As predicted, the U.S. team took reining gold, their fifth, but it was not a veteran team member to take top individual honors. Team USA’s youngest member, 18 year old Cade McCutcheon and Custom Made Gun earned the top score, followed by teammate Casey Deary and Heavy Duty Chex. Among 12 teams, Belgium earned silver and Germany, bronze. Individual reining resumes on Thursday, with the finals on Saturday.
Day one of dressage team competition and individual qualification ended with Germany, Sweden and the United States in the top three spots. Thursday’s rides will determine all as top stars trot down centerline to secure or shake up those standings.
Endurance started early Wednesday, then had to undergo a restart later that morning because some riders were misdirected as to what trail to take. But by early evening, the shocking news arrived that endurance had been cancelled due to “potentially dangerously high combination of heat and humidity, and the conditions out on the trail following heavy rain this afternoon,” per the FEI statement. Really sad news, but done for the safety and welfare of the horse. We noticed that Haygain contributing author David Marlin, an expert on heat and humidity in the equestrian world, provided data regarding the unacceptable risk posed by the conditions. On to day-two of the World Equestrian Games.
