MYAKKA CITY, Fla.-- Alyssa Phillips on Rockett 19 scored 23.3 to take the lead in the CCI4*-L on Friday, Nov. 13 before heading into Saturday’s cross-country at The Event at TerraNova.

Alyssa Phillips on Rockett 19 (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)Meg Pellegrini on Falcon Crown Z leads the CCI3*-L after dressage.

Phillips' score put her 4.6 points ahead of overnight leader Ema Klugman on RF Redfern, who now sits second on 27.9.

Phillips, who has partnered with Rockett 19 since January 2025, moved him up to the four-star level at TerraNova this spring before competing in their first CCI4*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm in July.

After Rockett bumped his leg in his stall following dressage at Morven Park this fall, Phillips rerouted him to TerraNova for their second four-star long event.

“He’s such a careful horse that I’ve really wanted to take my time with him and make sure he’s confident,” Phillips said. “I’ve switched him back and forth between the four-star and running an Intermediate just to make sure he’s super happy, because that is my number one priority with him.”

 

“HE SAW something during the left lead canter. He just grew five inches, and off he went down the long side,” Phillips said. “I was like, ‘Oh, no, you need to come back to me now.’ And he did. He was so obedient, and he did the most beautiful extended canter after that. He’s a very good dressage horse, but he can be a little tricky sometimes, so I’m very, very proud of him today.”

Meg Pellegrino on Falcon Crown Z (Photo by Shannon Brinkma)“He’s gained so much strength over the year. He’s a different horse now than he was at the beginning of the year in all positive aspects,” Phillips said.

One year after making their four-star debut at TerraNova, Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z return with a stronger partnership, greater confidence, and exciting goals for the future.

“I’ve had Falcon for almost three years now, and we’ve really been developing our partnership together at the three-star level,” Pellegrini said. “We stepped up to four-star at this event last year, and I wanted a good qualification score at the three-star level and thought this would be a good place for it.”

“We spent a lot of time at the three-star level, just making sure we had all of our ducks in a row before stepping up to the four-star level,” Pellegrini said. “We had a couple of little blips in the spring, but all of it has just been a great learning opportunity for me and for him, and I think it’s only made our partnership stronger. He’s a really great friend now, to be honest. We love each other, and he’s such a good boy. Now every event is just another way for us to continue building this partnership.”

“He had a great run around the cross-country at Morven, and I think it just made everything clear that we’re on the right path,” Pellegrini said. “I’m excited to see how he’s going to be tomorrow because, coming off that event and coming here, it’s completely different. There’s not a single similarity—in all the good ways. I’m just curious to see how he’s going to handle it.”

Pellegrini's goals for Falcon include a potential run in the CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Three-Day Event next spring, an under-25 championship, and a four-star event as their partnership continues to develop.

“I believe he’s got what it takes to be a really world-class horse,” Pellegrini said.

Tim Bourke on DHI Kevin G went into the lead of the CCI4*-S with one of only three clean show jumping rounds, climbing from third to first, maintaining their dressage score of 33.2 heading into Saturday’s cross-country final.

The division also serves as the third qualifier for the 2027 US Equestrian Open of Eventing, adding another layer of excitement to Saturday’s final phase of the CCI4*-S.

Dressage leader Alexa Thompson on Api du Libaire slipped to second after adding 4 jumping and 2.8 time penalties, taking her score to 34.3.

Emilie Mudd-Guy on Quite Nice 11 also moved up the standings, climbing from sixth to third with a clean round to remain on her dressage score of 35.3.

Megan Loughnane on Lynton had the division’s other clean round, jumping from 12th to fourth on 40.1 heading into Saturday’s cross-country.