To the relief of the top three teams after cross country at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championship, who were all down to three members each, all their horses passed at this morning’s trot up.
France’s Didier Dhennin was one of two competitors (along with Italy’s Susanna Bordone and Carerra) to have withdrawn overnight, but as he was riding as an individual this did not affect the French team, currently lying third.
Two horses were spun – Poland’s Ostler (Lukas Kasmierczak), thus denying the Polish team a completion – and Spain’s Letot de Lessay (ridden by Manuel Senra Chover) who was at least their discard score after cross country.
Britain’s three horses looked in great order, with Nicola Wilson’s ride Opposition Buzz positively itching to go cross country again – Nicola could barely anchor him. Piggy French(pictured), who lost a stocking at the first trot up, managed her hosiery this time – but lost a shoe instead. Jakata, happily, kept his.
William Fox-Pitt reports the showjumping to be quite seriously big, but with a 42.3pen lead, it seems almost certain gold will go to Germany later today.
Team positions going into showjumping
- Germany (100.3pen)
- Great Britain (142.6pen)
- France (151.1pen)
- Sweden (173.2pen)
- Ireland (196.7pen)
- Italy (201.2pen)
- Netherlands (205.5pen)
- Spain (291pen)
- Poland (299.6pen)
- Switzerland (334.2pen)
- Belgium (1,126.6pen)
Individual placings going into showjumping
1) Ingrid Klimke, FRH Butts Abraxxas (GER), 30pen
2) Michael Jung, La Biosthetique Sam (GER), 33.3pen
3) Sara Algotsson-Ostholt, Wega (SWE), 36pen
4) Sandra Auffarth, Opgun Louvo (GER), 37pen
5) Frank Ostholt, Little Paint (GER), 40pen
6) William Fox-Pitt, Cool Mountain (GBR), 42.7pen
11) Piggy French, Jakata (GBR), 47.2pen
15) Nicola Wilson, Opposition Buzz (GBR), 52.7pen
