Michael Pollard and Mensa. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Michael Pollard and Mensa and Shandiss McDonald and Rockfield Grant Juan both jumped in the first group to go in the show jumping at Les Etoiles de Pau, and they both pulled two rails. Michael ran into trouble at fences 3 and 12 — both oxers — and finishes the weekend with Mensa on a score of 108.0. Shandiss and Juan sit right behind Michael and Mensa in the standings on a score of 109.5, and they pulled their rails at a vertical at fence 4 and the first element of the triple combination at 6a, also a vertical.
Team USA still has four more pairs — Lynn Symansky and Donner, Marilyn Little and RF Demeter, Clark Montgomery and Universe, and Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott — to go in the top 30, which doesn’t start jumping until 2:40 p.m. local time, or 9:40 a.m. EST. And Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice will also jump for Canada in the final group. The live stream is still running today — click here to access the link — and show jumping is also streaming on FEI TV.
As I anticipated, it’s warmed up to another beautiful day here at Pau, and the crowds are out in full force lining the arena rails, which can be quite spooky for some horses. We saw a lot of tired horses in the first group, and there were just three double clears, so I’m anticipating we’re going to see a lot of poles falling in the top 30. There’s less than a rail separating William Fox-Pitt’s three mounts and Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott, so it’s going to be a very exciting finale here at Pau.
Pau Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Show Jumping Order of Go] [EN Coverage] [Live Stream]
