Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine
In the last session before lunch at Le Mondial Du Lion, the USA’s Liz Halliday-Sharp threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the field to come on Friday in the 6 Year Old Championship. Liz has a raft of talented horses in her stable that have caught our eye this year and Cooley Moonshine is one of them, having won the CIC1* at the South of England International recently, taking second in the CIC1* at Firle International and also winning the CIC1* at Brightling Park earlier in the year (watch their full cross country ride here)
But Cooley Moonshine really put his best hoof forward in the atmosphere of Le Lion – a big question for these young horses – to score a personal best of 22.4 and hold the lead after the first day of dressage
Millie Dumas and Universal Cooley
The judges weren’t all in synch on the leaders with second placed Millie Dumas on another Cooley horse, Universal Cooley being the preferred horse for British judge Anne Marie Taylor. Universal Cooley, who has four Novice wins on his belt this year and a win in the CIC1* at Somerford Park, scored 23.3 while another British rider, Piggy French on Emerald Jonny is in third with 25.8
Piggy French and Universal Cooley
Emerald Jonny’s career started with Piggy’s partner Tom March whilst Piggy was pregnant and is another horse with a string of good placings and wins this year including second in the CIC1* Young Horse at Osberton, and wins in in the CIC1* at Burgham International and Open Novice at Aston-Le-Walls (3) (watch their full cross country ride here)
Michael Jung and Wild Wave
Germany holds the next three spots with Michael Jung’s Wild Wave in third (26), Vanessa Bolting on Ready To Go W (27.1) and Sandra Auffarth with Gentleman FRH (27.6)
Ingrid Klimke and Asha P
Germany is also holding the fort in the 7 Year Old Championship with Ingrid Klimke’s Asha P in front with a score of 25.3 but British riders are on her tail with with Nicola Wilson in second place (25.6) riding JL Dublin and Laura Collett on Calmaro in third place (26.1)
Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin (above) and Laura Collett on Calmaro (below)
With just one, or maybe two, horses to ride at this very niche competition, riders find themselves with a little more time than usual so the question is, what do they do to while away the hours in France? Libby Law finds out as she strolls around the event, cameras at the ready ………
Andrew Hoy, currently 23rd on Bloom des Hauts Crets in the 7YO class (below), walks the course with his 'technical advisor'
Kitty King, who will ride Cristal Fontaine on Friday, enjoys a French picnic with friends
Pretty happy! The overnight leader Ingrid Klimke chats with the press
