By Amber Heintzberger

California native Molly Rosin made the 3,000 trek worthwhile, jumping around clear aboard Havarah’s Charly to become the 2006 Open Preliminary champions at the Wellpride American Eventing Championships at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, North Carolina. Finishing on their dressage score of 29.4, the pair dominated the division of 44 entries. Allison Springer and Arthur, who led after dressage, finished in second place overall, followed by Lynn Coates-Holmes on Pistolero.

Past Olympian Karen O’Connor of The Plains, Virginia won the Preliminary Horse Debroke division with Joan Goswell’s Mandiba, followed by Emily Beshear on Baileywick and Caroline Dowd on Raw Deal.

Fourteen-year-old Callie Judy of Columbia, Missouri kept all the rails in their cups to win the Preliminary Junior/Young Rider division riding Kilkenny Castle, an Irish Sport Horse gelding. “Area IV has very flat terrain and I liked the rolling hills here,” Judy said. “Cross-country was very challenging.” She added that she wanted to thank her parents for supporting her, and Cathy Wieschhoff for coaching her during the competition. Second place went to Laura Sappenfield on Derrik and third place to Kirsten Selwig on Rude de Guerre.

The inaugural Beginner Novice division, presented by The Fork Stables, also saw its finale today in the show jumping arena. Mary McKeon finished the competition with a clear round on Carol Bank’s Cleveland Bay cross, Idlehour’s McHenry, to win the division. Margaret Simak on Cappuccino and Fred McCashin on Private Pilot also went clear to place second and third, respectively.

Intermediate and Novice cross-country also took place today. Only one rider, Canadian Mike Winter, completed the Intermediate cross-country course with a double clear round. Overnight leader Lauren Kieffer dropped to 11th place after two stops on course. Emily Beshear had a clean round and took the lead on Acorn Hill Farm’s New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding Woodburn. She also placed second in the Preliminary Horse division on Baileywick.

Three Training level divisions began today. There is a tie between Susan Reynolds and Dominick and Susan Wainwright and Hunter in the Open Division, with Andrew Palmer on Stilletto in third. In the Training Horse division Karen Mahaffey on Westmoreland is in the lead, followed by Kelli Temple on Moneymaker and Holly Hepp on Ladyslipper, in second and third respectively. In the Training Junior/Young Rider division, Brooke Harlow on Fibber Magee are followed by Retsy Holliday on Guinness V and Devon Brown on Limerick.

All three very large divisions of Novice spent the day on cross-country, with Sarah Blum hanging on to her lead in the Open Novice on a double clear round. Nancy Covert and Mary Jordan are tied for second less than one point behind Blum, so the pressure is certainly on for tomorrow’s show jumping.

Holly Payne and Fruition’s First took the lead in the Novice Horse division followed by Holly Hepp on Icewine in second and Caroline Dowd on Ripley in third.

In the Novice Junior/Young Rider division Rebecca Preston and Milo moved up from second to first when overnight leader Hannah Owens and Jamberry had a refusal and dropped to 56th place. Jessica Meckes on Dungavin stands in second place, and there is a tie for third between Shauna Berkner on Curious Cobb and Courtney Bauer on Sheridan Jet Bars.

The Advanced competitors spent the day in the dressage arena. Mara Dean and her Nicky Henley are in the lead followed by Kristin Bachmann on Gryffindor and Emma Winter on Mahogany Chief. Spectators should have some exciting rides to watch tomorrow when these competitors take to the cross-country course at 9:15 a.m.

The day concluded with the USEA’s competitors’ party that began with the presentation of the Exquisite Equestrian Award to Melissa Jefferson and her horse Triple Twist, aka “Trey.” The Exquisite Equestrian award is given to the person who has succeeded in the face of adversity on their journey to the Wellpride AEC, and Jefferson will receive a custom cooler from Exquisite Equestrian—a completely custom personal shopping service that specializes in outfitting barns, horses, and riders with custom products that reflect the highest possible quality, including Oakcroft Tack Trunks and barn equipment, Vogel custom boots, and commissioned artwork by Tricia Scheele. Following this award the party kicked off with a lively tug-of-war competition and dancing into the night.

The Wellpride AEC would not be possible without the support of its many sponsors, including new Title Sponsor Wellpride; Presenting Sponsors: Amerigo, Bit of Britain, Nutrena and Saratoga Horseworks; Contributing Sponsors: Cover-All Building Systems, UlcerGard, Adequan, The Fork Stables, Finish Line and Suncoast Bedding; Gold Level Sponsors: Fleeceworks, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Stackhouse Saddle Makers, Practical Horseman, Mountain Horse, Charles Owen, and EquestrianCollections.com; Silver Level: Likit, Pegasus Design, Joz, Inc., Phoenix Performance Products, Platinum Performance, Flair Nasal Strips, and SSG Gloves; and Bronze Level: 3M, Auburn Laboratories, Mackinnon Ice Horse, Gore Trailers, Hi-Tech Horse Jumps, Spalding Labs, and Rodney Powell Body Armour.

For complete Wellpride AEC results, visit the Carolina Horse Park website at www.carolinahorsepark.com, or go directly to the results page at: http://carolinahorsepark.com/aec/results_fri/aec06_results_092206_op_ch.html