Fair Hill, Md. - The 2018 The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International was buzzing with excitement Thursday, October 18 as international competitors and young horses performed their dressage tests in the opening phase of the competition. By day’s end Bobby Meyerhoff led the way in The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI2* Eventing National Championship with his own Almanac.
Meyerhoff (Statesville, N.C.) piloted the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding he owns with Gail Dady straight to the top of the leaderboard on a score of 26.3. Almanac impressed the judges, and his rider, with his relaxation, despite the blustery weather.
“I had a specific plan with him and he warmed up really well,” Meyerhoff said. “Yesterday he was a bit fresh and I had to ride him down a little bit and get him where I wanted him, but today was really nice. He went in and did his job. He got a little tense here and there but he was able to keep it under wraps and stay content.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s cross-country test, Meyerhoff expects a challenge from designer Derek di Grazia. “It’s a nice course. I think there are a lot of challenges. Derek [di Grazia] has done a great job designing it to look straight forward, nice and pleasant, but knowing his courses and terrain, that’s not always how it goes. I think it’s going to be a good test.”
Only one tenth of a point behind, Caroline Martin (Miami Beach, Fla.) is hot on their heels with her own Cristano Z. The nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding earned a score of 26.4. Third place belongs to Jenny Caras (Cartersville, Ga.) and her own Fernhill Trendy, a seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, on 27.1 points. Fernhill Trendy also currently leads the USEF Young Horse National Championship, awarded to the owner of the highest-placed U.S. horse that is six or seven years of age
Tayler Stewart (Damascus, Md.), riding Ideal Contini, her 15-year-old Westphalian gelding, currently leads the USEF Young Rider National Championship, awarded in the CCI2* to highest-placed U.S. competitor who is 16 years of age to 21 years of age during the current competition year.
Talented youngsters also began their competition Thursday in the dressage and conformation portions of the United States Eventing Association’s (USEA) Young Event Horse East Coast Championships. Courtney Cooper and Neal Camens’ R River Star took center stage in the four-year-old division, and Tim Bourke’s Quality Obsession topped the five-year-old class.
Quality Obsession, a Dutch Warmblood mare by Zambessi, scored a 24.19% (out of 30%), but the highlight was her dazzling conformation score of 8.95% (out of 10%), which was the best of the day.
The judging panel of Sally Ike, Lucinda Green and Chris Ryan awarded R River Star, an Irish Sport Horse/Dutch Warmblood (Riverman x R Star), a score of 24.75% to lead the 4-year-old division with Cooper in the tack.
Dressage continues Friday, October 19 as The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International welcomes the CCI3* riders and the second half of the CCI2* class. The thrilling cross-country phase will be held Saturday, October 20, and the show jumping finale takes place on Sunday, October 21.
Competition Information
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of The Dutta Corp., the event's title sponsor. The Dutta Corporation is an international and domestic horse shipping company founded by J. Tim Dutta. It has been expanding rapidly since its inception in 1988 and particularly so in the last twenty years. With state-of-the-art jet stalls and an expert team of grooms, The Dutta Corp. provides horse air transport solutions tailored to each individual horse.
Click here for more information on The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International.
The CIC2* and CIC3* cross-country will be live streamed starting at 9 a.m. ET on USEF Network. Dressage and jumping will be available to watch on-demand after the completion of the event.
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The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.