(1) Overnight leaders Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas held onto their lead by posting a double clear. Ingrid has only been back riding for two and a half months, which is apparently Will Coleman’s model for success. There were 8 double-clears around Mark’s kindler, gentler XC course.
(2) Allison Springer and Arthur had 20 penalties–20 time penalties that is. The time penalties dropped them from 2nd to 15th. Arthur had the third most time penalties of any horse without a stop.
1. Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas (GER) +0 = 39.2
2. Sharon Hunt and Tankers Town (GBR) +0 = 43.0
3. Oliver Townend and Ashdale Cruise Master (GBR) +0.8 = 43.6
4. Andreas Dibowski and FRH Fantasia (GER) +0 = 44.2
5. Lucy Wiegersma and Woodfalls Inigo Jones (GBR) +0 = 44.8
6 Joe Meyer and Clifton Lush (NZL) +0 = 49.0
7 Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control (NZL) +0.8 = 49.0
8 Lucy Wiegersma and Granntevka Prince (GBR) +2.8 = 51.0
9 Mary King and Apache Sauce (GBR) +1.6 = 52.6
10 Andreas Ostholt and Franco Jeans (GER) +0 = 53.3
Link: Luhmuhlen leaderboard
(3) Oliver Townend moved up to third on Ashdale Cruise Master by adding just 0.8 time penalties. Those two seconds might prove costly because they took him outside of a rail within the lead.
(4) Carousel Quest was eliminated after Oliver fell at the boat in the third water. Oliver got himself dried off in time to ride Ashdale Cruise Master around clear.
(5) Jennifer Wooten-DaFoe and The Good Witch jumped around clean with 14 time penalties. They stayed in the exact same placing and go into the show jumping in 25th. I got an email from Jennifer this morning and she explained: “We had a few scrappy moments on course but keep going and was determined to finish. She keeps me on my toes teaching me new skills with every outing.”
(6) Michael Pollard and Wonderful Will withdrew before the XC.
(7) Andrew Nicholson and Armada were the biggest movers up, jumping from 32nd to 14th on a double-clear. Andrew is in 7th on Mr. Cruise Control.
(8) Of 41 cross-country starters, only 9 had issues around the course, and only four were eliminated. The faults that did occur seemed to be pretty evenly distributed throughout the course, which I think is a good thing for the course designer. There was only one horse fall when Francis Whittington’s Sir Percival fell at a big hedge at 24–both horse and rider were fine. When 9 horses have issues and there are 8 double-clears, you know a course is riding pretty well.
