A flying start...Chris Burton and Holstein Park Leilani
The Aussies are off to a flying start this morning for the dressage element of the eventing competition at Greenwich Park, with Christopher Burton and HP Leilani having gone second in the entire competition, after America’s Boyd Martin.
Lellani initially looked a little tense through the neck but settled to show a lovely extended canter and a flowing, obedient test, the score of which was chased by all of the subsequent riders – the pair gained an excellent score of 46.30 which held the lead until lunchtime. The mare is very experienced and has been placing very well internationally in the last 12 months, so hopes were high. Christopher stayed at the upper echelons of the leaderboard from then onwards, presumably relieved to have gone so close to the start of the event, being able to then support his team mates, Sam Griffiths and Andrew Hoy, also riding today.
Jonelle Richards for NZ also had an early test time, just as the sun was starting to warm up in Greenwich Park. Flintstar showed some beautiful half passes and a relaxed free walk. One flying change was a little ‘tail flicky’, and disaster struck in the extended canter when the horse came back off the leg and seemed not to want to go forward. However the pair still managed a respectable score of 56.50.
Sam is certainly experiencing happy times at Greenwich so far...
Next up for Australia was former second reserve Sam Griffiths, who could perhaps not have hoped to have received the call up when he was put on the reserve list, but through several twists of fate, found himself performing at the great Greenwich Park with his ride Happy Times.
A supremely polished performance followed, with the horse showing beautiful expressive paces and some of the cleanest flying changes seen by any rider. The crowd, to whom Sam is well known, sensed a good score and responded rapturously as Sam was awarded 45.60, to push ahead of Christopher. With Andrew Hoy and NZ’s Jonathan Paget due to ride later in the day, spirits across the pond from London must surely be high!
