Clear rounds were the order of the day at the Texas Rose Horse Park over Richard Jeffrey's testing show jumping track at the 2014 USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship held as part of the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery. Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team veteran Buck Davidson proved why he is regarded as one of the best in the game guiding Petite Flower to the only fault-free trip of the division to earn the 2014 National Title and have his named added to the Jack Le Goff Trophy.
Davidson riding Sherrie and Caroline Martin's 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare stood fourth after the dressage on a score of 34 and maintained that position heading into the show jumping as a result of jumping clear on the cross country adding only 5.6 time faults. With their immaculate performance on Saturday afternoon the 2013 Galway Downs International Three-Day Event winners finished on an overall total of 39.6 to earn victory by one point.
Earning Reserve Champion honours were Lainey Ashker and her own 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Anthony Patch. The 2013 champions were the final pair of the afternoon to jump, looking to retain their title but it was not meant to be as a single rail came down meaning they finished on a score of 40.6.
Mathew Brown and Blossom Creek Foundation's eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Super Socks BCF, earned third-place honours as they too had a single rail down to finish on a score of 41.3.
