We’re half-way through the show jumping at Barbury with XC still to come
The Barbury show jumping course feels like a derby because it incorporates terrain in the grass main arena. The footing is causing a few slips in some of the tight turns, something the riders will be making note of as they pick their studs for the cross-country. The cross country is being run in reverse order of placing.
The first two US pairs just finished their show jumping in the Barbury CIC3* division with mixed results. Julian Stiller’s first ride of the day, Axel Rose, had a nice round and only pulled the panel jump at the top of the arena. Having already ridden the course once, Julian will have a nice advantage with her second ride, Enjoy Me.
Will Faudree and Andromaque had 8 jumping penalties and 12 time after an uncharacteristic mental gaffe when Will cantered by fence 11. He quickly realized it and circled back for the jump. Missie jumped nicely throughout the round and the score should include an asterisk that only credits her with one rail.
With 109 pairs, the show jumping will take several hours to finish and it will be followed by the cross-country later this afternoon. The other two American paris–Julian with Elmo and Will Coleman with Twizzel are both in the top 20 so they will ride late this morning. The very kind people in the Barbury press office are letting me borrow a small table and the wireless password, so we should have quick results and updates throughout the day. There is beer in the press office fridge, a tradition that explains some of the British eventing press coverage over the years. I guess when you are four beers in it’s easier to complain about Greenwich Park. Go eventing.
