The top 3 leaders of the LRK3DE2022 CCI5*-L Dressage Day One tests are: Tamra Smith riding Fleeceworks Royal with a 32.9 score; Colleen Rutledge riding Covert Rights with a 33.8 score; and Doug Payne riding Vandiver with a 34.9 score. All three are American bred — a Holsteiner, a Thoroughbred and a Trakehner.

Fleeceworks Royal is a 13-year old Holsteiner mare owned by Judith McSwain, This may be Fleeceworks Royal’s 5* debut, but she certainly isn’t inexperienced in the sport. Developed by Tamie Smith, “Rory” was the 2016 recipient of the Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Le Lion d’Angers Grant for being the highest placed 2014 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) graduate to qualify for the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships in France, where she held her own in the 7-year-old CCI2*.

The mare has overcome a host of injuries, including a corneal transplant in 2016 after scratching her eye.

“She’s an awesome horse. A fighter like no other,” said Smith. “I mean, the stuff she’s been through, the corneal transplant, just one thing after another, little stupid things happen with horses and things that vets have never heard of have all happened to her throughout her career. But she just keeps fighting and coming back stronger and better. She’s a feisty thing, but I love her.”

Here’s the current leaderboard for the 5*.

4* Standings

In the 4*, Liz Halliday-Sharp is currently in first place with The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Quicksilver and second place on Cooley Moonshine. Both are Irish Sport Horses. Helen Alliston sits in third place with Ebay.

Tune into the second day of Dressage tomorrow!