Posted, Saturday, April 29, 2006

Courageous Comet and Becky Holder Streak to Lead after Cross Country At Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** Presented by Farnam

Polly Stockton and Tom Quigley from Great Brittain In a Close Second

As Rolex Kentucky moves into the show jumping phase of competition on Sunday, April 30, only 5.5 points separate Holder from Polly Stockton (GBR) and Tom Quigley, an Irish-bred Thoroughbred. Stockton, of Cheshire, England, moved up to second place from seventh. Sitting in third place is Northern Spy, ridden by Heidi J. White of Aiken, SC, who moved up from 10th place.

Rounding out the rest of the top 10 competitors are: Jessica Heidemann (US), French Twist (50.6, from 11th place to fourth); Any Tryon (US), Woodstock (51.1, from 14th to fifth); Andrew Hoy (AUS), Master Monarch (53.1, from 17th to sixth); Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard (US), West Farthing (55.0, from 20th to seventh); Andrew Hoy (AUS), Yeoman's Point (55.8, from 19th to eighth); Bruce "Buck" Davidson Jr. (US), Hyperlite (57.5, from 21st to ninth); and Karen O'Connor (US), Upstage (58.2, from 29th to 10th).

The cross country course, which saw 25 of the 49 horses competiting withdraw or be eliminated, was very much the story Saturday. This is the first year that Rolex Kentucky has been run as a "short format" since the endurance phase has been eliminated from eventing. In addition, course designer Mike Etherington-Smith of Great Britain has added new obstacles this year, including another water complex and a Normandy Bank, while revamping others.

Several riders failed to negotiate Rolex Kentucky's famous Head of the Lake water complex and got a bath.