Bronte Beach Z and Ema Klugman Win VHC Eventing’s CCI3*-S, Presented by Capital Square

Bronte Beach Z and Ema Klugman have done it again at VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square. Together, the long-time partners have been crowned champion of the CCI3*-S division on Saturday, November 1st, with a score of 24.7. This is the second time Klugman and Bronte have topped the podium in the CCI3*-S at VHC Eventing, previously winning the division in 2020.

In the five years since then, “Bronte” has competed at three five-star events, including the Maryland Five Star and the Kentucky Three Day Event. According to Klugman, that experience and her own familiarity with the venue gave them a competitive edge.

“Not much phases that horse,” Klugman said. “I’ve done [the course] quite a few times over the years, so I know how it feels, going down that hill. You don’t really want to go too fast, just because it can be a little jarring for them. There are places in the course where you have to slow down a bit, but then you can rocket up the hill. You just have to make sure you have enough horse for the loop at the top after you go up that steep hill.”

Klugman’s goal for the day wasn’t just to win, but to come in with no time faults. “It was a good day. My goal was to try to make the time, and I think I was three seconds under, so I was happy with that. Give myself a bit of a challenge,” she said. “I knew that she could do that. I just have to be organized and smooth and try not to waste time.”

Striking the right balance between protecting a horse’s confidence and pushing both rider and horse to grow requires a delicate touch. According to Klugman, VHC Eventing was the perfect time and place to push her own limits and help Bronte prepare for the CCI4*-L at Terranova.

“She felt super fit, which is great, and very game,” she said. “I think it’s good for me to practice riding at speed. It’s a delicate balance of protecting the horses and making sure they’re confident, so maybe not always going really fast. But also, you know, as a rider, it’s a skill to be able to compete under pressure. I was in the lead, so it was mine to lose.”

The Virginia Horse Center has played a role in Bronte’s education up the levels, from winning her first FEI event to solidifying the Zangersheide mare’s fitness for tougher tracks. Klugman says that if she had any advice for up-and-coming riders who were thinking about tackling the Lexington, Virginia cross country course, it would be to take advantage of the big atmosphere for all levels.

“I think what’s really nice about [VHC Eventing] is even the beginner novice and starter folks are jumping in the same stadium that the three-star horses are jumping in,” Klugman said. “It’s kind of like a three-day event feel, even if you’re doing a horse trial. I think it’s a great show. I would say to make sure you have your horse really fit, because there’s a lot of terrain and it’s very hilly here. Try to have good preparation events where you expose your horse to different environments. But I think the horses learned a ton coming here. It’s a place we love coming back to.”

Klugman also notes that winning with Bronte isn’t just a victory for herself— but also for the Bronte Beach Syndicate.

“There’s a big syndicate behind Bronte Beach who have been super loyal and gotten behind me and her for the last five or six years,” she said. “We have ups and downs and, obviously like with any work, we’re really trying to do well all the time. But I feel like I’ve made some mistakes over the course of her career and it doesn’t always go to plan, so it’s really nice to give them a good win. I really wouldn’t have the horse if it weren’t for them; I wouldn’t have been able to keep her. It’s really rewarding to have their support, and it’s an honor to ride for them.”

The CCI2*-L will be the last FEI division to finish this weekend and will wrap up with show jumping tomorrow afternoon. On Saturday, the top five slots on the leaderboard are populated with two Olympians– Phillip Dutton and Caroline Pamukcu. Dutton has claimed first and second with Autumn Leaves and Darwinn respectively, followed by Pamukcu with HSH Talbots Hill, HSH Olive, and HSH Cruising Spirit in that order.

Dutton and Autumn Leaves are holding onto first place by a narrow margin with a score of 23.8. This weekend marks Autumn Leaves’ first run since the CCI2*-S at Plantation Field in September.

“She hasn’t run since Plantation, so I wasn’t quite sure if she was quite ready to go quick today, but she set off really well,” Dutton said. “The terrain makes it more difficult to make the time, especially for the young horses, but I couldn’t be more pleased with her. She had a really uneventful round and was actually really good.”

