Great CCI5*-L Start for Valerie Pride

by Katherine O. Rizzo with photos by Chelsea Spear

Valerie Pride and Favian

CCI5*-L
Valerie Pride of Harwood made her mark on the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill on Thursday (October 14) afternoon when she scored a 31.9 in dressage with Favian to slide into the eighth spot. “I was so happy with him today!” Pride said of Favian. “He was super relaxed at his pre-ride and I figured he would puff up just enough in the atmosphere to top.”

At the end of the day, Pride and Favian sat in 11^th place with 22 out of 45 five-star competitors completing dressage. “He’s so much stronger and fitter than he was in the spring and I could really keep him forward and going for it,” Pride added. “I walked cross-country this morning however, and I assure you, this competition will NOT be a dressage show!”

Oliver Townend of Great Britain rode Cooley Master Class to first place with an impressive 21.1. U.S. riders Hannah Sue Burnett on Harbour Pilot and Lynn Symansky on RF Cool Play each scored a 28.0 to sit in the top three with Jennie Brannigan and Stella Artois right behind them with a 28.5.

Maryland riders Ema Klugman and Colleen Rutledge both ride dressage on Friday, October 15.

CCI3*-L
At the end of the first day of the CCI3*-L competition, it was Kurt Martin and D.A. Lifetime who sat in first with a dressage score of 23.5. Katherine Brown and Carnaby are in second with a 24.8 and Caroline Martin rode HSH Vamonos to a 25.5.

Former Marylander Lillian Heard scored a 31.1 with Cooley Gentleman for ninth place.

Friday’s competition includes Marylander Sydney Solomon of Dayton riding Mactan, Maryland-bred Olney Uncle Sam, ridden by former Marylander Daniel Clasing and Maryland-owned Ulises, ridden by Townend.

Savannah Fulton and Islander

YEH East Coast Championship
The Young Event Horse East Coast Championship kicked off on Thursday as well with dressage and conformation phases for both the YEH-4 and YEH-5 divisions. The YEH-4 horses completed their competition on Thursday with the jumping and gallop test while the YEH-5 horses will jump/gallop on Friday.

Caroline Martin finished the day in first and third place in the YEH-4 division. She rode HSH Best Kept Secret to a 90.2 for the championship win and Mister Chin for third with an 88.55. Timothy Bourke and Undercover Quality earned the reserve championship with a score of 89.61.

Maryland-bred Lanakai, ridden by owner Alexandra Green Kerby placed 10^th with a 81.31. Elizabeth Callahan of Oxford bred the Oldenburg gelding.

The rest of the Maryland contingent did not finish in the ribbons but all scored in the 70s or higher. Results are below.