Carter and Roberts Earn Top Ten Finish in World Cup Qualifier at CIC 3*-W Red Hills

Ottawa, Ontario— Canadian eventing riders Kyle Carter and Waylon Roberts rode to success in the CIC 3* World Cup Qualifier at the CIC 3*-W Red Hills Horse Trials, held March 8-11 in Tallahassee, Florida.

Riding his nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Madison Park, Carter, who currently resides in Sparr, Florida, finished eighth in the World Cup Qualifier. After receiving a score of 61.6 in dressage, Carter was tied for 14th place, but quickly moved up to an eighth place tie after incurring no jumping faults, and 13.6 time faults over the challenging cross-country course, designed by Captain Mark Phillips of Great Britain. After lowering two rails for eight jumping faults in the show jumping phase, Carter secured his eighth place finish with a final score of 83.2.

â€œI donâ€™t know what I was thinking entering the World Cup qualifier, my horse is still fairly inexperienced,â€ joked Carter; â€œbut I was thrilled with how he handled the cross-country course. He was fantastic. We had a few mistakes in dressage and stadium jumping, but I couldnâ€™t be happier with him.â€

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Young Rider Waylon Roberts of Port Perry, ON finished just behind Carter in ninth place, on a final score of 83.4. Paired with the 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Paleface, owned by his mother Kelly Plitz, Roberts was in 16th place after dressage, but moved up to 10th after receiving no jumping and 17.2 time faults cross-country. He ended on a high note, lowering just one rail over the show jumping phase for four faults. Fellow Canadian Tabitha Lee of British Columbia also contested the World Cup Qualifier, finishing with a final score of 112.8 for 15th place aboard Kalypso.

In the CIC three star division, Ontario native Kelly List of Bracebridge held her own, placing fifth aboard her nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Minstral. List scored 73.4 in dressage, for 10th place, before moving up to sixth place after cross-country. Just four jumping faults in show jumping finalized her fifth place finish.

Diana Burnett of Blackstock, ON was the highest placed Canadian in the CIC two star division, finishing 12th aboard her seven-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Manny. A dressage score of 48.4 put Burnett in a tie for seventh place, and she moved up one spot after incurring no jumping, but 10.4 time faults cross-country. With two rails falling in show jumping, in addition to one time fault, Burnett finished on a final score of 67.8.

Riding a second mount, her eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Donogue Del Boy, Burnett placed 23rd with a final score of an even 89. Other Canadian finishers included Carter, who rounded out the top 25, this time paired with Right About Now, veteran Canadian eventer Peter Gray of Orangeville, ON, who received 29th place riding Finn, and Lindsay Pearce of Tecumseh, ON, who earned 32nd with James.

In the Advanced division, Burnett finished in sixth place, with yet another mount, her 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Sagacious King. The duo finished with a final score of 85.4.

Carter, who holds the event in high esteem, commented â€œRed Hills has got to be the best event in the country, next to Rolex. Itâ€™s such a quality event, and the organizers have worked vigorously to get the community involved, as proved by the 28,000 spectators who came out on Saturday.â€

For more information and full results, please visit http://www.rhht.org/.