Dutton cited coming in under the time limit as a concern, but crossed the finish flags just one second over the optimum time of 7:02. “I thought the time was gonna be hard to get just because of the way the track was with the terrain,” he said. “It was quite a big pull at the end for the horses to come up to the finish with the hill, so I was kind of how power I thought it would ride.”

Looking ahead to show jumping, Autumn Leaves has only a bit of time separating her from Dutton’s second-place ride, Darwinn. The competition is tight between Dutton and Pamukcu. In order to hold onto his spot in the lead, he’ll have to achieve a near double clear. “Generally she does [show] jump well, so now it’s up to me to ride well and hopefully get a good result,” he said.

Seasoned 5* rider Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G won the CCI2*-S division by a landslide with a score of 27.9, more than ten points ahead of second-place Stella Sunstein and Romans Mr. Kane. Owned by Lucia Strini, “Kevin” is new to Bourke Equestrian and is on trial through the fall season. But based on their performance at VHC Eventing, the future is looking bright for this new pair.

Bourke cites the work Strini has put into Kevin as a large reason for their success this weekend. “He was great today,” he said. “It’s pretty nice leaving the start box on a seasoned veteran that’s done it all. He is a reliable, good horse so you know it was really nice. I’m really happy with him.”

Like the winning pairs in all other divisions, Bourke also said time and fitness were the two most significant factors on the course on Saturday. “The time was tough,” he said. “It was a pretty big fitness test, as you’d imagine, coming up that mountain there at the end. He whizzed on up there.”

VHC Eventing was a preparatory run for Kevin and Bourke, who are planning on competing in the Intermediate at TerraNova Equestrian Center next month. “[This weekend] was a really good start to our partnership together,” Bourke said. “We won the Preliminary the other weekend and then to come here and the two short— yeah, it’s good.”

Kenta Hiranaga’s first time at the Virginia Horse Center may be a tough performance to beat. Hiranaga and Promised Land TH won the division CCI1*-L with a score of 24.9.
“[I feel] so amazing. Horses are also very happy,” Hiranaga said. “But today in the stadium, the horses gave their best performances, but I was too focused on the time, and I didn’t give them the best approaches.”

Despite some room for improvement, Hiranaga and Promised Land TH pulled off a double clear show jumping round and was one of only two riders to go double clear in both cross-country and show jumping.

With help from his trainer, Olympian Boyd Martin, Hiranaga says he and “Django” are aiming to do their first CCI2* in the spring. From there, the sky’s the limit. “[I’m aiming for] LA 2028,” Hiranaga said. “With more experience, I hope [she’s a] five-star horse. Maybe [we’ll be at the] LA Olympics or the Brisbane Olympics.”

FEI competition will finish with the CCI2*-L show jumping phase Sunday morning. The final Horse Inspection will be held at 8 a.m. before show jumping begins at 9:45 a.m. During the jog, the ground jury will award a gift certificate to Tull MD for the horse and rider who are Best Presented.

Outside of FEI competition, the National Horse Trials are well underway and will wrap up Sunday afternoon. The Advanced, Intermediate, Preliminary, and Modified divisions all crowned their winning pairs on Saturday. Results and current standings are as follows:

Advanced/Intermediate

• First – Lynn Symansky & Bounce 6
• Second – Leslie Lamb & Banjo
• Third – Katie Lichten & Hickstead Musterd

Open Intermediate

• First – Sharon White & Quizas
• Second – Sharon White & Arden Augustus
• Third – Marley Stone Bourke & First Obama

Open Preliminary A

• First – Megan Edwards & Global Dynasty
• Second – Phillip Dutton & Capolino
• Third – Bailey Hennings & HSH Redfield Red Sox

Open Preliminary B

• First – Carinne Wancowicz & Deichkind 10
• Second – Lucia Strini & Shirsheen Ice
• Third – Gabby Dickerson & The Naughty Vicar

