Andrew Nicholson certainly looks Focused
Andrew Nicholson and Avebury scored 34.8 on Friday afternoon to take the lead in the CCI3* at the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Barbury International Horse Trials. Andrew, who has a book coming out in August called Focused, no doubt means to live up to the book title and stay on track for a win here and maybe at another little event that will be taking place in August in France
Clark, sporting a splint on his wrist from an accident at Bramham, and Loughan Glen
Their score of 34.8 means that Andrew is five penalties in front of second placed Clark Montgomery riding Loughan Glen on 39.6. Originally from Texas but now based in the UK, Clark and the 17hh Irish Sport Horse Loughan Glen haven’t had the best of starts to 2014 but last year finished second here in the CIC3* Section B and third in the CCI3* at Blenheim. Clark also has his other horse Universe in this class, currently in equal 26th place
WEG bound - Sir Mark and Leonidas II (above) and Tina Cook riding De Novo News (below)
The overnight leader from Thursday, Francis Whittington now is in equal third place with Sir Mark Todd on his Normandy nominated horse Leonidas II while another Kiwi, Lizzie Brown has moved from second to equal fifth with Britain’s Tina Cook on another horse heading to the WEG, De Novo News (43.2)
Australia’s Warren Lamperd had his ride today on Silvia to be in equal 22nd place with Pippa Funnell’s Mirage d’Elle and just behind Paul Tapner’s Yogi Bear VIII in 20th while Sam Griffiths is the highest placed Australian in 11th place on Favorit Z (although an ex-Aussie horse, Brookleigh ridden by Emily King is above him in eighth!)
Paul Tapner's other CIC3* ride is Vanir Kamira
Talking of ex-Aussie horses, Wendy Schaeffer’s previous ride Koyuna Sun Storm is in the CIC2* Section B ridden by Daisy Berkeley, who is one of the nominees for the FEI Eventing Athlete Representative. Daisy and Sun Storm are in equal 53rd place with Kevin McNab’s Clifton Pinot and Mark Todd on Landslide (52.8) but it is young British rider David Doel, who also has one of Wendy’s ex-mounts Koyuna Sun Magic, who is in the lead on Miss Caruso (36.1). Young Australian rider Ben Leahy, who went over to the UK to be based with Harry Meade, riding Le Directeur is also in this class, a little off the pace down in 85th but good to see him at these big events
William Fox-Pitt on Top Biats has ousted Chris Burton and Wild Duchess from the top spot in the CIC2* Section C with a score of 35.8. Sophie How and Pebbly Aga Khan are in second with Chris in third while Tim Boland and Napoleon VIII have moved down to 15th
However Chris has the lead in the CIC2* Section D on Nobilis 18 with a score of 384 and he is joined at the top of the leader board by Lucinda Fredericks riding Mr Sydney Rocks in second place (38.7) and New Zealand’s Jonelle Price on Cloud Dancer in third (41)
Lucinda Fredericks has several horses here including Step Along In Style (above) and Mr Sydney Rocks in the 2* and her two 'Brit babies' - Little Britannia and Britannia's Mail who were 5th and 7th in the Novice sections
Today (Saturday) the CIC2* completes with cross country and show jumping taking place while the CIC3* show jumping is underway. Later in the afternoon a crack team of eventers (Zara Phillips, William Fox-Pitt, Sir Mark Todd and Laura Collett) will be doing battle against some very determined jockeys in the JCB Challenge Championships in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund so Libby should have some very fun pics in tomorrow’s gallery
Click here for our Friday photo gallery
Other results
Novice section E – 1st Richard Long riding Kenmare Bay (28)
Novice section F – 1st William Fox-Pitt riding Reinstated (21.5)
Open Novice Section H – Takayuki Yumira riding Poachers Hope (27.5)
Open Novice Section I – Sophie How riding Bojangles HRS (25.2)
Novice Section J – Gubby Leech riding Copas (28.5)
Novice Section K (Ponies) - Chelsea Pearce riding Catherstone Nutsafe (28.5)
Intermediate Novice Section L - Paul Tapner riding Inishmor (27.3)
Intermediate Novice Section M (Under 21's) Sam Ecroyd riding Wodan IV (29.9)
Full results can be found at www.bdwp.co.uk/bar
