Polished Performances at Pine Top’s Advanced Event - From Hans Gerling of PhelpsSports.com

Without an international championship on the 2005 fixture card for North American event riders, last year was an understandably quiet year. However with a record number of riders fighting for spots on the team for the World Games this summer, the 2006 season was predicted to be exciting. This excitement was tangible March 4-5 at Pine Top Horse Trials in Thomson, Georgia, where a new cross-country layout, a new course designer, John Williams, and some stunning performances kicked off a great start to the upper-level season.

For the first time, the courses ran counterclockwise. This meant that almost all of the fences, new and old, had a fresh look.

The new layout meant that Advanced riders no longer had to tackle the infamous corner complex so early in the course. Instead, the first major question was two offset logs placed on a forward two-stride distance. The big water complex provided the first real test, especially coming early in the course (fences 6A-6D). A new big log drop necessitated forward riding, but ultimately jumped well. After the big drop, horses and riders faced a narrow in the water, which was placed on a bending five strides, and then had a long, curved gallop through the water to jump up a bank and bounce over a small coop.

Advanced riders then approached the mound fence, where after hopping over a small log at the top, could either go straight down the other side to a left-hand corner, or make a wide turn to jump a right-hand corner. Williams’ use of strategically placed pine trees caused some grumbling during the course walk, but in reality, helped riders get on the correct line to the corner.

After several let up fences, riders faced the biggest test on the track, an “S” bend of three fences. Riders jumped through the old saloon fence, which looks like a prop from an old Western movie, and then turned left to a narrow water trough, and then right to a matching trough. Williams was kind enough to give riders the option between bending through the three fences or jumping them on a severe, but ultimately jumpable angle.

After tackling the saloon complex, horses and riders faced a sizeable bounce into the second water, and two corners on a bend before reaching the finish line. Overall, problems on the Advanced course were limited and scattered around the track.

While the Advanced track jumped well, Intermediate horses and riders did not cope as well with their course. Many combinations were undone at the first water, where a log with a big drop followed by a rollback to a narrow in the water proved too much to handle. There were also numerous problems at the ditch and rails complex, mainly from riders attempting to find a bending line through the four fence combination instead of jumping straight across all of the fences. Most riders that navigated these two complexes cleanly made light work of the remaining fences.

Kim Severson showed once again why she is one of the best in the world by placing first and second in the pre-Rolex division. Kim’s main competition for her Olympic veteran, Winsome Adante, came from his stable mate, Royal Venture, who bested “Dan” after a quick cross-country round. Nathalie Pollard and West Farthing’s improvement in the jumping phases was evident, as she finished on her dressage score to secure third place.

While Phillip Dutton’s win aboard Hannigan was expected, the other Advanced divisions produced two surprising winners. Kristin Bachman and Gryffindor won an Advanced section on the strength of a beautiful dressage test and a speedy ride around the cross-country course. With an improvement in the show jumping, this pair could easily make the final line up at Rolex.

Wendy Southam scored an underdog victory aboard her ever-reliable mare, Ruba Z. This Canadian pair showed the strength of their long partnership with a clean show jumping and superb cross-country.

Kristin Bachman Photo:Ted Cushny