It Truly Is A Special Night As Tom McCutcheon Wins Gold!

After the build up from the Team Competition, the crowds in Lexington were ready to see some amazing runs in the Individual Competition. The riders delivered in fine style!
Today’s competition featured Pattern 10, which started with a dramatic run-in past center to the first of four sliding stops. The horses then backed to the center markers, hesitated and performed four spins to the right and then four and a quarter spins to the left. The riders then departed on the right lead to run two large fast circles, into a small slow circle. A lead change was performed at center into a small slow circle left and then back to running two large fast circles. Another lead change at center set the riders up to run down the right side of the arena, stop and rollback left, run down the left side of the arena, stop and rollback right. The grand finale was a rundown the right side to the final stop.
The scores were solid right out of the gate with 218.5 from Shawna Sapergia and This Chics On Top, owned by Nicolas Swagor, of Canada leading the way until the Americans came to play.
Tim McQuay and Daivd Silva’s Hollywoodstinseltown raised the bar with a score of 222. A small bobble in the spins would ultimately put them into fourth place, overall. Canada’s Duane Latimer and Dun Playing Tag, for Lance Griffin, posted a 222.5 to ease into first. They would not hold the lead long as the second US rider, Craig Schmersal, galloped into the arena next with Mister Montana Nic, for Erika Smith. Schmersal would again prompt a change at the top, marking a 223. The score would hold until Tom McCutcheon and Gunners Special Nite came to dominate the rest of the go. The six year old stallion, owned by Sarah Willeman and Turnabout Farm, was in top form from the moment he ran to the first stop, until the very end when Tom McCutcheon threw his hat in the air in celebration of an awesome run. The judges agreed, and marked a 228, to give them a five-point lead ahead of Schmersal. The crowd didn’t have to wait long to see if the score would hold up as Stefano Massignan and Yellow Jersey of Italy scored a 213. Last to go were Shawn Flarida and RC Fancy Step, the only pair standing in between McCutcheon and the Gold. An unfortunate broken stirrup caused Flarida to grab the saddle horn for a mandatory five point penalty, resulting in a score of 207.5.
Tom McCutcheon was delighted with the run. “I really wanted to do this horse justice, he is such an amazing horse and a delight to ride. It is just such a special night.”

Final Results:
1 338 US T. McCutcheon Gunners Special Nite 228.00

2 328 USA C. Schmersal Mister Montana Nic 223.00

3 372 CAN D. Latimer Dun Playin Tag 222.50

4 341 USA T. McQuay Hollywoodstinseltown 222.00