Marie Charlotte Fuss and Anabolia lead the CCI2* Photo: Nicolas Hodys
It has been a good year for the French eventing community and fittingly, here on home soil, a French rider tops the 49 combinations competing in the CCI2* after the dressage phase at the Domaine de Sers in Pau.
The recent European Young Rider Individual Champion Marie Charlotte Fuss and her mare, Anabolia, took the lead with a score of 40.6 with another French rider close behind Aurélien Leroy and Boyjoyce Chavannais (41.1) who is then followed and by the Belgian rider Karin Donckers on the young mare Jalapeno (42.2). This will be a combination to watch on cross country as the eight year old mare hasn’t incurred a cross country jumping penalty in her international eventing career so far
While the CCI2* dressage has completed there are still 22 left to go in the CCI4*. The first 26 took to the arena on Thursday afternoon before the international judges, the USA’s Wayne Quarles (H), France’s Alain James (B) and Sweden’s Christina Klingspor (C).
Michael Jung and fischerrocana FST
Although it may not be surprising that Michael Jung and fischerrocana FST are currently in first place, their score is somewhat lower than the pair have been getting in the past with a score of 43.8 as their last score in the 40’s was in April 2015 and since then they have been averaging 35.4. It was not the flawless test that we expect of Michael with a little resistance at times and Michael seemingly working quite hard (well, by Michael standards) - you can watch the whole test here
In second place, not far behind on 45.9 is Laura Collett on Pamero 4 and another British lady rider, Kirsty Johnston riding Opposition Detective, is third on 46.7. Not surprisingly Laura is delighted with the nine year old Pamero at his first 4* start, saying on Twitter that “he did some amazing trot work and just got a bit tight in the canter but tried really hard”
Laura has been busy at competing at Waregem, Boekelo and Osberton recently and thanked British dressage rider Spencer Wilton for schooling Pamero while she’s been elsewhere. He obviously did a very good job and no doubt Laura will be focussed on doing equally well in the cross country phase
Laura Collett and Pamero
Kirsty’s Opposition Detective is by the well-known stallion Fleetwater Opposition that stands at Kirsty and her father’s stud Landford Common Stud, near Salisbury, in Wiltshire and this is their second visit to Pau after completing their first ever CCI4* here last year
Tina Cook and Calvino II - Tina also has her Rio reserve horse Billy The Red here
Another lady who is probably quite happy is Tina Cook, currently in fifth place on Calvino II, another horse having his first CCI4* start, with a score of 48.8. The American judge Wayne Quarles preferred Tina and Calvino’s test to that of Michael Jung’s, scoring Michael and fischerrocana FST 69% for second place and awarding Tina 71.67% for first place
Kirsty Johnson and Oppoition Detective
In fifth place is Boyd Martin on Crackerjack, a horse that has done some travelling this year. A fall at the Vicarage Vee at Badminton meant that Boyd opted to leave the grey horse in Jock Paget’s care before returning for Luhmuhlen where they finished 10th before returning to the USA to compete in a 3* and he is now back to Europe for another 4*. Phew - that's more travelling than a Western Australian. They are currently sitting on a score of 47.70
Geoffroy Soullez and Qokory Ko
The French eventing competitors Geoffroy Soullez and Pascal Leroy respectively rank sixth and eighth at this stage with Tom McEwan on Toledo De Kerser in seventh.
Not the best day for 'James' - Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo
Chris Burton and his Adelaide 4* winner TS Jamaimo are currently way down the leader board in 22nd place on a score of 60.3, obviously not the best day for them and a bit to make up, being 16.5 penalties off the leader.
Tomorrow another Australian rider will hit the arena, Sonja Johnson on Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison. This hasn’t been the best European campaign for Sonja and Ben but they are very capable of doing something amazing on this cross country so let’s keep our fingers crossed that they finally get a bit of luck.
Go Sonja and Ben!
Michael Jung is back again tomorrow with fischertakinou (the teddy bear of a 2015 FEI European Championship winner), who is having his first CCI4* start. Can he get the scores back down in 30’s? Another one who could score well but is a bit of a dark horse back at 4* level is Flying Finish, a horse that certainly has the ability to impress in the dressage arena and recently achieved a sub-40 score with Caroline Powell at Burgham.
Other ones to watch are Nicola Wilson, Jock Paget and Karin Donckers as well of course as the French riders who are on a bit of a roll so there is plenty to keep us all entertained ........... stay tuned
Last year's CCI4* winner and Rio gold and silver medallist Astier Nicolas is back at Pau with Molakai
