Eventing: The Morven Diaries - Friday
Dressage is done and dusted at Morven Park and what a day it was. Sharon White and Claus 63 threw down a personal best, 25.2, her best ever at four-star level, and slotted straight into second behind Will Coleman and Off The Record. It was one of those moments that just felt big. Sharon’s had a tough season, she’s at her home venue, the crowd was buzzing, and she absolutely delivered when it counted. At the top, it’s the “old shoe” himself, Will Coleman and Timmy, who’ve taken the early advantage. A 25.1, classy, calm, and confident. The Achen winner, the fastest horse in the field, and now the one they’ve all got to catch. But as Diarm and Annie remind us, no one wins it on Friday night at Morven. The real battle comes on Saturday, and making the time here is a tall order. Highlights Sharon White’s career-best 25.2 with Claus 63, her third-best score ever and a home-soil high Will Coleman and Off The Record lead after the first phase, looking every bit the old pro Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton, and Tamie Smith all within striking distance heading into cross country Why Morven’s Leaf Pit could be the question that defines the weekend Derek Di Grazia’s course: tight time, bold lines, and classic “ride the line, not the stride” questions Predictions and podium picks: who’s built for speed, who’s built for survival Guests Diarm Byrne & Annie Bishop On the ground at Morven Park with reaction from Sharon White, Will Coleman Stay Connected For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org. Engage with us on Instagram and Facebook — and use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.