Blenheim Palace
With only one rider spun at the trot up we lost a whole Nation at Blenheim. Anna Hilton and Lester de la Pree were the sole combination from Sweden. So today we start with 96 combinations in the CCI3 Star from 14 Nations. Hosts Great Britain have 54 combinations, the USA and New Zealand have six, Australia and Japan have five each. Ireland and France four each, Germany three, Switzerland, Brazil, Canada and South Africa two each and finally Belgium and Italy have one each.
With eight Nations fielding enough combinations (three or more) for an teams competition it will be interesting to see who is on top at the end of the weekend. Of course Australia, New Zealand and Japan are actually taking part in an Olympic selection event with the best of Australia or Japan gaining that coveted Olympic teams spot (NZ gained their spot with a WEG medal last year). For the teams Olympic qualification event the top three scores for each team count.
I won’t be ignoring the North Americans, I managed to snap this pic as Tiana was finishing a lesson with Mark Phillips yesterday.
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister with Capt Mark Phillips
With 96 combinations in the single CCI3* class we need pay tribute to the Ground Jury who will sit in their cars for the next two days and judge them all. That is an fantastic commitment and one I know I couldn’t do, eventing dressage is boring at the best of times but imagine how you would feel at the end of day two. I tip my hat to the Ground Jury.
These geese and ducks could prove influential on the XC
The morning sessions are complete and the teams of Australia, Japan and New Zealand have completed their dressage. The Australian team is down to four following the withdrawal yesterday before the trot up of Chris Burton and Newsprint. I had heard a rumor on Sunday that Newsprint wasn’t going to run and unfortunately this proved correct.
Clarke Johnstone, New Zealand, and Orient Express on 51.9
The Aussies are in the lead on 157.9, the Kiwis 165.4 and the Japanese 176. This is a good start but by no means are the Aussies safe, with only four combinations we only have one spare whereas the Japanese have two. The main Aussie goal for the weekend is to beat the Japanese and while kicking some Kiwi BUTT is always fun, the Japanese are the Aussie team focus.
Kenki Sato, Japan, on Chippieh with a score of 55.8
The scores are available online here and will be constantly updated. In the full competition the early leader is Piggy French (42.7) from Great Britain, followed closely by American Jules Stiller (46.2), third Pippa Funnell, GBR, (47.7), fourth Burghley Champion William Fox-Pitt on Goucho (49.6) andfifth is Aussie Catherine Burrell (51.5).
Bill Levett, Australia, on One Too Many NJ with a score of 52.7
Jules Stiller, USA, on Enjoy Me, with a score of 46.2
It is still early days with two full days of dressage. I leave you with Will Faudree and Pawlow who finished on 53.3 to be in an early eighth place. More later.
Will Faudree, USA, Pawlow, with a score of 53.3
Yours in Eventing,
ESJ
