Mara Dean Takes the Early Lead at Rolex KY Three-Day Event

Eventing Dressage Level "Stepped Up" Training with Robert Dover

Mara Dean and Nicki Henley took the lead today in the first day of dressage competition at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** three-day event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY with a score of 43.2 penalties. Scoring 8’s consistently from the three judges, Dean’s test outshone a field that included international eventing veterans William Fox-Pitt, Bruce Davidson Jr. and Sr., Amy Tryon and Andrew Hoy among others.

Dean, who placed sixth individually at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, purchased the English thoroughbred gelding from Jan and Craig Thompson and has trained with David and Karen O’Connor and Phillip Dutton. David O’Connor rode Nicki Henley to win the Radnor hunt CCI** when Dean was sidelined with a broken ankle.

It has been five years since Dean last rode at Rolex and she said, “The whole park looks amazing.” Looking ahead to Saturday, she said, “The cross-country course is big, very big. It will require a bold horse and rider.”

Close behind Dean on a score of 43.7 is Becky Holder on Courageous Comet. Holder represented the US on the developing rider tour at the Luhmuehlen CCI**** in Germany last year and is looking to repeat her trip abroad with a good run in Kentucky. She’s off to a good start, with an elegant performance on her big gray gelding.

Both riders agreed that training with US dressage coach Robert Dover has helped to bring out their best in the dressage arena. Holder said that Dover also helped her regain her focus before her ride today, since things weren’t going so well in the warm-up ring. “He just told me to relax and that I can do it,” she said. “I pretended that I was riding in the field at home, and it just worked.”

Dean noted, “They’ve stepped up the level of dressage a great deal. Training with Robert really helps. All three phases have gotten tougher; the best are going to shine through.”

Stephen Bradley and From are in third place with 43.9 penalties, just barely edged out of the lead by the ladies. New Zealand’s Donna Smith on Call Me Clifton is fourth with 45.6 and Heidi White, whose ride on Northern Spy simply got better and better as she progressed through the test, is in fifth with 49.4.

Tomorrow the event continues with the rest of the dressage rides, including reigning Rolex champion Kim Severson, who is riding only one horse, Royal Venture, giving her reigning Rolex champion Winsome Adante a well deserved break. She and Royal Venture, who is owned by Plain Dealing Farm, have had a successful spring in the southeast, so she will be one to look out for.

Also competing tomorrow are British superstars Leslie Law and Polly Stockton, US veteran Karen O’Connor, and Australian Phillip Dutton, who is currently leading the Eventing World Cup rankings.

As always in eventing, results change quickly, and tomorrow will likely see the standings shuffle considerably. Cross-country always brings about some changes and even then nothing is certain until the final rail in show jumping has been cleared. Even now riders are walking the cross-country course and planning their strategy for Saturday’s test.

Also this weekend at the Horse Park, Pony Clubbers are competing in the internationally acclaimed Prince Phillip Cup Games. This marks the 22nd anniversary and fifth consecutive year that the mounted games competition will be hosted at Rolex. The 2006 competition will feature six teams competing for the cup, which will take place in the sand arena next to the indoor, with the trophy presentation on Saturday following the final round.