The Pine Tree Combined Driving Event takes place at Claire Reid’s Big Sky Farm in Southern Pines, NC. This low-key show is competitor friendly and runs Training, Preliminary and Intermediate divisions. Competitors had great weather and a great venue. Many people chose to do both the combined test on Friday and the CDE on Saturday and Sunday, in a rare chance to get to do dressage “over.” A different ground jury judged dressage each day.
I missed most of dressage, but got some nice photos of the ever competitive Preliminary Single Pony class. Suzi Dixon won the combined test on Friday, cones being the deciding factor, as the dressage scores were all very closely grouped. It was Aaron Soldavin, with Welsh cross, Rally, who won the CDE by winning both the dressage and marathon.
Pine Tree (and Southern Pines CDE, as they share the same caterer) has the best competitor’s party food. A giant salad bar, prime rib and the best desserts. This is the important stuff!
Next weekend is Katydid CDE and competitors who do both shows will have a shot at winning the Carolina Challenge (goes to the combination with the lowest score from both shows), as well as the ADS Intermediate Championships.
