It may still be too cold to feel like spring in most parts of Canada, but Canadian eventers were hot in Hamilton, GA at the Poplar Farm Horse Trials held March 21-23, taking the three top spots on the leaderboard in the CIC3* division.
Jessica Phoenix, Canada’s 2012 Olympian from Cannington ON, and Kirk Hoppner’s 13-year-old Trakehner gelding Patras VR came out of the gates strong on the first day of competition taking the lead with 48.80 penalties in dressage, and never let it go. The duo produced a double clear in their show jumping round ending the day resting on their dressage score. In Sunday’s cross country phase their foot perfect performance over course came in slightly over the time allowed taking on 20.8 time penalties but the time faults weren’t enough to drop their lead on the scoreboard, a final score of 69.6 gave them first place in the CIC3*division.
“This was just an awesome weekend. I couldn’t have been happier with Patras, [who] made a couple of mistakes in his dressage test but we held onto the lead. He always jumps so big in his show jumping and he is such fun to ride over cross country, “commented Phoenix. ” He’s a big mover, we galloped and we used the hills well but he spent his life in dressage so now we have to work on his fitness. On the other hand, Exponential grew up galloping so we need to work on his dressage, he truly loves to gallop the cross country at Poplar. It’s a tough job to be first to compete in the dressage division, he gave a very solid performance. I’m really proud of both, they were outstanding this weekend I couldn’t be happier.”
Taking the second place finish in the CIC 3* was Kyle Carter, a Canadian riding out of Sparr, FL aboard his 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Madison Park. The duo started their weekend in fifth place on a dressage score of 57.1. Despite dropping a rail in Saturday’s show jumping the pair moved up into third place finishing the day with 61.1 penalties. Carter rode a flawless cross country taking on 12.00 time faults for a final score of 73.1, coming in just ahead of Phoenix aboard her 2012 Olympic partner, 16-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Exponential, who finished third on a score of 76.3 penalties. Phoenix also rode Charlotte Schickedanz’s 13-year-old Trakehner mare Abbey GS, to a 6th place finish in the division.
“Riding several horses in one event takes a great deal of support from your team, I want to make sure to thank them for their help and to thank all our sponsors and owners, they make our events truly successful,”said Phoenix.
In the CIC 2* division, April Simmons of Uxbridge, ON guided her partner Sunday Best, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding to a third place finish on a final score of 68.9 penalties and in the CIC1* Kyle Carter finished third on Colleen McBride’s My Mexico, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding on a final score on 47.8 penalties.
CIC2* other Canadian results
Final Placing/Rider/Horse/Final Score
7th- April Simmons / Impressively Done / 78.60
10th- Kyle Carter / Serengeti / 81.90
12th- Sable Giesler / Evil Munchkin / 83.20
13th- Jessica Phoenix / Exultation / 86.60
15th- Diana Burnett / Bonner’s Chief II / 94.0
17th- Julie Clark / Cool Disguise / 102.20
CIC1* other Canadian results
Final Placing/Rider/Horse/Final Score
19th- Becky Allen / Da Vinci / 77.70
20th- Sable Giesler / Evil Munchkin / 79.6
For complete show results click here.
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