connor - 58.2 (DCXC)
8. Mike Winter (CAN), Kingpin - 59.0 (6.4 time faults)
9. Kelly Suit, Hollywood - 65.6 (DCXC)
10. Laine Ashker, Mazetto - 66.7 (DCXC)

Editor's Note: When seven out of the top ten go double clear Cross Country one might imagine that the course was too easy or the time was too generous.

* * * *

Holder And Courageous Comet Remain on top at the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Farnam

By Joanie Morris

Lexington, KY – Becky Holder made it very clear that she was not relinquishing her grasp on the top spot at the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as she flew around the cross-country course with Courageous Comet.

“He was foot perfect.” said Holder after her round. “He was just absolutely on his game for every minute of it.”

The 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding flashed the turn of foot that made him a success on the race track and cruised comfortably through the Kentucky Horse Park. Holder's round wasn't without event, she was held on the course before fence eight after Dornin North fell with Lion Display at the footbridge. Both horse and rider were absolutely fine.

“My watch malfunctioned after the hold, so the biggest thing was is that I didn't know what my time was,” said Holder who celebrated her 39th birthday on Thursday. “My watch said 15 seconds and wouldn't stop beeping through the footbridge and the sunken road. I gave up on the watch finally because it wouldn't stop beeping at me so I smashed it with my fist and just said 'forget it - let him gallop between the fences and then slow down and just jump every jump.' And that's what I did.”

Holder, from Mendota Heights, MN riding for her husband Tom who owns 'Comet' kept the same composure that picked up the winning dressage mark on Thursday. Holder and Comet go into show jumping on a score of 39.3.

Phillip Dutton, who had been in third place with Bruce Duchossios' Connaught after the dressage cruised around the course two seconds over the optimum time. The 15-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding gave every fence plenty of air, and moved into second place on a score of 41.7, giving Holder very little breathing room going into the final phase.

“He jumped great, he jumped so high and tried so hard at every single jump,” said Dutton, who was second here last year (winning the USEF National CCI**** Championship in the process) with this same horse. “He really excelled today.”

Duchossios was on hand to witness the horse's spectacular jumping display.

“I've been to Rolex with a lot of Bruce's horses and this is the first time he has been able to come and watch so that is very exciting,” said Dutton.

Dutton also lies tied for seventh with Acorn Hill Farm's Woodburn.

Stephen Bradley rode Charlotte Harris' From right before Dutton and enjoyed a solid effort from the 15-year-old Russian Thoroughbred gelding. The pair picked up 5.2 time faults on their trip around the course which was designed by Mike Etherington-Smith. They are on a score of 47.8.

“I'm unbelievably pleased with the way that he jumped,” said Bradley who lives in Leesburg, VA. “I'm a little disappointed about picking up a few time faults, but he got a little tired at the end of the course. I'm working on his fitness program so that next time we can go a bit quicker.”

Bradley's only hairy moment came at the final water jump - the four beautifully carved ducks caught people out all day.

“We jumped in but I had a hard time making the turn and he was slightly off the second one,” said Bradley. “He landed real shallow and did two strides in 18 feet. Aside from that, even after he got tired he put out 110 percent and I was thrilled.”

Bradley and his other mount Brandenburg's Joshua, who is owned by Southern Edition Farm, sits 10th going into show jumping.

Missy Ransehousen on Critical Decision and Alison Springer and Arthur jumped up the leaderboard on the strength of their double clears into fourth and fifth respectively.

There were 25 clear rounds, 13 of which were within the optimum time of 11 minutes.

For complete results, please visit www.rk3de.org.

For more information please contact Joanie Morris, USEF High Performance Communications Manager at jmorris@usef.org.