The USA’s Boyd Martin boosted his team’s chances of a medal after his smart eventing World Championships dressage test in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, today (16 September).
Riding the 15-year-old gelding Tsetserleg TSF, Boyd posted a score of 26.4 to sit in 14th going into tomorrow’s cross-country.
“He’s such a trier, this little horse, and he’s so reliable in there,” said Boyd. “He was a little bit quiet and backed off a little bit and maybe I should have done one less ride so he was a bit more excitable but that can backfire. All in all, I was pleased – it could always be better but it could always be worse too.”
The US team of Boyd, Tamie Smith (Mai Baum), Will Coleman (Off The Record) and Lauren Nicholson (Vermiculus) sit in bronze medal position on a score of 76.6.
“The team standings now don’t mean anything,” said Boyd. “I’ve been on so many teams where we’ve been sitting pretty after the first day but the competition really starts after the cross country.”
Britain are in gold medal position after the eventing World Championships dressage phase on a record-breaking score of 69.2, while the German squad are in silver on 76.1.
Belgium’s Karin Donckers was “very happy” with her test on the 17-year-old Fletcha Van’t Verahof. They scored 25.8 and sit in 10th going into the cross-country.
“I know my job and Fletcha knows his, but still, it’s a championship and the crowd are more excited and very positive and cheering, so you can never be certain of a good score,” she said.
New Zealand’s Tim Price also helped his team’s chances of a medal, posting a score of 26.2 aboard the talented Falco.
“I’m very pleased with him. He tried really hard, he was relaxed, settled, and just gave me everything I asked for,” said Tim. “Every horse has their talents, and then they’ve got their stage of training, and I believe he displayed his stage of training and his talents to the best of his ability.”
The New Zealand squad sit in fourth on a score of 77.9, while the Australian team are in fifth on 84.1, thanks in part to Andrew Hoy, who performed a solid test with Vassily De Lassos, for 28.1, to sit in 26th.
“I have to say I think Vassily’s trot work was the best that I’ve produced with him,” said Andrew. “I’ve been working very closely with Dolf Keller, who I worked with in early 2000s, and then the way things worked out, I moved away, but now I’m back training with him.
“Dolf is an absolute horseman and so he understands what the horse can do and I think there are a few little things just in the canter that I can improve on, so that’s good.”
You may also be interested in…
‘It’s been a dream start for the Brits’: Oliver Townend extends Britain’s lead ahead of cross-country day in Pratoni
Michael Jung snatches gold medal position from Britain’s Laura Collett – but is disappointed with cross-country course
‘I wouldn’t swap him for anything’: Tom McEwen goes fourth despite early error as Britain sets new World Champs record
How to watch the eventing World Championships: your essential guide
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout the World Eventing Championships with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report (on sale 22 September) including opinion from Mark Phillips and ground jury president Christina Klingspor.
