William Coleman and Twizzel jumped a flawless stadium round to win the CIC*** at the inaugural Plantation Field International CIC and Horse Trials, September 19-21, 2008 at the property of Mr. and Mrs. Cuyler Walker.

Coleman, 25, Charlottesville, Virginia explained that Tivoli Farms purchased the warmblood gelding in Germany two years ago for him to ride. “We looked at the horse for a couple years before she agreed to sell it – she had a bad fall from another horse and agreed to sell him, so we jumped at the chance. He was still quite green at the advanced level, and then he had an interruption in his training, but he’s a super horse.”

This was Coleman’s first three-star win since he won the under-25 division at Bramham, England in 2003.

Last year Twizzel was plagued by unsoundness. Veterinarians eventually discovered a cyst in his shoulder and Dr. Dean Richardson, New Bolton Center veterinarian of Barbaro fame, performed an operation that involved drilling through the scapula and injecting the cyst to shrink it. Twizzel has only been back in action for a few months but the surgery seems to have made a huge difference.

Local Olympian Phillip Dutton, West Grove, Pennsylvania and his assistant trainer Boyd Martin were tied for second place going into the final phase of the CIC***. Dutton and Acorn Hill Farm’s Bailey Wick had a double clear round to finish on 54.4 which put the pressure on Martin, who riding Kate Dichey’s Belmont II had rails at the second and last fences, dropping him to fourth place on 62.4 behind Dutton on Nina Gardner’s Loose ‘N Cool (61.5).