Alison Springer and Arthur Photo: Libby Law
Allison Springer of the United States rode Arthur into the dressage lead today at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, topping the 57-horse field with an excellent score of 39.8. William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain guided Parklane Hawk (41.3) to second, and Clark Montgomery of the United States guided Loughan Glen (43.2) to third.
Australian riders Andrew Hoy riding Rutherglen and Kadi Eykamp riding Double Rivers Dillon are in 25th place (56.5) and equal 31st (58.3) respectively
Fox-Pitt, 43, said that he was pleased with Parklane Hall’s performance. "He did some lovely work in there. The test wasn’t perfect, and the slightly annoying thing was that the blips he made this year he didn’t make last year. There were just a few moments of tension,” said Fox-Pitt.
"I think that this week will tell me more about the Olympics and this horse. If he goes well, then he could be the one,” said Fox-Pitt.
Fox-Pitt praised the cross-country course, designed for the second year by Derek di Grazia of Monterey, Calif. Fox-Pitt said that no one fence was causing him unusual anxiety.
"It’s a very clever course, and it’s a track that you can certainly attack, but I think it will have a cumulative effect going around,” especially since the third-last fence—two narrow brush fences with ditches below them—will require a tremendous physical and mental effort from horse and rider, said Fox-Pitt. "There are lots and lots of opportunities for things to go wrong, and you’ve got to keep on doing it.”
Springer echoed Fox-Pitt’s praise of di Grazia’s course. "Derek designs a beautiful course, and there’s no one thing out there where I wondered what he was doing,” said Springer. "But you do have to hold your line at almost every fence. They’re great questions, but there’s a lot to do out there.”
Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise are the best placed of the Kiwis. Paget and Promise (owned by Frances Stead), who were seventh in the World Champs in 2010 at the same venue, are sitting in fifth place after finishing with 44.8 penalty points.Andrew Nicholson and Calico Joe (owned by the Twenty Twelve in Mind Syndicate) are in 10th with 48.7 points and the bronze medallist from the 2010 World Champs is also 24th on Qwanza (owned by Rosemary and Mark Barlow) on 55.8 points. Both of Nicholson’s horses are having their first start at this level.
Lucy Jackson and Kilcoltrim Ambassador (owned by Jackson and the Sprout Syndicate) are in 30th with 58 points in their first United States start.
The first horse will start on the cross-country course at 10:00 on Saturday, Kentucky time
Photos from the irrepresible Law Libby and more in-depth coverage from our US correspondants Fran Jurga and Samantha Clark to come
