Chris Burton heads out for a stretch of the legs on Limited Edition
It’s time to check out the superstars of the future at the FEI World Eventing Championships for Young Horses gets underway at Le Lion d’Angers in France.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Le Lion draws together some of the best young horses and their riders from around the world to find the top Six Year Old and Seven Year Old champions in this discipline.
35 competitors are entered in the Six Year Old class. Australia has only one entry, Limited Edition, a bay gelding by Lancelot Quainton ridden by Chris Burton and owned by Jennifer Jackson. They will be in the dressage arena on Thursday as will two hot contenders – Piggy French’s Jump Jet who recently was second in the CICYH1* at the British Eventing Young Horse Championships and Kitty King’s Vendredi Biats, who was seventh in the same class at Osberton
On Friday Michael Jung takes to the arena on FischerIncantas, definitely one to watch as will be Ingrid Klimke on Weisse Duene.
William Fox-Pitt presents The Soapdodger for inspection
There are 69 competitors in the Seven Year Old class including Michael Jung’s Lennox 364 and William Fox-Pitt has brought two of his talented young greys – Reinstated and The Soapdodger but there is a host of great young talent taking part at this level.
Look out for Laura Collett with Mr Bass and Cooley Again and young British rider Noah Brook with Deo Volente who won the National Novice Restricted Championship at Gatcombe Park but has been a bit off form since then. Lucinda Fredericks has brought only one of her two babies by Headley Britannia – the very well bred chestnut mare Little Britannia and Chris Burton is also in this class with the Irish Sport Horse Cooley Lands
Tom Carlile and Upsilon
Emma Dougall is another Australian here with Fernhill Tabasco, winners of the CCI1* at Camphire and third in the CIC1*YH at Millstreet and I particularly like the sound of Nicolas Touzaint’s ride, Debby. But if it’s Frenchmen you’re thinking of (and we are in France in the beautiful Pays de la Loire), the one to beat is the Young Horse specialist Tom Carlile who has an incredible record here
Tom is riding Upsilon, the grey stallion that was fifth here in the Six Year Old class and has been the French 4, 5 and 6 Year Old Champion. Can they get another title to add to those and Tom’s previous wins at Le Lion?
The FEI nominated members of the jury for 2015 : World Championships for 6-year old horses (above), Ms. Sandy Phillips (GBR) will preside the panel and will be assisted by Mr Pascal Laurençon (FRA) et de Ms. Lesley Mawhinney (RSA). Mr Harry Payne (GBR)will preside the World Championships for 7-year old horses and will be assisted by Ms. Janis Linnan (USA) et de Ms. Nathalie Carrière (FRA)
