The leaderboard changed as frequently as the weather!

We started the day (rainy and gloomy, alas) by stopping by a friend's amazing SuSay farm. As a result, we were a tad bit late for dressage, just seeing the end of Dom's ride, and missing Piggy French's ride. Drat!

April took this fab photo on her phone!

During a break, I ran into April Raine (a fabulous photographer) who was heading to the emergency farrier's area to meet Danvers Child, a buddy from graduate school day (Danvers was a PhD student at Purdue when I was a PhD student at Ball State, and we knew each other then...many, many years ago). Danvers decided that, before he finished his dissertation, he'd rather be a farrier. And now he's the best damn farrier in the world. It was SO FABULOUS to see these folks again!

After seeing Danvers (who, by the way, I got to sign my hat) I walked by a tent where Jimmy Wofford was sitting ALL BY HIMSELF.  I mean, GOD WAS ALONE.  So of course I had to go fangirl. And you know what? He remembered me!  I was on cloud nine.

Somehow, after all the rain, the weather did a U turn, and we had sunshine all afternoon.

Back to Dressage: Paddy the Caddy is seriously a TB who is secretly a warmblood. That horse can MOVE.

Leslie before 

Leslie after (he went up even more)

Leamore Master Plan  and Ariel Grald came RUNNING down the walk way into dressage right after Leslie Law, creating havoc. Hmmmm--I wonder if that's actually kosher? Leslie already had a good but someone fractious ride previously.

Boyd making it happen

Tim Price and Xavier Faer had such a lovely test! As did Boyd Martin (who had perhaps the only good canter/trot transition on that final center line). Doug Payne had a really well-ridden test.

Cooley Master Class being Classy

But it was Oliver Townend, last year's winner (and Jimmy Wofford's pick to win it again) on Cooley Master Class who stole the show and ended up on the top of the leaderboard.




I'm going to be at Fence 13 A, B, and C tomorrow--"Pete's Hollow". Here's to good weather and fantastic rides!