Leading CH-Y** Division after cross-country is David Ziegler (who was also competing in the dressage division) riding his second horse of the competition, Critical Decision (Consul x Two a Day), his 18-year-old Oldenburg gelding, on his dressage a score of 46.3. The pair currently has a 13.9 lead on second place.

“All the credit has to go to my horse. He is a cross-country machine and it’s what he lives for,” said Ziegler. “We had a great ride today.”

“It was a technical 2* cross-country course, but Critical Decision’s experience shone and he and David went clear,” said Kathleen Ziegler, chef d’équipe of Alberta.

In second is April Simmonds of Uxbridge, ON and Impressively Done, Don Simmonds’ nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding sired by Eulogize. Simmonds, who was sitting in sixth after dressage, added only 3.2 cross country time penalties to her dressage score of 57.0 for a two day total of 60.2.

“My horse was awesome,” said Simmons. “I have never felt so confident going out on a cross country course on him. He used his second gear of gallop, which he normally does not use. He was just on fire. I was just so happy that I was on my horse today. I would not have wanted to be on any other horse going out there.”

Currently leading in the CH-J* Division on her dressage score of 49.2 is Moira de Ste Croix-Laframboise of Kars, ON and Blue Ben, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding sired by Gambit Z and owned by de Ste Croix-Laframboise and Teddie Laframboise. The pair moved up from third place to the top the leaderboard after cross country.

Eventing concludes tomorrow with CH-J* jumping at 12:30 p.m. and CH-Y** jumping at 3 p.m.