Some new names top the leaderboard at the MARS Bromont CCI, running June 9-12 in Bromont, QC, following Saturday’s cross-country test. Jennie Brannigan of Kennett Square, PA riding Nina Gardner’s homebred 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Twilightslastgleam, moved from 8th place after dressage into top spot in the CCI4*-L with the fastest clear cross-country trip in the division, adding just 1.6 time penalties to their score to total 34.2pp. Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp (USA) and Cooley Moonshine sit in 2nd place with 37.0, while Canadian Jessica Phoenix is third riding Wabbit (40.3) going into Sunday’s show jumping phase.
The CCI4*-S division saw only five of the dozen starters get through the finish flags, and Dominic Schramm (AUS) withdrew Bolytair B afterwards. Valerie Pride (USA) and Favian moved up from 6th after dressage to first ahead of Ryan Wood (AUS) and Cooley Flight. Canadian Kendal Lehari is in third spot with her 9-year-old Oldenburg/TB gelding Audacious. The leader, who has both ridden and judged at this event in the past, plans to be based at William Fox-Pitt’s facility near Sturminster Newton in Dorset, UK this fall and compete at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp retained the lead in the CCI3*-L but it was aboard her second horse, Cooley HHS Calmaria, who had one of just two double-clear rounds of the day to overtake her dressage leader Shanroe Cooley. She commented that the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare “was a beast” and she was totally thrilled with her. “She has really stepped up and suddenly become the horse I believed she was.”