Riders from the U.S. and Eastern Europe have rocketed up the HSBC FEI World Cup™ rankings following competitions at Kalispell (USA) and Minsk (BLR) this weekend.
Karen O’Connor (USA) shoots into equal 10th place with just three events to go after a convincing victory at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana.
Her mount, Mandiba, travelled to the 2008 Olympics as a relative novice; now, with the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games™ on home territory approaching, the Irish-bred gelding looks the finished package after leading from flagfall to finish on his Dressage score.
"I’m delighted," said O’Connor. "Mandiba has really matured. He’s become very confirmed in his flatwork and a lot of fun to ride. I was feeling the fruition of a lot of work this weekend."
Buck Davidson (USA), who climbed from sixth to second on My Boy Bobby, and Phillip Dutton, who dropped a place to third after an unfortunate Jumping round on Truluck, headed a record contingent bringing 18 horses from the East Coast, the first time horses have flown here since 1962.
All were full of praise for the organisation and ground conditions at Rebecca Broussard’s 640-acre estate in the foothills of the Salish Mountains. Davidson said he had fulfilled two ambitions – to compete at the western venue of Kalispell and to see a grizzly bear!
Mara Dean (USA), who withdrew High Patriot when fourth after Cross-Country, summed up: "This is comparable to what you would see in Europe and on the best of the East Coast. It’s amazing to go into town and everyone knows who you are."
There were 28 starters on Capt Mark Phillips’s revamped Cross-Country course, which included a new keyhole fence into water, and 23 completed with 20 clear rounds. 19 finished the competition.
Full results on www.eventatrfarm.com.
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