Leesburg, Va. - The first national title of the weekend was awarded Saturday afternoon at Morven Park International and Fall Horse Trials after contenders took to the cross-country field and show jumping arena in Leesburg, Va. Influential courses were set throughout the venue, with cross-country courses designed by Derek di Grazia (USA) and Jefferey Kibbie (USA). Show jumping was designed by Christopher Barnard (USA) in the Grand Prix arena and offered an action-packed day for spectators and fans alike.
The first USEA/USEF CCI3YH*-S Developing Horse National Championships were crowned with the conclusion of all three phases in the CCIYH3*-S. Amber Birtcil (Petaluma, Calif.) and Orpheus, a 2019 KWPN gelding (Gerardus x Quasimodo VD Molendreef) owned by Cellar Farm Corp., emerged victorious after steadily climbing the leaderboard after each phase of competition.
USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championships League
Heading into the final day of competition, Will Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (VDL Arkansas x ARD Ohio) owned by the Off The Record Syndicate, are currently leading the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final CCI4*-L. This puts Coleman in contention for the win in the USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championships League for the overall and professional categories on a pending cumulative score of 92.4. His cumulative score is credited to his current 28.6 at Morven Park to meet the requirement of obtaining a long-format score. Mia Farley (Lexington, Ky.) sits behind Coleman in both categories with a cumulative score of 104.7, having obtained her three best scores earlier in the qualifying period.
In the league, the CCI4* U25 category is still led by Olivia Dutton (West Grove, Pa.), followed by Molly Duda (Menlo Park, Calif.), who continues to hold a second-place ranking in that category and a first-place ranking in the CCI4* Amateur category.
The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* Eventing National Championships League
Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pa.) is in contention to take home the title of overall and professional categories in The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* Eventing National Championships League with a cumulative score of 89.0. Just 0.3 behind Pamukcu is Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) with a current cumulative score of 89.3, putting her in contention for the title of reserve champion in the same categories.
Although she parted ways from Rosconnell Alto on today’s cross-country track, Kiersten Miller (Rochester Hills, Mich.) remains in contention for a National Championship title in The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* amateur category with her final score of 42.2 aboard her own Mama Mia, a 2012 American-bred Warmblood mare (VDL Indoctro x Landfriese). The pair had a double clear show jump round and added 9.2 time penalties on cross-country, giving Miller a pending cumulative score of 122.3. With that score, Miller also finds herself in contention for the top 10 on the CCI3* U25 leaderboard.
Sterling Pollard (Rome, Ga.) remains unsurpassed at the top of the CCI3* U25 category with a cumulative score of 113.9, despite not competing this weekend at Morven Park. This weekend, however, played a pivotal role for CCI3* U25 contender, Nicholas Beshear (Somerset, Va.), who secured a top 10 position with his successful day at the office, crossing the finish flags on a 45.4 in the CCI3*-S.
YETI/USEF CCI2* Eventing National Championships League
Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) remains in the lead for the YETI/USEF CCI2* National Championships in the overall and professional categories with a score of 73.4, having obtained her top three scores earlier in the season. Currently behind Smith is Meaghan Marinovich-Burdick (Cumming, Iowa) with a cumulative score of 87.0 in reserve champion position for the overall and professional categories from top scores earned earlier in the year. Lauren Crabtree (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) also remains unsurpassed in both the YETI/USEF CCI2* U25 and amateur category leaderboards with a cumulative score of 103.0.
USEF CCI1* Eventing National Championships League
The USEF CCI1* National Championships is currently led by Alyssa Phillips (Boyertown, Pa.) in both the overall and professional categories with a cumulative score of 82.8, and Amber Birtcil (Petaluma, Calif.) currently holds the reserve champion position with a 92.5.
Kennedy Langmo (Maitland, Fla.) maintains her U25 champion title position with a 92.9 cumulative score. Caitlin O’Roark (Centerville, Va.), with the contribution of her current score at Morven Park of 28.7 following today's cross-country in the CCI1* with Mulberry Percy, a 2019 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Lagans Obos Quality x Loughehoe Guy) owned by Jacqueline Badger Mars, is sitting close behind. Lexi Young (Sandy Hook, Conn.) holds onto her top 10 position in the CCI1* U25 category following her show jump round with her own Nevertheless, a 2013 Thoroughbred gelding (The Daddy x Signal Tap). The duo picked up 8.0 jump penalties and zero time, bringing their score to 41.9 going into tomorrow’s cross-country.
In the amateur category, Joanne LeClair (Boyce, Va.) and her own Galway Breeze, a 2018 Irish Sport Horse mare (Bridon Belfry x Even The Score) hold a top three position thanks to her current score of 38.9 following today’s show jumping phase. She currently sits with a cumulative score of 126.3.
Robin Walker (Grass Lake, Mich.) and DHI Milan, a 2017 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Vittoria x Diekata) owned by Susan Martin, have surged to a top three position in the CCI1* professional leaderboard with a pending cumulative score of 97.8 after going double clear in today’s show jumping phase.
USEA/USEF CCIYH3*-S Developing Horse National Championships
Bringing home the champion title in the USEA/USEF CCIYH3*-S Developing Horse National Championships was Amber Birtcil (Petaluma, Calif.) with Orpheus, a 2019 KWPN gelding (Gerardus x Quasimodo VD Molendreef) owned by Cellar Farm Corp., on a score of 41.0. The duo earned a double clear show jumping round and added 10.8 time penalties to their dressage score following cross-country to add a new national championship title to their resume.
Sharon White (Summit Point, W.V.) and Arden Janeway, a 2019 American Warmblood mare (Jaguar Mail x Freedom Z) she co-owns with breeder Anita Antenucci, claimed the reserve champion title in the CCIYH3*-S. With a strong start to the weekend, sitting second following dressage, the pair had a double clear show jumping, moving them into first place and ultimately returned to second place following a clear cross-country round with 14.0 time penalties, securing the pair’s title as 2026 USEA/USEF CCIYH2*-S Developing Horse Reserve National Champions.
USEA/USEF CCIYH2*-S Developing Horse National Championships
With the title of USEA/USEF CCIYH3*-S Developing Horse National Champion freshly under her belt, Amber Birtcil is in contention for another victory with Prince of Oolde, a 2020 KWPN gelding (Ibolensky x Guidam) owned by Cellar Farm Corp in the USEA/USEF CCIYH2*-S Developing Horse National Championships. Still on their dressage score of 24.0 following a double clear show jumping round, the duo maintain their first-place position overnight.
Close behind Birtcil is Brittany Crandall (Charlottesville, N.C.) and her own Cooley Night Owl, a 2020 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet x Lux Z). With a double clear show jumping round from today, Crandall remains on her dressage score of 29.3 heading into tomorrow’s cross-country phase, which will conclude the USEA/USEF Developing Horse National Championships.
Live Streaming
USEF Eventing National Championships League and the USEA/USEF Developing Horse Eventing National Championships action can be viewed on the Morven Park International Equestrian Center YouTube Channel here.
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