Chris Burton's record scoring Santano II at Rockingham
After two days of dressage at Waregem CICO3* Germany has taken the lead in the penultimate teams competition of the 2015 season. The German team of Andreas Ostholt, Anna-Maria Reike, Julia Krajewski and Andreas Dibowski lead on a combined score of 130 penalties but Australia’s team of Chris Burton, Paul Tapner, Andrew Hoy and Sam Griffiths are close behind on 136.80. The current leaders of the FEI Nations Cup series, Great Britain are in third on 137.70 with their team of Sarah Bullimore, Francis Whittington, Coral Keen and Nana (Suzannah) Dalton
However it is the German dressage diva, riding as an individual, Pia Munker on Louis M who leads the individual rankings with a score of 34.70, which is somewhat above their average score for this year which, according to the eventing stats specialists Equiratings, is 28.6
“It’s the lowest average dressage score in the world and to put it into context, there have only been nine dressage tests (out of approx. 16,000) that have scored in the 20’s and four of these were performed by Louis M. Unsurprisingly, the 10 year old gelding has led every international it has contested after the first phase”
Their performance in the jumping phases however is not quite so strong, which will give young British rider Will Furlong in second place on Livingstone (40.20) some room to manoeuvre. Will may be wondering about the dressage scores however with two of the judges, Annabel Scrimgeour (GBR) and Geneviève Pfister (SUI) scoring him into second and first place while Dirk Verlinden (BEL) had him in 20th!
Another young rider is in third place on 41.40; Belgium’s Julien Despontin riding Waldano 36 stole the limelight from Michael Jung earlier this year at Luhmuhlen when he led the CCI4* dressage on their personal best score of 31.90. Julien purchased the horse from Andreas Ostholt who is currently in fifth place riding Pennsylvania 28 (41.80) while Australia’s Chris Burton riding Tempranillo is in fourth on 41.50
Chris is on top form at the moment with strong placings at Burghley and second at Blenheim last weekend on Nobilis 18; Tempranillo, owned by Alan Skinner who also owns the recent Burghley star Haruzac, hasn’t had the best of seasons so far but was the winner of the CIC3* at Hartpury in 2013 and no doubt Chris will be hoping for a return to form for the 13 year old mare at this competition.
Chris’ team mate Paul Tapner is in tenth place (46) riding Bonza King of Rouges while Andrew Hoy and the evergreen Algebra are in 23rd place (49.30) and Sam Griffiths riding a young horse Foxdon Sunny Jim was the team’s discard score in 32nd place
Sarah Bullimore is the top placed British rider at the moment in seventh place on Reve du Rouet (44.30) closely followed by her team mate Francis Whittington in eighth place on West Side (45). Coral Keen is in 19th place on Wellshead Fare Opposition and will be looking to put behind her their fall at the huge Cottesmore Leap at Burghley but has plenty to celebrate in the CIC1* which she is currently leading on her young mare Cascadelle that recently won the CIC1* at Gatcombe.
In the CIC2* it is Chris Burton that holds the lead on the super talented Santano II (35.90), the young horse that wowed the judges at Camphire. Chris is ahead of another strong dressage contender, Bettina Hoy on Seigneur Medicott (39.10) and Germany’s Anna Siemer on Chloe 21. Andrew Hoy on his other grey, The Blue Frontier, a ride he took over from Sandra Auffarth is in fourth place
Tomorrow sees the jumping phase followed by the cross country on Sunday
Take a virtual ‘walk’ around the CICO 3 Star course, best viewed in ‘full screen’ mode so you can scroll though the jumps, thanks to www.crosscountryapp.com
