Emma Hindle led the senior British squad to a successful result at the CDIO competition in Saumur, France, last weekend, while the British pony dressage squad finished second in their Nations Cup competition.
Hindle won two small tour classes with her Oldenburg stallion Diamond Hit, and was fourth twice in the big tour with her Olympic partner Wie Weltmeyer. Scores of 67.35% and 68.85% were sufficient to win the prix st george and intermediaire I classes with Diamond Hit, and the partnership broke the 70% barrier for second place in the kür.
Saumur was Wie Weltmeyer’s first competitive appearance since the Athens Olympic, where he pulled a muscle in his front leg. He looked happy to be back in the arena, moving with more power and expression than previously and was the top placed Briton in the grand prix with 68.875% and in the kür with 71.950%.
The senior team of Hindle on Wie Weltmeyer, Laura Bechtolsheimer on Douglas Dorsey, Jane Bredin and Lucky Star and Henriette Anderson with Astonish, finished fourth in the Nations Cup, 30 points adrift of the Russian A-squad in bronze position. Germany took the gold, while Belgium was the surprise silver medallist.
The British pony squad also had a successful time in Saumur, with an individual win in the team championship test for Samantha Harrison riding Manitu N, and silver in the Nations Cup.
“Samantha rode Manitu to a new level of excellence,” said travelling chef d’equipe Islay Auty.
Harrison, Georgina Roberts (Gigolo), Portia Manning (DHI Langar) and Keri Bates (DHI Peppino) finished 51 points behind the Germans — who were not fielding their A-team.
Team selector Rachel Hillier said: “At last we’ve broken out of that bronze position. We’ll be even stronger by the European Championships in July.”
