Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 Lead the CCI4*-S at Aspen Farms After Dressage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2024, Aspen Farms, Yelm, WA

Aspen Farms Horse Trials in Yelm, WA started with a full day of dressage competition under fair skies. More than 300 competitors from throughout United States Eventing Association Area VII and beyond are competing this weekend, and five horse/rider combinations entered Aspen Farms’ inaugural CCI4*-Short–the first ever offered in the State of Washington.

Karen O’Neal and the 10-year-old Westphalian Warmblood gelding, Clooney 14 (pictured above), owned by Annika Asling, scored 30.4 to secure the lead in the CCI4*-Short overnight. Less than a rail (4 points) separates the top four competitors in the division.

“We’re still a work in progress at this level with the changes and some of the movements. Going from the 3-star to the 4-star test is a lot harder–more movements. It’s getting better. He was a little spooky, but that may have worked to my advantage as it may have given him a little more energy. He was good; I’m proud of him. I feel like I have to get better; but this is our best 4-star score so far.”

Karen O’Neal is also leading the Training Horse division with MNF North Forks Summit, owned by Angela Wilson, with a dressage score of 26.4.

“He’s half Welsh and half Warmblood” said O’Neal. “He’s half pony, but he’s big; 17 hands! He’s still green, but he did really well today. I was pleased with the score and happy with his performance overall in the test.”

Marc Grandia and Campari FFF, owned by Team Rebecca LLC, are second in the CCI4*-S with 32.9. Sophie Click and Quidproquo are third with 33.9.

“Campari was great,” Grandia reflected after his dressage test. “He’s such a good horse to get to go down centerline with now because he’s done that test over and over again; he’s so comfortable with it. The changes are still a problem, but the rest of the work was quite good.”

Looking ahead to show jumping tomorrow, Grandia shared, “historically Campari show jumps well, but it’s always a new challenge. I’m excited to see what the course is.”

In the CCI3*-Short, Tommy Greengard of California and That’s Me Z, a 7-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Andrea Pfeiffer, shone bright with a score of 30 to claim the overnight lead in a field of fourteen.

Harper Padgett and Captivate, owned by Leonie Padgett, and Erin Grandia and Hyacinth are tied for second in the CCI3*-Short on 31.4.

“I was very happy with her today,” said Grandia after her test with Hyacinth. “Sometimes she carries a bit of tension in dressage, but she was really relaxed today. The mistakes today were all mine. She was very good. This is her fourth 3-star, so she’s getting fairly experienced at this level. I’m looking towards maybe Maryland in the fall. This show is another good step and course to prep us for that.”

The overnight leaders in the CCI2*-Short are Chloe Kischuk from California and her Irish Sporthorse gelding Dassett Endeavour, whom she has had for less than a year. They scored 23.8.

“This season is my first season at Preliminary level, but he has run a 3-long so he has been there, done that and he’s showing me the ropes,” shared Kischuk. “This is my third FEI. [Our dressage test] was so lovely; it was so much fun. He really showed up today. The test was smooth.”

Considering their prospects over the show jumping course tomorrow, Kischuk shared that, “show jumping is not necessarily our strong suit–cross-country is our favorite. He’s so big, sometimes he’s a little tricky in the combinations, but he tries so hard. I’m excited for tomorrow.”

Amateur rider Asia Vedder and her 14-year-old imported Holsteiner Gelding, Isi, are close behind Kilchuk in second in the CCI2*-Short on 25.7.

“I’ve taken him Advanced, but he’s stepping down–he’s not an Advanced horse. His jam is really the 2-star or 3-star level,” shared Vedder after her dressage ride. “I was happy with him today; he’s strong in the dressage phase. There were a few spots in the test that I could have prepared him for better. But he had good cadence and good relaxation throughout, and he’s staying more in front of the leg. It was a fun ride.”

Seven pairs entered the Open Intermediate division. Stephanie Goodman and Drs Resolute, owned by Get Lucky Get Lucky LLC, are leading the way after dressage on 27.8 and have a rail in hand going into show jumping tomorrow. Mickayla Howard and HH Ontario are second on 35, and Hailey Blackburn and Baral Villester are tied for third with Ashley Widmer and What Are The Odds on 35.6.

In Open Preliminary, Tommy Greengard and the 6-year-old German Sporthorse gelding, I’m All In, made a big impression by earning the lowest dressage score of the day and possibly one for the record books at Aspen Farms: 13.4. They are leading the division ahead of Brooke Phillips and JL’s Dartagnan who scored 19.7, and Sara Sellmer and JB Virgin Electric, owned by Jil Walton, who scored 21.6.

In Preliminary Rider, Madison Langerak and Normandy Kivalo, owned by Kelly Langerak, are leading the way on 26.1. Reese Blinks and I’M Jaguar are second on 28.4, and Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique are third on 30.

“We showed up at the show grounds at 9 p.m. last night,” said Langerak. “I’m in nursing school right now and couldn’t get out of there early yesterday. But I knew he would show up for me today; he’s a ‘Steady Eddie.’ I knew I could trust him to take care of it; he was very good. The test was nothing special, but special enough!”

Overnight Leaderboard Day 1:

All scores are available online at Startbox Scoring, here. Follow along with more show coverage on Instagram @AspenFarmsHorseTrials or on our Facebook Page, here.

The competition will begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, June 15, and all are welcome to a reception at 5 p.m. celebrating the inaugural CCI4*-Short in the VIP Tent above the FEI show jumping ring.

Photos provided by Ashley Kemp Photography. Reel by STF Productions.