Alyssa Phillips Maintains Her Lead In The Estates at TerraNova CCI3

November 17, 2023 – Sarasota

Alyssa Phillips (USA) of Fort Worth, Texas, rode Cornelius Bo, her 16.2-hand bay Hanoverian (Concours Complet x Charlotte), to the leading dressage score of 28.0 in The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L, presented by Laughlin Tanner Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, on the opening day of The Event at TerraNova. Caroline Pamukcu (USA) on Redfield Dexter, owned by the Dexter Syndicate, a 16.3 hand bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Dexter R x Zyreina/Weering), scored 30.9, standing in second.

Riders from 11 nations are competing across 11 divisions (Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Preliminary, Intermediate, Advanced, CCI1-L, CCI2-L, CCI3-L and CCI4-L).

“Riding at this beautiful facility is amazing,” said Phillips. “I am so happy to be back here.” At the TerraNova event in April, she shattered her ankle. “So I came back. I’m very eager for some redemption, and I’m going to stay on my horse this time,” she said with a laugh.

Phillips is planning to move the horse up to the 4* level in the spring. She described “Corny” or “Corn Dog,” as he is known in the barn, as “the funniest character to be around. He’s hilarious.”

Pamukcu, who hails from Riegelsville, Pennsylvania, described her horse similarly. “If you leave anything by his stall, he’ll take it and play with it. We’re hanging up stuffed animals for him in his stall right now so he has something to play with.” She will compete Friday in the CCI4*-L dressage with another horse, HSH Vamonos, owned by herself, RAH Resources LLC and Sherrie Martin, a 16.3-hand bay Zangersheide gelding (Andiamo VH Kapelhof Z x Quasimodelle).

Pamukcu’s first impression of the cross-country course after walking it was that it is quite flat, due to the Florida terrain. “They built it up and asked a lot of questions with a lot of different types of mounds and drops. It’s a very, very cool track.”

Leading in the dressage phase of the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America is Olympian Will Coleman (USA) with a score of 34.0 aboard Diabolo (Diarado x Roulett M), a 16.2-hand bay Holsteiner gelding owned by Diabolo Group, LLC. Coleman said it’s been a big transition for “Dab,” his stable name, who came from Australia this year. The pair has only been working together since February.

After an initial walk on the cross-country course, Coleman said he is still putting his plan together. He described the course as “well presented [for] the straight routes.” Still, he said, “Any time you’re jumping 4* jumps, it’s a stern test.”

The CCI3-L and CCI4-L riders rode their dressage tests for judges Gretchen Butts (USA), Robert Stevenson (USA) and Sandy Phillips (GBR).

Friday features the remainder of the remainder of the FEI dressage, plus the Horse Trials dressage.