Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach on cross country. Image: Michelle Dunn Photo.

Ema Klugman & Bec Braitling jump clear in Kentucky

By Equestrian Life

Australian riders Ema Klugman and Rebecca Braitling have completed Derek di Grazia’s challenging course at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, with both riders finishing the cross country free of jump penalties.

Ema and Bronte Beach accrued 18.8 time penalties (on a course where only one combination came in under time) to finish the day on 55.4 and in 19th place. It was Bronte Beach’s first ever five-star, and an amazing effort. 

“Bronte Beach was a beast today! She jumped clear around her first five-star on a course that caused tons of trouble. I am so, so proud of the effort she gave, and now I can’t wait to do another one with her!” said Ema.

Bronte Beach is a rising 12-year-old Zangersheide mare by Verdi, who is owned by the Bronte Beach Syndicate. Ema – who recently graduated from law school – has had Bronte Beach from a young horse and brought her up through the eventing grades.

Bec and rising 13-year-old British Sporthorse Caravaggio II (Vagnelis-S x Courtesan) added 25.2 time faults to their dressage score to finish the day on 64.5 and in 22nd spot, up from 28th after the dressage. Like Bronte Beach, it was also a five-star debut for Caravaggio II.

Rebecca Braitling and Caravaggio. Image: Michelle Dunn Photo.

“The best feeling ever when you jump clean around a five-star and he’s happy and healthy. Good boy Ernie,” said Bec following their ride. Caravaggio is owned by Arnell Sporthorses.

Kentucky is Bec’s first start at the top level in 21 years, having previously competed at Adelaide five-star in 2003 with Just a Lady, a 15.3-hand Australian Stock Horse/Thoroughbred cross mare.

Following the second horse inspection (8.50am local time, 10.50pm, AEST), the CCI5*L  jumping phase takes place Sunday from 2.15pm local time, 4.15am Monday AEST. Be sure to tune in to ClipMyHorse.TV to cheer on the Aussies!

View the results here.

Watch all the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.

Tom McEwen stays on top at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™

No one has ever accused a CCI5*-L of being easy, and Saturday was no exception as horses and riders fought hard to complete Derek di Grazia’s course at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (K3DE). At the end of the day, overnight leader Tom McEwen and JL Dublin from Great Britain added four time penalties to retain the top spot, with fellow Brits Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir (31.6) standing second and Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent (31.8) in third.

Tom McEwan and JL Dublin. Image: Michelle Dunn Photo.

Organised by Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE) features one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world. Known as “The Best Weekend All Year,” the event annually attracts nearly 90,000 spectators who also enjoy extensive shopping, a variety of hospitality experiences and a wide array of demonstrations. In addition to the traditional CCI5*-L, the event also features the Cosequin® Lexington 4* and Kentucky CSI4* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

While McEwen’s round with “Dubs” was enough to keep him on top, it wasn’t perfect, with him taking the long route at two fences and accruing time faults. Still, he was thrilled with the 13-year-old bay Warmblood gelding owned by James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s performance.

“He was amazing,” McEwen said. “‘Dubs’ was cruising around and way up on time  … I had to take two long routes [which caused the] time faults, but he made child’s play of the course. I’m just delighted with him. He was amazing, and we came here to do exactly that.

“I knew coming in here that Dubs is the most incredible horse and should be right up there, so we came here to deliver a great test and come and go as quick as we can cross-country. I know what the horse can do and it’s up to me to deliver on the day,” he concluded.

Ingham was equally thrilled with her mount. “He was brilliant today,” she said. “He gave me a super ride; it was so nice to have a good round today. We had one small moment at the Defender Head of the Lake, but he was super honest and dead on with his line. It made me so happy how he was looking through the flags.”

Townend is in Kentucky contesting his 100th CCI5*, which is a significant accomplishment. Even more impressive is his partnership with a relatively green horse, Diana and Paul Ridgeon’s 10-year-old gray Irish Sporthorse mare Cooley Rosalent, which he hopes will catch the selectors’ attention for the Paris Olympic Games later this year.

“I’d like to think she’s definitely in the mix [for Olympic selection],” Townend said. “She’s been to the 5* in Maryland and here, and both have got terrain and speed [questions]. She’s proven she copes with the crowd and on quick tracks and she’s definitely on an upward trajectory. We’ll see what tomorrow brings — it’s not my decision — but I would very much like to get there on any horse.”

The time was hard to get on Saturday, with only two horse-and-rider combinations — USA’s Mia Farley and Phelps and Germany’s Christoph Waller and D’Accord FRH — coming home under the optimum time of 11:14. Farley was initially given 15 penalties for missing a flag out of the first water complex, but had the decision reversed upon review and became the highest placed American in fifth place. This also means she currently leads the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian. Waller currently stands in sixth overall.

Phelps is one of the few full Thoroughbreds in the class, owned by David O’Connor, who is no stranger to the top levels of the sport having been the Olympic champion in 2000. The gelding’s first 5* was last fall in Maryland where he was the only horse to go double clear on cross-country, and Farley credits his breed for his ability to be quick and have stamina.

“I think with Phelps — and a lot of Thoroughbreds — you can set a tone in the beginning of the course and that’s what they have at end,” Farley said. “And if you ask them to go, they still have the energy at the end. You can have a lot of options. He’s a quick horse.”

As Lexington is the center of Thoroughbred breeding, Farley said she felt the crowd’s enthusiasm a little more. “It’s a little bit of pressure and a lot of fun,” she said. “Phelps was bred here in Kentucky … and it was a lot of fun to have that support.”

The USA’s Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus started the day tied for third with fellow American Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker. Nicholson and Halliday both finished with time penalties, but Nicholson’s 4.4 kept her in seventh just ahead of Halliday, who had 6.4 time faults to stand eighth.

Of the 35 horses who started the competition, two were withdrawn before the start of the cross-country phase: Will Faudree’s (USA) Mama’s Magic Way and Hannah Sue Hollberg’s (USA) Capital HIM. Hollberg took a fall from her CCI4*-S horse Carsonstown and was sore enough that she felt discretion was the better part of valor, deciding to save it for another day. Two pairs were eliminated on cross-country, while four retired on course. Five pairs finished with jumping penalties.

Scores are tight going into the final phase of show jumping on Sunday, with less than a rail separating the top three. Riders are already looking to the next phase even as they celebrate their cross-country rounds.

“We’ve been working hard at it this year, but show jumping is [Phelps’s] weaker phase, but we’ll see tomorrow,” Farley admitted. “No matter what, I’ll try to be happy with today and hope his training at home comes through.”

“In general, she’s a good jumper, but we all know three-day eventing. It’s almost a different sport on the third day. A good jumper can find a rail and a bad one can pull a clear round out of the bag,” Townend said. “Hopefully, I’ll do my best and she gives me her best and we’ll see the result.”

“Dubs is a great jumper, and we’ve been in this position before, so it’s down to me really,” McEwen said. “Fingers crossed.”

“Banzai is usually a good jumper on the final day,” Ingham said. “I need to make sure I give him a good ride, that I’m accurate and quick enough, and hopefully he’ll do the rest for me.”

Source: K3DE press release, edited by EQ Life

Published 28 April 2024. 

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