USEF Network

Maui Jim Horse Trials Wrap-Up

RELEASE: July 23, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By the United States Eventing Association

It was a busy weekend at the Maui Jim Horse Trials in Wayne, IL, as riders from novice to the three-star level competed at the beautiful Lamplight Equestrian Center, July 9-12.

Becky Holder of Mendota Heights, MN, and her Olympic partner Courageous Comet lead the CIC*** division from start to finish. The pair only added 6.4 time penalties to their dressage score of 40.4 and and had a double-clear stadium round to secure the lead place in the victory gallop.

Buck Davidson sat in eighth place after dressage with Ballynoecastle RM, but put in the fastest cross-country round of the division to move up to second place. They left all the stadium jumps in the cups to hold on to their red ribbon. Bruce Davidson rounded out the top three with his popular mare, Jam.

Buck Davidson and Jan Byyny Dominate Advanced Division
Buck Davidson moved up from eighth place to win the Advanced division on L.A. Albert. Davidson has been competing Alec Campbell's 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding since 2007, but this was the pair's first win at the Advanced level.

Jan Byyny earned three spots in the top five placings of the Advanced divisions by jumping double-clear stadium rounds on a trio of Thoroughbreds. Waterfront and Syd Kent both added only four time faults to their dressage scores to place second and third respectively. Inmidair also only added time penalties to his dressage score to settle into fifth.

Karl Slezak was tied for first heading into the final phase with Charley Farley, but unfortunately had two rails down dropping him into fourth place.

The only downside to the day was the unfortunate death of the overnight leader Lisa Marie Fergusson's gelding Uni Griffon. From the organizer: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Uni Griffon owned and ridden by Lisa Marie Fergusson collapsed and died after completing cross-country at The Maui Jim Horse Trials at 1:45 p.m. July 11, 2009. Cause of death is yet to be determined." The USEA expresses our condolences to Lisa Marie and her friends and family on the loss of this wonderful and experienced horse.

A Talented Junior Beats the Professionals to Win the CIC**
In the very difficult CIC** division Callie Judy and Call On Me were the only pair to have a double-clear round in both the cross-country and stadium phases. This was a great present to Judy, who had just celebrated her 17th birthday a week before the start of the event. Melissa Miller finished in second with Detail Specialist and Rebecca Howard settled in third with Roquefort.

El Cid Continues His Winning Streak With Third One-star Win
Winners of the CIC* Lynne Partridge and her six-year-old Oldenburg gelding, El Cid, have had an unmatchable season. "Cid" moved up to Preliminary in January of this year and won his very first outing. That was only the beginning—in early May the pair won their first CIC* at the Weatherford and Greenwood Farm H.T. and at the end of May Partridge made the journey to Colorado and won the CCI* at the Colorado Horse Park.

Partridge said that Cid was a little tired after the long journey, and his dressage was not as good as it has been in the past. However, it was still good enough to sit them in first place. He is still young so it took him a few fences to get into the rhythm on cross-country, but after the water Cid really clicked on.

"And what can I say about Stadium?" Partridge laughed. "Cid was great, and was very pleased with himself afterward."

This was Cid's third trip to Maui Jim. The last two years he competed in the Young Event Horse Series, and in 2008 won at the Training Level with Partridge's daughter.

"We love coming to Maui Jim," Partridge said. "Although it is a very long journey from our home in Texas we always make the effort to come since it is such a fabulous show. The volunteers are great, and the show is