Jenny Caras (USA) of Cartersville, Georgia, won The Event at TerraNova‘s Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America on Sunday. She rode her go-to horse, Trendy Fernhill (ARS Vivendi x Cruising Girl), a bay Irish Sport Horse gelding. He is owned by Elyse Eisenberg. Lucienne Bellissimo (GBR) of Campobello, South Carolina, took second place with Tremanton (Graffentoltz x Trevia), a bay Thoroughbred-cross mare, owned by Horse Scout Eventing LLC. This was Tremanton’s first 4*-L.

The two riders chased each other all weekend for the win, which was decided in a nail-biting stadium jumping round. After Saturday’s cross-country, they were 0.2 seconds apart, with Bellissimo holding the lead. The margin didn’t change Sunday, but the placings did. Bellissimo finished second with a score of 35.5 to Caras’ 35.3 on course designer Marc Donovan’s (Southern Pines, North Carolina) track.

Busy Days for Caras and Bellissimo

Both Caras and Bellissimo had busy weekends, each with several horses entered. Caras took fourth place in the 4*-L with her up-and-coming horse, Sommersby (Sergeant Pepper x D’Mademoiselle). He is a bay Holsteiner gelding she co-owns with Jerry Hollis. It was only Sommersby’s third advanced competition. Bellissimo won the CCI1*-L division with Duke’s Jory (Duke of Heart x Zajora), a 16.2-hand bay Holsteiner gelding owned by Horse Scout Eventing LLC.

“Because he’s such a big boy, at least 17 hands, the doubles and combinations are hard for Joey (Trendy Fernhill’s nickname). I definitely thought the triple bar, the two verticals and the triple at the end of the course were going to be hard for him. But I know what to expect, so I know how to ride him there and help him as best as I can. And he runs as hard as he can. He gives 125 percent, and to have produced him myself is just extra special.”

Bellissimo was beaming about Tremanton’s performance. “She hadn’t yet jumped clear in show jumping at 4*, so today was a real pivotal moment to feel her try that hard in the ring, especially after being such a brave and good girl yesterday on cross-country.”

Will Coleman Third

Olympian Will Coleman of Ocala, Florida, placed third with Diabolo (Diarado x Roulett M), a 16.2-hand Holsteiner gelding owned by Diabolo Group LLC. Coleman came out strong early in the competition, standing second in dressage on Friday. “Dab,” as he calls the horse, was revved up for his stadium course, prancing with gusto when he entered the arena and jumping big through the course. “Dab was feeling very fresh. I think he’s excited to be at this amazing facility.”

Coleman complimented course designer Donovan, saying, “It was a great track, a typical Marc Donovan course. The beginning allowed you to get into a good rhythm and then built in technicality.”

This was Donovan’s first time at TerraNova, which he called a “magnificent facility.” He said it allowed him to design the kind of course he felt would be a good test for the horses.

“There are some trickier lines,” said Donovan. “Some of the bending lines are a little more difficult than I normally am comfortable doing. But I think at this level the horses will be able to handle it. The jumps are beautiful, but they are pretty colorful. The triple combination has a lot of red and white, so at first glance when you come around the turn, there it is. And it’s a lot to look at. The line between the liverpool and two verticals is a precise, exacting line, and the horses will have to be on their step.”

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