It's all about this ............the Olympic Flame arrives Photo: London 2012
Dressage Day Two at Saumur
Olympic fever is building in the UK as the Olympic Flame arrived in Cornwall on flight BA2012, brought by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal and David Beckham.
Meanwhile, just over the Channel, Olympic fever of a different type is building as riders, determined to impress their selectors and make their country’s eventing team, strutted their stuff in the dressage arena during the past two days.
Clayton Fredericks and Walterstown Don are the top placed Australians after dressage Photo: Libby Law
Australian riders have really made their mark with four riders in the top ten (see below). Just outside of the top ten are Paul Tapner and Kilronan 14th on 48.40 and Bill Levett and Hippolyte 16th on 49.2 while Clayton Fredericks and Be My Guest are 22nd on 51.60, Paul Tapner and Wickstead Didgeridoo equal 28th on 55.40
1: GBR-Laura Collett (RAYEF)
2: USA-Tina Coudray (RINGWOOD MAGISTER)
3: AUS-Clayton Fredericks (WALTERSTOWN DON)
4: AUS-Christopher Burton (HOLSTEIN PARK LEILANI)
5: FRA-Nicolas Touzaint (PRINCESSE PILOT)
6: GBR-Zara Phillips (LORD LAURIES)
6: FRA-Fabrice Lucas (NERO DU JARDIN)
8: AUS-Bill Levett (ONE TWO MANY NJ)
9: NZL-Andrew Nicholson (QUIMBO)
10: AUS-Christopher Burton (HARUZAC)
10: GER-Beeke Kaack (JUDY)
Laura Collett and Rayef Photo: Libby Law
But it is 22 year old Laura Collett from Great Britain who is putting up a great performance in her bid to try and grab a spot on the British team. The young rider who did so well at Junior level has gone on to mark her mark in senior competition, including a top ten finish at Badminton in 2011 at her first attempt. She and her horse Rayef are well known for their dressage capability – indeed she led the dressage at Badminton last year and is certainly no slouch when it comes to the other phases so she will be the one to beat. However another British hopeful Zara Phillips, whose mother was busy bringing the Olympic Flame to the UK, is lying in sixth place and she will also be out to impress the British selectors.
New Zealander Mark Todd needs to qualify his horse Grass Valley here at Saumur to have a possible ride at London 2012. Although he is currently lying in 24th place, he is always a force to be reckoned with on cross country day and Andrew Nicholson is in a good spot in 9th place on Quimbo. His less experienced horse Viscount George is in 21st at his first CCI 3* start. Mark is doing well in the CCI 2*, lying 6th on Leonidas II whilst Karin Donckers and Lamicell Charizard from Belgium kept their first day lead.
Clayton is defending his title here at Saumur and will no doubt be looking for a third title (he also won in 2006 on Ben Along Time and together they won bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in the same year). Although the Australians are united when they are on a team, they will each be determined to be on the podium at the end of this weekend and will be battling it out against each other to get there. 52 riders will set out on the CCI 3* cross country course later today (Saturday) and comments have been that it is a seriously tough course – especially the second water. We hope to have a cross country map and fence images later today but if you feel like having a late night, you can watch the cross country action live at www.saumur.org
Full results can be found at http://www.saumur.org/cci/actualites-listes-et-resultats-cci3-gb.html
