CCI* Lion d'Angers: No change after the cross-country event
None of the three couples that were in the lead after the dressage event managed to surpass the others after the cross-country competition. As each rider has preserved his dressage score (44.80), it will be the show jumping event that will be decisive for the three competitors.
The mild weather for the cross-country event for six-year-old horses was a considerable advantage for the young horses starting off at this level of competition. “Many horses have never run a 9 minute cross-country competition and this is the case for Charizard” added Karin Donckers. However the course did not create too many incidents. “The round was not as difficult as it might have been” stated Nicklas Lindbäck. “It was a great pleasure to ride the course, my congratulations go to Mr Michelet (the course designer)” added Michael Jung.
However even if 44 competitors out of 62 who crossed the start line finished the round in the allowed time, (the best time was 8,44), some of the riders were luckier than others. Arnaud Boiteau for example met with a refusal with Mozart des Clotins ENE HN when leaving the Eagle Ford (number 7). Michel Bouquet was also deprived of 20 points on the third part of the French National Stud Percheron obstacle (number 9). The Spanish rider Marta Botin Naveda added on a further 40 points to her score after a refusal by Aristoteles in the Eagle Ford, and then at the entrance to the French National Stud Percheron obstacle. The twelfth obstacle the Renault point also created problems for Nelly Schorer and Myrage du Bois (a refusal), Maria Dolores Alonso Freyre and Foping and Jarno Debusschere and Nice Connection.
Two couples did not cross the finish line. The Slovakian rider Patrick Eibner was eliminated after three refusals in a row for Farun on the Super U Owl obstacle (number 17). Arnaud Thiebault (Magnoila Lerchenber), retired after falling on the Credit Agricole tripod obstacle (number 10). At the top of the competition line up, the first ten riders after the dressage event held on to their positions, the 4540 metres of the course being a mere formality for them.
CCI** FOR 7 YEAR OLD HORSES – AURÉLIEN KHAN GOES INTO THE LEAD
The second day of the dressage competition considerably changed the order of the line up for the seven-year-old horses. Yesterday’s leader Nicolas Touzaint and Liam de la Roche are currently in 9th position. Aurélien Khan and Lord de Lignière went into the lead in this competition with a score of 31.20.
AURELIEN KAHN AND LORD DE LIGNIERE
The judges of the CCI** for seven year old horses attributed better results on Friday afternoon than the day before and as result this completely upset the order of the line up. Mary King and Kings Gem surpassed Nicolas and Liam with a total of 39.80 points. Then William Fox-Pitt and Chuckleberry left the outside arena with a score of 35.80.
Karin Donckers and King did not manage to do any better, but their total of 36.70 allowed them to go into the third place of the provisional line up.
A MORE TECHNICAL END OF THE ROUND
In fact, only Aurélien Khan managed to do better than William Fox-Pitt. The French rider achieved a result of 31.20 with Lord de Lignière.
Other couples got off to a good start in the competition on Friday. This was in particular the case for Frank Ostholt, world champion in the team event. He obtained a score of 37.10 with Mr Medicott. The cross-country competition will definitely increase the gaps and there may be surprises in the line up on Saturday evening. Although the first part of the course is rather quick, with an ascent of around 300m, the end is a lot harder technically speaking; without forgetting that the condition of the ground will also be important.