Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint lead from start to finish at Saumur International Horse Trials on the Anglo Arab Tatchou. But the Brits proved a match for the home team, fielding half the top-10 finishers.
Rodney Powell and Langarth Darcy emerged as the greatest threat to the Frenchman in the final phase with a snappy double clear to finish runner-up.
Two Frenchmen, Cdric Lyard and Eric Vigeanel, finished third and fourth, ahead of Brits Lucy Wiegersma (Shaabrak, fifth and Zebedee, ninth), Emily Baldwin (Drivetime, sixth) and Francis Whittington (Sir Percival III, seventh).
Zara Phillips was well placed after dressage with Red Baron but suffered two refusals at La Banquette (23) and La Table (25) to eventually finished 30th.
Pierre-Marie Dubois headed the CIC** on Jachou Bel. The French took the top seven places, with the best of the four Brits, Louisa Lockwood, securing 10th with a double clear.
The other Brits Joanna Killin, Nick Turner and Robert Stevens all performed with credit without being placed, each with a clear cross-country and one rail down.
Read this report in full in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound (31 May, ’07)
