Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery Photo courtesy USEA/Leslie Mintz
Boyd Martin took home $22,500 as winning rider and a $10,000 bonus for winning the Asheville Regional Airport Wellington Eventing Showcase two years in a row at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday February 6
Boyd on a new horse Blackfoot Mystery was in third place after the dressage on Friday with a score of 30.6, close behind the leader Alison Springer riding Arthur (29.1) and Buck Davidson riding Ballynoecastle RM (30.1) but Boyd moved into lead on Saturday morning with a clear show jumping round
Boyd has been working on this phase with the 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Blackfoot Mystery (Out of Place x True Mystery) since he took over the ride in July and the work paid off with their first clear jumping round together but he was happy to take some risks in the cross country phase later that day
“We had to go flat out today because the time was quite tough and if you wanted to win you had to go for it,” said Boyd “This year was a much more competitive field. It was a higher standard, the course was tougher and it was harder to win this year than last year, but saying that I knew that this horse, Blackfoot Mystery, had a good chance.”
Boyd and Blackfoot Mystery Photo courtesy Susan J Stickle
When Alison and Buck both had a rail in the show jumping, Colleen Rutledge moved up from equal fifth place to second place riding her a 10-year-old Thoroughbred cross Covert Rights and New Zealand’s Dan Jocelyn also moved up the leader board from 13th to third place with a clear round on Devil Munchkin, an 8-year-old Dutch gelding borrowed from Sable Giesler
The two maintained their positions for places on the podium when they both jumped double clear rounds on Captain Mark Phillips’ twisty cross country course with an optimum time of 3 minutes, 58 seconds for 2,125 meters which included a gallop through the sponsor VIP marquee
But it was Boyd who once again claimed the top spot and he says he will be back next year to try and make it three in a row “I will be coming back to this event for the next 30 years – even if I have a donkey to ride”. His winning ‘donkey’ from this year, Blackfoot Mystery, now heads to Rolex Kentucky
Dan Jocelyn’s trip across the Atlantic was well worth his time as he took home $9,750 and had plenty of fun to boot.
“Thanks to Sable [Giesler] and Jessica [Bortner-Harris] for lending the horses,” said Jocelyn. That was a big call, and they obviously have done a good job with the ground work because the horses felt fantastic out there. It is just a fantastic facility here. I have enjoyed the three days of being here – seeing my buddies, going down the road and watching Sharn [Wordley] jump in the Grand Prix. It is just an unbelievable experience and something I will definitely be taking back home and telling everyone about.”
Another visiting Kiwi, Tim Price also had fun, finishing in 10th on his loan horse Novell but was eliminated on his other ride, Classico Z during the cross country
Australian rider Ryan Wood finished in 18th on Woodstock Bennet and the Australian horse Aspire R, previously ridden by Heath Ryan but now campaigned for the USA by Jennie Brannigan, was the first horse to prove that the time on the cross country course was achievable – Jennie and Aspire R finished in 15th place overall
