Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Welcome to cross country day at Les Etoiles de Pau, the final European CCI4* of the 2018 season. Cross country runs from 1:30-5:45 p.m. CEST (one hour ahead of UK time) or 7:30-11:45 a.m. EST in the USA. You can watch the live stream with English commentary at this link. We will also be running live updates on this page, so keep refreshing for the latest news.
If you missed EN’s cross country course preview with analysis from Irish Olympian Joseph Murphy, now is the time to read it and familiarize yourself with the course. Pierre Michelet’s course is 6,320 meters in length with 38 fences and a total of 45 jumping efforts. The optimum time is 11 minutes, 6 seconds.
Joseph reckons he thinks eight to 10 pairs can catch the time, which I think is probably generous. Only two made the time last year, so I am thinking fewer than five make it. Which one of us will be right? Watch this space! We are in for a thrilling race against the clock in France.
USA Start Times:
- Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border: 20 jumping, 29.2 time penalties
- Ryan Wood and Woodstock Bennett: Clear, 5.2 time penalties
- Hallie Coon and Celien: Clear, 24.4 time penalties
- Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie: Retired at fence 22
- Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready: Rider fall at fence 7B
Pau Links: Website, Entries, XC Start Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Form Guide, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram
Top 10 at the conclusion of cross country:
11:34: Tom Jackson and Carpa du Buisson Z are home clear with 18.8 time penalties. That is our final pair on course.
11:33: Izzy Taylor has retired Frog Rock after a runout at fence 22.
11:30: Izzy Taylor and Frog Rock picked up a runout at fence 8, the brush after the up bank.
11:29: Gemma Tattersall and Pamero 4 are home clear and 10 seconds inside the time to rocket into second place! AMAZING ROUND! They are the fourth pair to make the time.
11:26: Andreas Ostholt and Corvette completed with 20 jumping penalties and 46.4 time penalties.
11:22: Nicky Roncoroni and Watts Burn are home clear with 12 time penalties.
11:20: Andreas Ostholt and Corvette 31 picked up a runout at the wedge at fence 14, so Thibault Fournier and Siniani de Lathus will be your overnight leaders.
11:17: Joseph Murphy and Fernhill Frankie are home clear with 7.6 time penalties in the horse’s first CCI4* to rocket into 12th place. What a round!
11:14: Andreas Ostholt and Corvette 31 are on course now. They are the only pair that can overtake the lead.
11:11: Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati and Cosma are home clear with 37.2 time penalties.
11:10: Joseph Murphy and Fernhill Frankie are on course now and skipped through fences 13 and 14 like a Pony Club exercise.
11:08: Will Furlong has retired Collien P 2 at fence 16.
11:05: Nicola Hill and MGH Bingo Boy are home clear with 28.8 time penalties.
11: Will Furlong and Collien P 2 glanced off the brush at the first water and then picked up another runout on course at fence 14.
10:55: Bayano slammed on the brakes at fence 22, the white gate and ditch, and sent Flora Harris flying over the fence. She is totally ok.
10:52: Imogen Gloag and Brendonhill Doublet have been eliminated after three refusals at the brush corner at fence 22.
10:50: Alice Dundson and Cool Investment are home clear with 23.6 time penalties.
10:45: Ros Canter and Zenshera are home clear with 7.2 time penalties. That slots her into second place behind Thibault Fournier and Siniani de Lathus. Only Andreas Ostholt and Corvette 31 can overtake Thibault at this point.
10:41: Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready missed their stride jumping up the bank at 7B and belly flopped. Phillip went out the side door to the left. They are both totally OK.
10:38: Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready are away!
10:35: Ros Canter and Zenshera are now on course and can take the lead. She can afford to be 3 seconds over the time but no more than that.
10:33: Jesse Campbell and Cleveland picked up a runout at the skinny brush at fence 16B. He then retired at fence 26.
10:32: Camilla Kruger has retired Biarritz on course after runouts at fences 11 and 13.
10:30: Oliver Townend has fallen from Cilnabradden Evo after the horse left a leg at the swan at fence 31A. He is up and OK.
10:28: Boyd Martin has retired Steady Eddie on course after a runout at the brush corner at fence 22.
10:25: Thibault Fournier and Siniani de Lathus took the long route at the tricky brushes at 34B and 35 and still finished bang on the optimum time! That is the third pair to make the optimum time and they take the lead!
10:24: Dressage leaders Oliver Townend and Cilnabradden Evo are on course now.
