Fox-Pitt Powers Up at Rolex

By Staff Report April 28, 2012

An arduous cross country course whittled away 20 of 54 starters leaving William Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk leading the pack after a flawless performance in phase two of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 28 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Ending the day on a score of 41.3, Great Britain’s Fox-Pitt bumped ahead of Friday’s leaders, Allison Springer and Arthur of the USA, who exceeded the cross country time by 8 seconds for 3.2 time faults, which dropped them to a 43.

The 37-year-old Springer, of Marshall, VA, was on track to finish under the time allowed of 11:14 until she took the longer option at fence 27, the Offset Brushes. “That was where I made a mistake last year, and I wasn’t going to do it again. I was clean to that point, so I was tempted [to go the fast route]. But I had my plan, so I stuck to my plan,” Springer said.

Only seven pairs mastered Derek di Grazia’s 29-obstacle cross country course, leaving the green with no jumping or time faults. Among them, New Zealand’s Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise, who ended the day on their dressage score of 44.8 and moved up from fifth to third.

At the end of the day, Barb Crabo and Eveready were the only West Coast riders still in the game. The Scottsdale, AZ-based duo overcame two refusals (at 20 points each) on the cross country course. As for the Californians, Martinez-based Jolie Wentworth withdrew Killian O’Connor and was eliminated on Good Knight, as was Calabasas-based Debbie Rosen and the Alchemyst.

James Alliston and Parker separated at jump 2. Alliston got quicky to his feet but the horse remained on the ground for some time, giving spectators a scare. Alliston, who is based in Castro Valley but rides for Great Britain, later reported that the horse was able to walk into the trailer on his own, and was put on fluids back the barn, but seemed to be resting comfortably. Alliston was also eliminated with two run-outs on Jumbo’s Jake.

Fellow Brits Lucy Wiegersma―eighth after dressage―had a rider fall when Granntevka Prince twisted over the right-hand corner fence after the Normandy Bank, and Oliver Townend retired the mare Pepper Anne after two refusals at the double of hedges and ditches at fence 27. That leaves Fox-Pitt the last man standing as far as the British are concerned.

Former Rolex Kentucky winner David O’Connor, president of the United States Equestrian Federation and incoming chef d’equipe of the U.S. eventing team, said he felt the Cross Country course was “more intense this year – it’s been an educational day.” Di Grazia, of Monterey, CA, increased the emphasis on maintaining a route through the complexes. Riders quickly learned that when things didn’t go as planned the lines could be unforgiving.

The day had its share of thrills and spills. O’Connor, who began the day at ninth place on Veronica, came off early on the course when her horse over-attacked the first of a two-part water jump. She almost regained her seat and stirrups, but that second element popped her aloft.

Michael Pollard’s mount, Icarus, was bleeding on his stifle when he left the course, but was not stopped prior to completion. Becky Holder’s second mount, Can’t Fire Me, also evidenced some blood on its legs at the fence 19-20 point, but wasn’t pulled until the second-to-last fence, 28. The horses will have another jog for the veterinarians Sunday morning prior to the decisive stadium jumping phase.

The fact that two early questions on the course were turning questions in the water, which are very difficult in terms of directing a horse’s attention. The coffin, which immediately followed, demanded straight riding wreaked havoc as horses seemed to expect another turn. It was “definitely a rider fence,” di Grazia said of the coffin, which took its toll on 20 horse and rider teams.

Paget, 28, rode on the New Zealand team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games here at the Kentucky Horse Park, yet marveled at the complexity of the Rolex course. “You would think that when you’ve jumped around here once, then you would have it in the bag, but that wasn’t the case. Today was a big track that asked a lot of tricky questions. I have complete faith in my horse, but I was definitely nervous,” said the New Zealander, who feels confident going into Sunday’s stadium jumping phase.

Clifton Promise has only had four rails down in his entire CCI4* career. “I figure he’s due to go clear again,” Paget speculates. “He’s a real warrior.” With the top three horses separated by just 3.5 faults, a rail down in the cross country can make the difference between victory and runner up status. For Fox-Pitt there’s more than a chunk of the $250,000 Rolex Kentucky prize money at stake. A win in Kentucky would give him two consecutive legs of the Rolex Grand Slam and a shot at the $350,000 bonus that comes with it (pending a win in the third leg, Badminton, next week).

“I’m trying not to think too much about either of those at the moment. I’m trying to focus on tomorrow—the same old cliché,” the 43-year-old winner of 40 CCI4*s said.

As usual, Richard Jeffery of Great Britain will be designing the jumper course at the Rolex Stadium. “It’s always a big track here, and I know we’ll have our work cut out for us,” said Fox-Pitt, who won at Rolex Kentucky in 2010.

The other thing that’s big here is the crowd. A total of 18,490 spectators cheered for the horses and riders Saturday. Springer, who has ridden at Rolex Kentucky eight times before, said “this was the loudest I’ve ever heard them in the galloping lanes!” she said. Pounding around the course amidst the throngs didn’t disturb the sensitive Arthur, though. “I think that, maybe, he knows now that the cheers are for him,” Springer said.

 

Drama on course included the rocket-like ascent of U.S. rider Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) and Otis Barbotiere, who climbed from their 16th place berth (where they were tied) to fifth with a faultless round that saw him end the day with a score of 51.0 and tied for fifth with the U.S.’s Karen O’Connor and Mr. Medicott, who dropped one place, the result of 6.8 time faults.

The 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Western Hemisphere’s only Four Star Three-Day Event, features the 15^th Rolex USEF Four Star Championship for the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Pinnacle Cup.  The Event is part of the HSBC FEI Classics and features the world’s best horses and riders vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing which is awarded to any rider who wins the Rolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession.

This year’s Rolex also features selection trials to choose the U.S. Eventing team for the 2012 London Olympic Games. NBC will air highlights Sunday, April 29 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT.

―Selena Frederick contributed to this report.

Results (after Cross Country)
1. William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 41.3 + 0 = 41.3
2. Alison Springer/Arthur (USA) 39.8 + 3.2 = 43.6
3. Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 44.8 + 0 = 44.8
4. Boyd Martin/Otis Barbotiere (USA) 51.0 = 0 = 51.0
5. Karen O’ Connor/Mr Medicott (USA) 44.2 + 6.8 = 51.0
6. William Coleman/Twizzel (USA) 51.3 + 0 = 51.3
7. Marilyn Little-Meredith/RF Demeter (USA) 49.0 + 2.8 = 51.8
8. Boyd Martin/Remington XXV (USA) 45.3 + 7.6 = 52.9
9. Andrew Nicholson/Qwanza (NZL) 55.8 + 0 = 55.8
10. Marilyn Little-Meredith/RF Rovano Rex (USA) 53.7 + 4.4 = 58.1

Complete results here.

 

 

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