The line up for the Prix Farnam CCI2* (above and below) at Lignieres
While Sam Griffiths and other UK based eventers were busy at Osberton, a few Antipodean and British riders had nipped over to Lignieres in France.Top riders such as Paul Tapner, Jonelle Richards, Tim Price and Tina Cook headed down to Central France but could not wrest the top honours from the French on their home turf.
In the Prix Farnam CCI2* French rider Bertrand Vuatoux riding Risotto Mail (by the increasingly popular eventing stallion Jaguar Mail) took top placing on his dressage score of 45.5. Fellow countryman Cedric Lyard riding the 11 year old Cadeau du Roi was only 0.4 penalties behind in second place and 24 year old Lara De Liedekerke from Belgium riding QUELLA LANGONNAISE finished in third on a score of 46. Tim Price couldn’t quite pull off another win here this year but was sixth riding WENBLEY III (47.4) and 16th on HADDON TRUMP CARD while his wife Jonelle Richards was 34th on the eight year old ALOHA and 49th on REMINISCENT.
Of the 81 competitors in the class, 54 completed including Paul Tapner in 25th on PIONEER MILLY and 36th on UP IN THE AIR.
In the huge class of 103 participants in the Prix Virbac CIC1* France was once again victorious. Maxime Liviot riding RNH MC USTINOF won on his dressage score of 39.1 while one of our favourite young French riders Thomas Carlile riding RIALTO BIATS was second on 43.1. Thomas, who was born in France but has English parents, has some very nice young horses including this talented eight year old. In third place was multiple French champion and 2008 Badminton winner, Nicolas Touzaint riding SCIDJO.
The British team for the Coupe de Berry seem to have horses but The Foreigners (below) seem to be missing something!
The CCI2* Coupe de Berry featured a Teams competition which, once again, went to the home side named LES GRISOUS (Bertrand VUATOUX, Cedric LYARD, Nicolas TOUZAINT, Rodolphe SCHERER) while The Foreigners (Jonelle, Tim, Paul and Serena MCGREGOR of Great Britain) took second place while Britain took third (Christopher KING, Tina COOK, Joanna RIMMER and Julia DUNGWORTH).
Prize giving for the Team Competition with much interest in the goodie bags!
It may not have been a Nations Cup but it looks like fun! The weather wasn’t as good as it can be in France (and we’re all hoping for fabulous weather in Caen next year) but despite the fog and some rain, the competitors seemed to have fun, as always, at a French event.
Many riders will stay in France for the prestigious FEI World Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Le Lion d’Angers or take a detour via Beokelo in the Netherlands for the CICO3*. We’ll be bringing you the latest updates and of course our 4* photo galleries by Libby Law from both events so stay tuned
Many thanks to Frederique Perruchot-Siegl for providing the photos