10:23: Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie have been marked as missing a flag at the corner at fence 5B. That will be 50 jumping penalties but can be removed on appeal. They are continuing on.
10:20: Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie are on course now.
10:19: Hallie Coon and Celien are home clear with 24.4 time penalties in their CCI4* debut.
10:15: Marie Caroline Barbier and Picasso d’Oreal have retired after a runout at the brush at fence 8 coming out of the water.
10:14: Hallie Coon took the long route at the brushes at 24B and 25 and is all clear with Celien.
10:12: Sarah d’Argouges and Sebastien Cavaillon came roaring down the hill to the brushes and glanced off at 35 to pick up 20 jumping penalties.
10:08: Ryan Wood and Woodstock Bennett gave us an incredible show! Home clear with 5.2 time penalties in the horse’s CCI4* debut. GO WOODZY!
Check out their clutch ride through the influential brushes:
10:06: Hallie Coon and Celien are away in their CCI4* debut! Sitting in the top 10 overnight so this is a big round for a lot of reasons.
10:03: Gonzalo Blasco Botin and Sij Veux d’Autize got in too close to the table at fence 15 and fell. They are both up and OK.
10: Ryan Wood and Woodstock Bennett are all clear through fence 28.
9:56: Dani Dunn and Zocarla BLH picked up a runout at fence 16B, the brush after the big white table.
9:55: Sharon Polding and Findonfirecracker are home clear with 32.4 time penalties.
9:52: U.S.-based Aussie Ryan Wood and Woodstock Bennett are the next out of the start box.
9:48: No! Ascona M lost her landing gear jumping into the first water complex and Tim Price couldn’t stick the landing. He fell but is up and OK.
9:44: Alix Crouin fell from Palma Belmaniere at the table at fence 22.
9:41: Alix Crouin and Palma Belmaniere picked up a runout at fence 11, the corner coming out of the water. They then picked up another runout at the first brush corner at fence 21.
9:40: Cedric Lyard has retired Qatar du Puech Rouget after a hairy jump at the airy hanging log at fence 20.
9:39: Ryuzo Kitajima and Just Chocolate are home clear with 19.2 time penalties.
9:38: Izzy Taylor and Be Touchable show us how it’s done! Clear with 2.0 time penalties to take the provisional lead!
9:35: Arnaud Boiteau and Quoriano ENE HN have now been marked as clear at the brush and complete with 1.2 time penalties to slot into third place provisionally.
9:30: Arnaud Boiteau and Quoriano ENE HN are the latest pair to pick up 20 jumping penalties at the brush at 34B.
9:27: Christian Chabot and Barlison are home clear with 16.4 time penalties.
9:25: Toshiyuki Tanaka and Kelecyn Pirate just gave us an incredible round — clear with 3.2 time penalties to slot into fourth place provisionally.
9:22: Sarah Way and Dassett Cooley Dun complete with 20 jumping penalties and 32.0 time penalties.
9:18: Sarah Way and Dassett Cooley Dun picked up an early runout at fence 5B but continued on and are going well.
9:15: Sian Coleman and Kilroe Hero are home clear with 22.8 time penalties.
9:12: NO! After a beautiful trip, Little Fire glanced off the first brush at fence 34B and William Fox-Pitt fell. He is up and OK.
9:08: Yasmin Ingham and Night Line are home clear with 23.6 time penalties.
9:05: William Fox-Pitt and Little Fire are on course and giving us an absolute masterclass — clear through fence 10.
9: Joanna Rimmer picked up a runout with Isaac Newton at fence 11, the corner coming out of the water complex.
8:55: FRH Butts Avedon slammed on the brakes with Andreas Dibowski at fence 10, the drop into the first water complex. He continued on until fence 16 and then elected to retire.
8:53: François Pons has retired Siam Taleyrandie after a second runout on course at fence 21, the first of the brush corners.
8:50: François Pons and Siam Taleyrandie pick up a runout at the brush at fence 15.
8:48: The French are COMPLETELY dominating this course. Clara Loiseau and Won’t Wait jumped clear and in incredible 22 seconds inside the time. What a horse! They take the provisional lead!
8:47: David Doel and Chap completed with 40 jumping penalties and 43.6 time penalties.
8:46: Rachel Robinson and MJI Limmerick Bell completed missed their stride jumping up the bank at fence 7B. The horse belly flopped up onto the bank and Rachel fell to his left side. They are both up and walking home.
8:45: David Doel and Chap picked up a runout at 31B, the second swan.
