The Essex Horse Trials at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation offered the perfect location to prep for her upcoming eventing Nations Cup in Poland, according to Caroline Martin Pamukcu, who won the Advanced Combined Test Saturday with HSH Blake.
“There aren’t a lot of places in this country to get this kind of atmosphere at a venue that’s so historic,” Caroline said of the facility in Gladstone, N.J., where Olympic teams trained for decades.
Caroline Martin Pamukcu accepts her prizes for winning the Essex Horse Trials Combined Test from Dr. Travis Bowers of sponsor Running S Equine Veterinary Services. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“You ride around here, and you almost pinch yourself, because you know all the greats of eventing culture have been here before you. It’s so cool.”
She added she is also “a huge fan of Chris Barnard,” the show jumping phase’s course designer, noting his routes are fair but “always hard.”
The Combined Test consisted of dressage followed by show jumping. This format does not include cross-country.
Caroline led in the dressage with 30.7 penalties, and benefited from a post-ride critique from judge Debbie Adams. Although she had a rail in the evening show jumping segment, her lead was such that she was able to maintain it, winning by 0.1 penalties over Shannon Lilley with Ideal HX.
How adorable is this palomino Morgan, Rockster, who leads the Open Preliminary Division atEssex for Hannah Sue Hollberg. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
While victory was nice, Caroline emphasized, “I wasn’t coming here to win, I was just coming as preparation.”
Blake, an 8-year-old by BMC Tolan R, will be competing in his first Nations Cup. He was owned by an older Irish rider who kept him in her backyard, but had to sell after Covid hit. Caroline has been showing him since he was five, when he won the U.S. five-year-old championships. Last year, he finished 10th in the Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers.
The Essex Foxhounds made an appearance at their namesake Essex Horse Trials. (Photo © 2023 by Jamie Saults)
When Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of Essex with Ralph Jones, asked Caroline if she would be interested in entering a Combined Test to help her get ready for the eastern European competition, she leaped at the opportunity.
“I begged and pleaded with him to do this because there are not a lot of places in this country to get this sort of atmosphere, let alone it’s so historic,” Caroline explained.
She added, “Any time you can get him (her horse) in atmosphere and get him out and about without putting too much stress on his legs, the better it is.”
Erin Kanara and Windchase Lionstar lead the Open Intermediate division going into cross-country. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Caroline, who trains with former U.S. eventing performance director Erik Duvander, also spent the winter on a grant working in England with British team star Pippa Funnell. Her big goal for the year is the Pan American Games in Chile this fall.
Caroline has a farm in Riegelsville, Pa., that is home to 52 horses, 30 of which are for sale. She came to Essex with 18 horses, most of whom are available, so she is glad to have an opportunity to show them off to potential clientele. She’s first and second in the Training section, with Billy Be Jolly (24.3 penalties) leading her Cascadella 8 (25.5).
Cross-country begins at 8 a.m. Sunday at a different venue, Moorland Farm in Far Hills, about 10 minutes from the USET Foundation. A car show is also being held at the facility. Admission to Moorland Farm is $20 per car.
Click here for results.