Preliminary Rider

• First – Reese Dellangelo & Carlson 119
• Second – Reese Dellangelo & Figaro Des Premices
• Third – Logan Harris & Terry Jade

Modified Rider

• First – Elisabeth Tansey & Night Moves
• Second – Emma Jones & Discreto
• Third – Laura Hilliard & Ballarin Shanado

Open Modified

• First – Kaitlin Clasing & TGS Lions Sunshine
• Second – Emeline Gilbert & MS Spirit
• Third – Dominic Schramm & Cooley Dejavu

Junior Training Rider

• First – Ainsley Riddle & Rockin’ Rowan
• Second – Lillian Weidner & Just Keep Swimming
• Third – Lexi Young & Nevertheless

Open Training

• First – Dominic Schramm & Sneaking Suspicion
• Second – Dominic Schramm & St Cashmere
• Third – Leah Cort & Hamilton D’Inca

Senior Training Rider A

• First – Lauren Allen & FGF Bob’s Wired
• Second – Morgan Hiller & Junkanoo
• Third – Kimberly Moore & Patrickswell Royal

Senior Training Rider B

• First – Alicia Turner & Key Play
• Second – Kathleen Cannon & Global Ask
• Third – Stephanie Senserini & Monbeg Icon

Training Horse A

• First – Kenta Hiranaga & Dixon
• Second – Tim Bourke & Alternative Quality
• Third – Rebecca Barber Tyler & Bondi Beach

Training Horse B

• First – Emily Mastervich & MGH HighLife
• Second – Kristina Koehler & Lammy Fortune
• Third – Tim Bourke & Flash Quality

Junior Novice Rider

• First – Peyton James & LH Peter Parker
• Second – Elliot Bizjak & N’Pressive
• Third – Lillian Harrod & Celtic Heritage

Novice Horse

• First – Hannah Brandt & Fernhill Emerald
• Second – Megan Edwards & Mac Daddy
• Third – Logan Harris & LH Mint Julep

Open Novice A

• First – Erin Weil & Patriot Games
• Second – Erica Leslie Jones & R U Sure
• Third – Hilary Fordyce & Lowhill Quidam Cruise

Open Novice B

• First – Morgan Hiller & I See Nothing
• Second – Dayna Blumel & Cabo Wabo
• Third – Clara Bond & Beaverwoods Dandelion

Senior Novice Rider A

• First – Tiffany Smith & Mischief Managed
• Second – Regina Turner & Heigh Ho Hero
• Third – Kim Brickley & Eloise

Senior Novice Rider B

• First – Lucy Leff & Wellsprings Cool Guy
• Second – Dee Tabb & Child’s Play
• Third – Mallory Gaines & Land Rush

Beginner Novice Horse

• First – Logan Harris & Ondine
• Second – Molly Brown & Soko
• Third – Caitlin Henderson & Dynamic Storm

Junior Beginner Novice Rider

• First – Catheryn Davis & Fashionable Man
• Second – Jocelyn Myers & New Moon Stella Bella
• Third – Nicola Villarino & What the Devil

Open Beginner Novice

• First – Hugh Wrigley & FE Clajano Blue PS
• Second – Ava Wehrs & Drombane General
• Third – Hannah Moser & Caleidoscope

Senior Beginner Novice Rider A

• First – Evan Harris & RREF Rubix
• Second – Emily Hummel & What’s His Face SSH3
• Third – Julie Wotring & B E Never Say Never

Senior Beginner Novice Rider B

• First – Liana Theroux & Our Golden Chance
• Second – Laureanne Venter & I’ll Have Another
• Third – Maia Schneider & Courtly Miss

Starter A

• First – Minna Harman & VSH Devine Novelli
• Second – Casey Jones & Trooper
• Third – Anna Flora & Love Potion #9

Starter B

• First – Madison Woschkolup & LH It’s Bo Time
• Second – Katherine Scott & Point Wild
• Third – Patricia Healy & Traditional Hat Man

Virginia Horse Center Eventing Fall (VA): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]