Chris Burton and Tempranillo on top Photo: Guillaume Beguin
Chris Burton and the 13 year old mare Tempranillo that he took over from Ludwig Svennerstal in 2013 jumped a clear show jumping round to move in to the top spot in the CICO3* when the three young guns ahead of him all faulted in this phase. Yesterday’s leader Pia Munker riding Louis M picked up eight faults but her strong dressage score of 34.70 meant that she only moved down to third place (42.70) while Will Furlong and Julien Despontin also both had a rail, moving them from second and third to fifth and sixth.
Germany’s Andreas Ostholt and Pennsylvania 28, the combination that won the individual title here last year and helped Germany maintain their dominance in the 2014 series have now moved into fourth place (42.80) adding just one time penalty to their dressage score and his Nations Cup team mate Anna-Maria Reike has also moved up into second place with a clear round on a score of 42.70, just 1.2 penalties behind Chris Burton
Germany still maintain the lead in the teams competition on a score of 131 with the third score coming from Julia Krajewski and Samourai du Thot in seventh place. Australia is close behind on 136.80; Chris’ team mates Paul Tapner and Andrew Hoy both jumping clear rounds on Bonza King of Rouges and Algebra to move up the leader board to 10th and 13th places respectively
Paul Tapner looks pleased with that! Photo: Guillaume Beguin
The gap between Australia and Great Britain has increased slightly with Coral Keen and Nations Cup first-timer Nana Dalton both jumping clear rounds but Francis Whittington and Sarah Bullimore both added eight penalties, making for an expensive discard score; they are now on 150.80, just ahead of the home side Belgium on 153.50 with the final phase, the cross country to come
Chris Burton also held his lead in the CIC2* on Santano II with a clear round and is still being chased by a German rider but now it is Anna Siemer riding Chloe 21 as Bettina Hoy dropped a couple of places with one rail down on Seigneur Medicott. Pia Munke is in third place on Stachus 9 while Andrew Hoy and his other grey, The Blue Frontier moved down from fourth to 11th with eight faults. One to watch in the cross country phase is New Zealand’s Lizzie Brown riding her 2013 Boekelo winner Henton Attorney General 46.90 who have moved into eighth place; Lizzie and ‘Frank’ seem to enjoy the CICO3* competitions, they were second at Houghton Hall in 2014 and the big chestnut is now back in competition after some time off
There were a few changes in the top ten of the CIC1* during the show jumping phase but Great Britain’s Coral Keen riding the six year old Cascadelle still hold the lead on their dressage score