Andrew Hoy heads back to the beautiful stables at Jardy after a successful start in the ERM CIC3*
The historic Haras De Jardy is this weekend’s location for leg 4 of the Event Rider Masters (ERM) as well as hosting the Haras De Jardy CIC3* plus CCI1*, CIC2*, CIC1* and CIC1* Young Horse classes. Located close to Paris, this weekend’s competition was always going to attract a bevy of top French riders but there are a few other nationalities that are topping the leader board in various classes after the dressage
The current world number one, and European, World and Olympic champion Michael Jung is making his ERM debut and, although he was originally down to ride Fischerrocana FST in this class his mount was changed to the less experienced Star Connection, who finished second in the CIC3* at Luhmuhlen, while fischerRocana is contesting the Haras De Jardy CIC3*and the little ‘teddy bear’ and 2015 European Championship winner fischerTakinou is in the CIC2*
So maybe it’s no great surprise that Michael leads both the Haras De Jardy CIC3* with a score of 42 on fischerRocana and the CIC2* with a score of 37.5 on fischer Takinou but some keen French riders are chasing him in both classes. Gwendolin Fer on Romantic Love held the lead for quite a while in the 3*, although there seemed some uncertainty with the judges with one having her in first place and one in tenth, and now goes into the show jumping in second place (43.70) with Britain’s Oliver Townend hot on her heels riding Cooley SRS (43.90). Australia’s Bill Levett is currently in eighth place (46.40) on Lassban Diamond Lift, who recently led after the dressage at Barbury but was withdrawn
Last to go in the ERM CIC3*, Bill Levett and Shannondale Titan are in 12th place
The two young French stars Maxime Livio and Tom Carlile dominated the top of the leader board after Thursday’s dressage in the CIC2* before Mr Jung came along on Friday but France is still up there with Nicholas Touzaint on the eight year old Anglo Arab gelding Eboli in second place, a few marks behind Michael, on 41.40 and Maxime Livio in third on Vick Du Gisors (42.50).
Australia’s Andrew Hoy has brought his eight year old grey gelding Basmati to keep his ERM mount Cheeky Calimbo company and they are currently in 76th place in this huge class while Britain’s top rider in this class is Alisa Wates on 12 year old Woodlands Persuasion in 15th
However French riders do top the 1* classes with Clara Loiseau on Astuce de Barbereau leading the CCI1*, Didier Willefert on Bolero de Sivry leading the CIC1*YH and Gilles Bordes on Orion de Cavalhac leading the CIC1*
Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott
Although Michael Jung leads two of the classes, it is another German rider at the top of the Event Rider Masters leader board after dressage with Bettina Hoy continuing her top form on Seigneur Medicott. Bettina produced her usual impressive test for a score of 31.40 and her music really suited the test movements. It didn’t quite pip Tom Carlile’s record score at Barbury last week but was good enough to put her ahead of Australia’s Andrew Hoy on Cheeky Calimbo in second place on 34.40
“I promised Tom Carlile not to break his record!” laughed Bettina after her dressage as she looked forward to the cross country ““He always gives 150% and although he was a bit tense outside of the arena today, he delivered inside it. I now need to focus on being competitive tomorrow and delivering the results. It’s a very typical Pierre Michelet course and it’s going to be an exciting day tomorrow”
Andrew Hoy and Cheeky Calimbo
Andrew Hoy is an experienced competitor and he too is aware of the tests ahead
"I've been in this place before! Cheeky Calimbo was super today. We’ve had a few interesting moments throughout our career together but he is very secure now and did great. It’s a great start to the competition, but it’s a still a long way to the finish with two more phases to go. I will not be taking anything for granted”.
France’s Lt. Col Thibaut Vallette and Qing De Briot ENE HN lie in third place (34.8) and Karim Florent Laghouag on the ‘look at me’ stallion Entebbe De Hus is in fourth
Karim Florent Laghouag - delighted with Entebbe De Hus
Gemma Tattersall, who won the first leg of the 2017 series and secured further points at Leg 3 by finishing seventh, is the best of the Brits currently sits in fifth place with the mare Chico Bella P (36.37) and Will Furlong on board Livingstone is in sixth (38.6)
The top ten all produced sub-40 tests with the lead being swopped regularly towards the end of the day but the young Swedish rider Therese Viklund on Diabolique showed some lovely work for a score of 38.70 and eighth place. However this horse is not the fastest on cross country and Therese will be being chased by two men who will have the foot to the floor on cross country, the super experienced Mark Todd on NZB Campino in ninth and speed demon Oliver Townend in tenth on Cooley Masterclass
For some, it wasn’t quite the dressage performance they had hoped for with China’s Alex Hua Tian having an exciting ride on Don Geniro who seemed to take a intense dislike to the camera at B. Alex rode masterfully and they still managed to produce glimpses of brilliance despite the horse’s obvious tension to finish in 35th place while France’s most experienced rider Jean Teulere retired Matelot Du Grand Val during the test, feeling that he wasn’t 100% after recovering from a recent hoof abscess
There are less than eight marks separating the top ten competitors ahead of tomorrow’s show jumping and then the cross country to be run in reverse order of merit.
All the action from Leg 4 can be viewed live at Eventridermasters.tv
