Saturday, April 29, 2006

Darren Chiacchia In the Lead in Dressage At Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** Presented by Farnam

Darren Chiacchia of Ocala, FL, took a commanding lead Friday at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** Presented by Farnam when he and Windfall II glided through a dressage test that brought cheers from the record crowd in the stands.

Windfall and the other sleek equine athletes -- some of the best in the world – coupled with gorgeous Kentucky spring weather were an irresistible attraction to the more than 18,000 spectators at the final dressage competitions on Friday, up 26 percent from the previous year.

With a score of 33.0, Chiacchia and the striking black Trakehner finished 6.5 points ahead of Kim Severson of Scottsville, VA, his partner on the bronze medal-winning US team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, who scored 39.5. Mara Dean of Round Hill, VA, who claimed Thursday’s top dressage score of 43.2 riding Nicki Henley, dropped into third place.

With the dressage phase of Rolex Kentucky completed, the rest of the horse-and-rider pairs in the top 10 are: Courageous Comet, Becky Holder, US (43.7); From, Stephen Bradley, US (43.9); Call Me Clifton, Donna Smith, NZL (45.6); Shear L’eau, Leslie Law, GBR, tied with Tom Quigley, Polly Stockton, GBR (48.2); Paris, Kelli Temple, CAN (48.7); Northern Spy, Heidi J. White, US (49.4).