20 SIDELINES MAY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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Olympic Build
Up Begins
for Eventers
at Red Hills
International
Horse Trials
By Kim MacMillan
W
alking the cross country course at Red Hills
International Horse Trials in Tallahassee
in mid March made it easy to see how
they named the event…it was a rolling, twisty track
with the characteristic red soil seen in South Georgia
and Northwest Florida. Someone said Tallahassee
was made up of seven hills – although they hadn’t personally
counted them.
Perhaps the most appealing thing about Red Hills was the
overwhelming enthusiasm and involvement of the city and
people from the area in promoting and orchestrating this
event. Every offcial and volunteer was very friendly and
accommodating and the organizers included many family
friendly things such as a play area for children, a fun run,
botanical tours of the area’s lovely forests and gardens and a
trade fair with a food court, shopping and educational exhibits.
Red Hills was the frst major event of 2012 leading up to
the Olympics in London this summer and the observers for
both the U.S. and Canadian teams were in evidence. Three
international levels (CIC3*, CIC2* and CIC1*) were contested,
as well as Advanced, Open Intermediate and three Preliminary
divisions.
The winner of the CIC3* was Phillip Dutton riding James and
Arden Wildasin’s Warmblood gelding Mystery Whisper. The
pair bested an impressive feld by a whopping 13.6 points over
the second placed rider and relative newcomer to eventing,
Marilyn Little-Meredith and RF Rovano Rex owned by Raylyn
Farms, Inc. Little-Meredith is an accomplished show jumper
who has joined forces with Karen and David O’Connor over the
last year and a half. She not only took second in the CIC3*; but
also won the CIC2* on RF Smoke on the Water. For complete
results go to www.rhht.org
Winner of the CIC3*, and a one year lease of a Mercedes Benz,
was Phillip Dutton riding James and Arden Wildasin’s Mystery
Whisper
Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Karen O’Connor looking smart in her shadbelly on
dressage day
Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Continued on page 22