Karen
O'Connor and Mandiba Have Clean Run to Claim the HSBC FEI World Cup™ at
Rebecca Farm
Buck
Davidson Jumps Clear to Claim Second; Philip Dutton Takes Third
KALISPELL
,
MONT.
(July 25, 2010) – An East Coast contingent of horses and riders secured the
top three positions in the HSBC FEI World Cup™ today, with no rail or time
penalties by Karen O'Connor to keep the number one spot. Buck Davidson put on
the pressure by also jumping a clear round, which moved him into second place,
while Dutton dropped four rails to move him to third place.
Kalispell-based rider Jil Walton, also an
Olympian, finished in 10th place with her horse My Sedona.
But there was no time to rest -- the three top
riders depart
Glacier
Park
International
Airport
tomorrow at 6 a.m., along with 18 horses on a charter flight back home.
"It's going to be a long night and an
early morning," said O'Connor, a three-time Olympic competitor. "But
today went great. I rode him a bit this morning after the trot up and riding
twice on the show jumping day seems to help. I am really delighted with the
result."
O'Connor was also pleased that the horse she
rode in the two-star division, Quintus 54, which is owned by Rebecca Broussard,
secured a second place finish, also jumping a clear round today to move up from
third. "It was nice to finish so well for Becky," she said.
Davidson, an international competitor who was
ranked #2 in the US last year, who earlier in the week had seen a grizzly bear
in Glacier National Park, was happy to have secured a second place finish with
My Boy Bobby, after a difficult start in the opening day of dressage had him
trailing in sixth place.
"I had a great time here in
Kalispell," he said. "I am happy for Karen that she won -- not real
happy to be second. But my horse was great and I had to work my way up. He did
very well in the cross-country and is a fantastic show jumper. I came here to
have a good, hard work out and I am going home with a sound horse."
Dutton, an Olympian and fierce competitor, did
not mince words. "I am disappointed in today. On the flip side, it shows me
what I have to work on. I put a lot of effort into Truluck in dressage and not a
lot in show jumping. I am determined to get him jumping well by the next time I
bring him out."
All of the riders were complimentary of the
show jumping course set by
England
's Richard Jeffery. "This was a course that rewards good jumpers,"
said O'Connor. "Clear rounds were hard to find today at every level."
While thoughts turned to preparation for the
World Equestrian Games in
Kentucky
this fall, talk turned to the possibility of European riders coming here to
compete in the future.
"Rebecca Farm has such a wonderful
amphitheater where crowds can watch," said Dutton. "I could foresee
European riders coming here too. It has endless possibilities for future
events."
For a 360-degree aerial panoramic from Rebecca
Farm shot by remote controlled helicopter on Saturday, visit:
http://www.gravityshots.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Panoramic360&id=5770.
Also, a run through video of the cross-country
course with the remote controlled helicopter shot by GravityShots is here: http://vimeo.com/13564102.
Top
10 Final Results:
Karen O'Connor, Mandiba, 44.2 1 (The Plains, VA)
Buck Davidson, My Boy Bobby, 56.4 (Reddick, FL)
Phillip Dutton, Truluck, 61.8 (West Grove, PA)
Hawley Bennett-Awad, Gin N' Juice, 63.6 (Langley, BC)
Sharon White, Rafferty's Rules, 64.6 (Summit Point, WV)
Phillip Dutton, Inmidair, 64.6 (West Grove, PA)
Jennifer Wooten DaFoe, The Good Witch, 67.4 (Buellton, CA)
Kristi Nunnink, R-Star, 67.6 (Auburn, CA)
Sara Mittleider, El Primero, 68.4 (Kuna, ID)
Jil Walton, My Sedona, 70.0 (Kalispell, MT)
