Lucinda Fredericks (pictured) reminded the Australian selectors just how good she is when she took first place in the dressage in the CCI**** at Luhmühlen, Germany, this afternoon.
Lucinda made a last-minute decision to swap last year’s Badminton winner Headley Britannia into the four-star — she was originally entered for the CIC*** — and the little mare responded with her best score to date at this level, 32.6.
Although there are only 24 starters in the CCI****, the standard in the dressage has been high, with the home nation’s Simone Deitermann scoring 35.4 with Flambeau H 3 for second place.
Andrew Hoy provided the third sub-30 score with Moonfleet. He will be looking to put behind him a fall at Badminton’s Huntsman’s Close when he was in the lead after dressage.
Final rider Julie Tew is best of the eight-strong British contingent, lying fifth with Sir Roselier. Fellow Brit James Robinson is just behind her in sixth with his partner from the 2005 European Championships, Comanche. This pair re-routed to Luhmühlen after James fell off in the water at Badminton.
The CIC*** competitors did their dressage yesterday, with the top five places being taken by crack German combinations.
Bettina Hoy broke the magic 30 barrier with Ringwood Cockatoo, leading with 29.6. She is pursued by three German team members from last year’s European Championships — Ingrid Klimke (FRH Butts Abraxxas), Frank Ostholt (Air Jordan 2) and Hinrich Romeike (Marius Voigt-Logistik).
Up-and-coming German rider Beeke Kaack performed her best ever dressage test with Sinjang 2 — with whom she rode as an individual at the 2007 Europeans — to lie fourth equal with Hinrich.
The cross-country for both classes is tomorrow, with the CIC*** first, starting at 10.30am local time (9.30am in Britain).
Results and times from Luhmühlen
RESULTS AFTER DRESSAGE
CCI****
1. Headley Britannia (Lucinda Fredericks, AUS) 32.6
2. Flambeau H 3 (Simone Deitermann, GER) 35.4
3. Moonfleet (Andrew Hoy, AUS) 39.3
4. SS Jett (Karin Donckers, BEL) 41.8
5. Sir Roselier (Julie Tew, GB) 45
6. Comanche 22 (James Robinson, GB) 45.2
CIC***
1. Ringwood Cockatoo (Bettina Hoy, GER) 29.6
2. FRH Butts Abraxxas (Ingrid Klimke, GER) 33.9
3. Air Jordan 2 (Frank Ostholt, GER) 34.3
4=. Marius Voigt-Logistik (Hinrich Romeike, GER) 36.1
4=. Sinjang 2 (Beeke Kaack, GER) 36.1
6. Stand By Me 4 (Linda Algotsson, SWE) 41.3
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