Aachen, Germany – The Defender U.S. Eventing Team completed the first two phases of competition at the prestigious CHIO Aachen UBS-Cup CCIO4*-S. The four U.S. combinations produced competitive efforts in both dressage and show jumping phases, positioning the team in fourth place overall on a total score of 107.6 penalties heading into tomorrow's final phase.
The team was led off by Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pa.) and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Kannan) owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu and cared for by Chloe Teahan, who produced a confident, mistake-free test early in the class order, earning a score of 32.6. In the jumping phase later in the evening, the pair added eight faults to their score to sit on a 40.6 ahead of cross-country.
Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and the flashy Possante, a 2013 KWPN gelding (Namelus R x Wendelien) owned by the Possante Group and cared for by Erin Deyo, earned a 34.2. The duo added four jumping faults in the second phase of the day to sit on a 38.20, with the final phase yet to come.
William Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay) owned by Off The Record Syndicate and cared for by Erin Jarboe, the winners of the 2021 CCIO4*-S at Aachen, contributed a composed and professional test to earn 35.6 penalties from the judging panel. The seasoned pair produced a needed clear in the show jumping phase to stay on their dressage score and keep the team within reach of the podium.
Aboard Commando 3, a 2013 Holsteiner gelding (Connor x R-Adelgunde) owned by Yankee Creek Ranch and cared for by Stephanie Simpson, Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) was last to go for the U.S. The pair produced a confident test, finishing with a score of 33.8 penalties. In the show jumping phase, the pair jumped an impressive clear to keep the team competitive in the standings and will move forward on their dressage score, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the competition tomorrow. They also hold tenth individually as a partnership and are the highest-placed U.S. combination after two phases.
"I like it; it's what I expected," said Martin of the track the team will contest tomorrow. "Giuseppe [Della Chiesa] starts us out nice with a couple of straight galloping fences, then everything you can think of is there. Corners in the water, mounds with a coffin, and some tough angles at the end. It'll be a hard course, especially if you go fast and definitely influential."
Dutton, who is also competing as an individual aboard Denim, a 2015 Hanoverian gelding (Dinken x Celia II), owned by Caroline Moran and cared for by Erin Deyo, produced a mistake-free dressage test to finish the morning with 35.9 penalties. The pair carried that momentum into the show jumping, delivering a fault-free round to remain on their dressage score.
Competition Information
CHIO Aachen is one of the most prestigious multi-discipline equestrian events in the world, hosted annually in Aachen, Germany. The CCIO4*-S cross-country phase will start at 9:55 a.m. GMT+2 on Saturday, July 5, determining final team standings.
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