8:41: Peter Flarup and Frankie just smoked the course — clear with 5.2 time penalties to move into second place provisionally!
8:38: Elmo Jankari and Soraya 243 were having a super round but are the latest pair to pick up a runout at the triple brush at 34B. They complete with 20 jumping penalties and 20.8 time penalties.
8:35: Clear and just 3.6 time penalties for Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory. That slots them into second place provisionally behind Alexis Goury.
8:29: Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory are on course and looking super through fence 19.
8:27: Andy Daines and retired Spring Panorama picked up a second runout at fence 25B, the brush in the water. He retired after a hairy jump over fence 28, the skinny on the mound.
8:26: Sarah sadly fell from Lowhill Clover at fence 28. They are both OK and walking home.
8:24: Andy Daines and Spring Panorama glanced off the brush at fence 8, which comes after the up bank out of the water. Jumping penalties are racking up now on Pierre Michelet’s course.
8:23: Sarah Holmes and Lowhill Clover had 20 jumping penalties at the brush at fence 13.
8:20: Bettina Hoy and Designer 10 also picked up 20 penalties at 34B. The triple brush combination is emerging as the most influential on course.
8:19: Andreas Ostholt has now been given 50 penalties for missing a flag at fence 50.
8:16: Bettina Hoy had a hairy moment at 21, the first brush corner, and took the long route at the second corner at fence 22. All clear so far.
8:15: Tom Jackson and Waltham Fiddlers Find are home clear with 16 time penalties.
8:13: Gemma Tattersall and Santiago Bay complete with 20 jumping penalties and 10.4 time penalties.
8:11: Gemma Tattersall and Santiago Bay picked up a runout at fence 25, the angled brush in the water.
8:10: Bettina Hoy and Designer 10 are away for Germany.
8:09: Andreas Ostholt and So Is Et are home clear with 7.6 time penalties.
8:07: Joseph and Sportsfield Othello completed with 20 jumping penalties and 14.4 time penalties.
8:06: Gemma Tattersall and Santiago Bay are on course in the mare’s CCI4* debut and clear through fence 16.
8:04: Joseph and Sportsfield Othello were going guns blazing and unfortunately picked up 20 jumping penalties at fence 34B, the first of the triple brushes.
8:02: What a round for David Britnell and Continuity! Clear with just 6.8 time penalties to add.
8:01: Andreas Bisowksi and So Is Et are also on course for Germany and are clear through fence 14.
7:58: Patricia Pytches and CES Ballycar Chip completed clear with 48 time penalties.
7:53: Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello are away from the start box. This is a seriously experienced pair making their fourth trip around Pau. Joseph has never made the time here but he looks like a man on a mission today.
7:52: Kim and Cooley Cross Border complete with 20 jumping penalties and 29.2 time penalties.
7:51: Kim and Cooley Cross Border were going SO WELL but had a runout at 35, the second brush in the triple brush combination.
7:50: David Britnell and Continuity are on course in their CCI4* debut.
7:49: Kim and Cooley Cross Border are clear through fence 26.
7:47: The French show how to get it done on home soil! Alexis Goury and Trompe l’Oeil d’Emery jump clear and 4 seconds inside the time as the second pair out.
7:46: Kim and Cooley Cross Border are clear through fence 15. Go on Crossy!
7:44: Izzy Taylor and Call Me Maggie May complete clear and 18 seconds over the time to add 7.2 time penalties.
7:43: Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border are on course and clear through fence 5.
7:42: Call Me Maggie may trotted at both of the swans at 31AB — we can expect to see horses tiring at this part of the course. It is a seriously demanding fitness test.
7:38: Alexis Goury and Trompe l’Oeil d’Emery just gave us a textbook trip through the first water — going on a perfect four strides to the up bank at 7B and neatly jumping the angled brush at 8. They pecked on landing jumping back into the water at fence 10 but recovered well to jump the corner at 11.
7:35: Izzy had an early sticky moment when she took the flag at 5B but is all clear and going well as the pathfinder. This is Call Me Maggie May’s CCI4* debut.
7:32: Izzy Taylor and Call Me Maggie May are away as our first out of the start box.
7:15: Good morning, eventing fans! We are counting down to the start of cross country at 1:30 p.m. local time/7:30 a.m. EST. Rain fell throughout the night and into the morning at Pau, but reports from the venue confirm that the ground seems OK at this point. The fog is lifting and temperatures are hovering at 50ºF/10ºC — perfect for cross country.
