Rosie Fry and Arise Cavalier produced the best test of the morning at Blenheim Horse Trials to shake up the top 10 at lunchtime on day two of dressage in the CCI4*-L.
The pair’s clean test was rewarded with a score of 30.6 from the judges, putting them in eighth ahead of the Friday afternoon dressage session at Blenheim Horse Trials.
“He was really good, we did a test with no mistakes which is a bonus this week as every test we’ve done this year, he has done something naughty,” said Rosie. “So to do a nice clean test was what we wanted, and he did it.”
The mark was a clear new international personal best for the partnership at this level.
“I’ve had him for nine years; I had him as a four-year-old and he’s been great for me,” said Rosie.
“He’s done a lot for me and just to get him here to a four-star long is quite an achievement from the whole team and we never thought he would. We are going to enjoy the week and whatever happens tomorrow, it will be a good test for him and so we will see how he copes. I’m just very pleased with him today, so we will enjoy that.
“He is very cheeky, he has bucked me off more times than I can probably count – he still bucks me off, he gets me off on the gallops, you name it. He’ll act like butter wouldn’t melt and then he just does something. He is a character and we all love him, so we are just hoping for a fun weekend.”
The top end of the leaderboard remains untouched after Friday morning’s session. Germany bookends the podium at this stage, with Blenheim first-timers Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K in provisional leading on a score of 24.6 and Dirk Schrade and Casino 80 in third on 29.
Sandwiched between the two is the leading British combination so far, Sarah Bullimore and the tiny chestnut powerhouse Corouet on a first-phase score of 27.8.
Tom Jackson and Farndon, and Selina Milnes on Gelmer also broke into the top 10 this morning and sit ninth and 10th respectively in the Blenheim Horse Trials dressage standings at Friday lunchtime.
“It’s been a gradual process with this horse, but I feel like he has hopefully peaked at the right time,” said Tom, who earned a mark of 30.9 from the judges with his flowing test with Anne and Iain Slater’s 12-year-old gelding.
“We’ve just been quietly working. We’ve had him 18 months, he came here last year and was good, but I always felt there was much more to come from him, so we’ve just been trying to work on getting him stronger and to carry himself. He is getting better and better all the time.”
Their test featured wow-factor trot extensions, testament to Tom’s work in gradually building Farndon’s strength, which has included plenty of hill work.
“He always wants to do the right thing, it’s just been a gradual strengthening process to try and get him to this stage,” he added.
Selina Milnes’ ride Gelmer, owned by the Ruckers, makes his CCI4*-L debut at Blenheim.
“I was really pleased with him as he does get tense, especially being in there on his own. I thought he might shrink a bit, but actually he felt quite soft and worked really nicely,” she said.
“I had him as a three-year-old. He is a real scopey proper horse, we’ve just taken our time with him as he is so big and have run him quite quietly. He will be inexperienced here. He is only done two CCI4*-S, but he did Hartpury and I thought that was strong enough so decided to crack on.”
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