Tom McEwen has had a great Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country round with Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin, finishing with 5.2 time-faults.
This is still a relatively new partnership between the British Olympic double medallist and the 12-year-old JL Dublin, who was produced to top level by Nicola Wilson, winning the European Championships before Nicola was seriously injured in a fall at Badminton Horse Trials last year. Today marked a first top level start for Tom and “Dubs” as a combination.
Tom was second after dressage and has definitely dropped behind Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, who earlier went clear in the time, but he will be no worse than fifth after this phase.
Two other British riders have so far taken their turn over Derek di Grazia’s Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country track.
Zara Tindall put in a jumping clear with Gleadhill House Stud’s Class Affair, coming home 45 seconds over the time for 18 time-penalties.
Kirsty Chabert had 20 penalties at the first triple brush out of the Park Question at fence 6abcd, which is proving an influential question. Pathfinder Buck Davidson also had 20 penalties at the same element on Erroll Gobey, while the second pair out, Jennie Savill and Twighlightslastgleam broke the frangile device on the rails in, incurring 11 penalties.
Britain’s overnight leader Yasmin Ingham will be starting shortly on her world champion, The Sue Davies Fund’s Banzai Du Loir.
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‘He’s got a heart the size of Kentucky’: mixed fortunes for early riders on Kentucky cross-country
‘It’s all down to Nicola’: Tom McEwen and Nicola Wilson’s former ride JL Dublin take lead at Kentucky
The 28 challenging five-star fences Zara Tindall and Yasmin Ingham are facing this weekend
How to watch the Kentucky Three-Day Event 2024
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