Eventing: Groesbeck takes over at Rebecca Farm

Saturday’s performance by Katherine Groesbeck of Temecula, Calif., at The Event at Rebecca Farm has put her firmly in control of the CIC3* division.

Groesbeck posted the two-best rides over the 21-jump cross-country course to move solidly into both first and second place on horses Oz Poof of Purchase (52.4) and Oz The Tin Man (55).

“I’m exhausted ... I’m tired,” she said after her final ride, which was with Oz The Tin Man.

“I’m also euphoric.”

She was the lone three- star entrant to ride twice on Saturday.

“Your upper level riders and pros often times will ride 2-3 times,” she said.

“The adrenaline can take a lot out of you. If the physical riding (doesn’t drain you), being so revved up for so long will. My legs are tired.”

Groesbeck and Oz Poof of Purchase were sitting seventh after Friday’s dressage, while Groesbeck and Oz The Tin Man held the No. 10 spot.

Phillip Dutton of West Grove, Pa., a five-time Olympian, was disqualified on Saturday. He was the leader after his performance in dressage.

“He fell after one of the water jumps (No. 12 — Slab Table),” Brian Schott, press officer for The Event, said.

“The horse and rider both went down. When that happens, it’s a mandatory retirement. They are eliminated from the competition. He will not compete tomorrow.”

Three other riders and horses also went down on the course. Schott said all the riders and horses were not injured.

Like Groesbeck, Emilee Libby, on her horse Nonsensical, also took advantage of the shuffling in the standings on the second day of eventing. She moved all the way up to third (56.4) after finishing 13th in dressage.

Groesbeck and Libby were the lone riders to complete the cross country course without a time penalty. The time limit is 6 minutes, 30 seconds.

Katie Ruppel, of Anthony, Fla., and her horse Houdini, also had a good outing. They are tied with Libby and Nonsensical for third.

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star are fifth (57.6).

Nunnink, of Auburn, Calif., is the defending champion.

“She was really out of control,” Nunnink said of R-Star.

“She hasn’t run since the Rolex (April).”

That layoff, however, didn’t really concern Nunnink too much.

“You always have the fantasy she will be more rideable,” Nunnink said.

“It’s what you dream for.”

Groesbeck, 24, finished second here a year ago with Oz The Tin Man.

This is her third appearance in The Event.

“Unreal if I did,” she said of how it would feel to win it all.

“If I don’t, it won’t take away from the great rides I had today and yesterday. It just means we have some more work to do.”

Groesbeck was the first rider out for cross country at 11:30 a.m. She was back on the course an hour later.

“He was honest and brave,” she said of Oz Poof of Purchase.

“This was his first three-star.

“He answered the questions brilliantly,” she continued.

“We had a few nail-biting moments, but he pulled through.”

She also had high praise for Oz The Tin Man.

“Like an old pro,” she said.

“He’s been here before. He did his job.”

Groesbeck is hoping to do well enough at The Event to compete on both horses in the American Eventing Championships in September in Texas.

“What makes it special is they are brothers,” she said of the Anglo Arabian geldings, who are 18 and 16 years old.

Avery Klunick, 20, of Midland, Texas, was competing at The Event for the fourth time, but at the CIC3* level for the first time with her horse, In It To Win It, a 12-year-old New Zealand thoroughbred.

“He definitely helped me out some times (today), which I was grateful for,” she said.

“I was nervous.”

Klunick walked the course six times. She had to wait for 17 riders for her chance to ride.

“I was a little slow,” she said.

“That’s OK for the first time. I wanted to get all the jumps down.”

Her score — 86.6. She is currently 16th after two events.

Today’s competition — show jumping — begins at 8 a.m. An awards ceremony will follow the completion of each division.

The Event at Rebecca Farm

Saturday

Cross County

CIC 3*

Katherine Groesbeck, Oz Poof of Purchase 52.4

Katherine Groesbeck, Oz The Tin Man 55.0

Emilee Libby, Nonsensical 56.4

Katie Ruppel, Houdini 56.4

Kristi Nunnink, R-Star 57.6

Zachary Brandt, Cavallino Cocktail 58.0

Pam Fisher, Sea Lion II 59.8

Geriann Henderson, Kingslee 60.0

Ellen Doughty, Sir Oberon 60.2

Lauren Billys, Ballingowan Ginger 64.2

Barbara Crabo, Over Easy 66.6

Jennifer McFall, High Times 69.0

Jordan Taylor, Cambridge 70.8

Jennifer Taxay Kelly, Taboo 77.4

Jolie Wentworth, GoodKnight 86.6

Avery Klunick, In It To Win It 88.2

Andrea Baxter, Indy 500 98.0

Did Not Finish

Phillip Dutton, Ben

Gina Miles, Chanel

Jeanine Allred, Snap Decision

Kevin Baumgardner, Jefferson D’Aurois