The U.S. kept its third place standing at the FEI Eventing World Championshps as the dressage phase wrapped up today, with a highlight for America in Tamie Smith’s 24-penalty ride on Mai Baum, good enough to stand fifth individually.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
Although her horse broke in the medium trot at the beginning of her ride, Tamie’s usual grit enabled her to get past that for a formidable performance at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy.
Boyd Martin, the anchor rider on his old pal Tsetserleg, is tied for fourteenth with 26.2 penalties. Will Coleman, the pathfinder yesterday with Off the Record dropped from a tie for fifth to eighteenth, while Lauren Nicholson’s 27.1 on Vermiculus put her twenty seventh, which is the country’s drop score at the moment. Riding as a U.S. individual, Ariel Grald is fortyninth with a score of 32.5 aboard Leamore Master Plan.
Britain kept its lead in the rankings with a total of 69.2, a record at this point in a world championship.
That team’s anchor rider, Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, stands sixth on 24.3 penalties.
“Maybe he didn’t quite take me forwards enough in the trot, but I felt once he was into canter he was away and I felt the work was very good quality. We know each other very well and he’s a lovely horse to ride,” said Oli, a multiple winner of the Kentucy 5-star.
“We’ve just been trying to work on getting him more forwards. He’s a horse that’s always been a little bit introverted – either that, or completely explosive – so I’m just trying to get him to breathe and take me a little bit more in all the paces, really, and it showed up in the canter. I think it’s a bit of a dream start for the Brits, so let’s hope we can keep it up.”
Germany got lifted into second place in the team standings by superstar Michael Jung’s first-place performance with fischerChipmunk FRH (18.8), a personal best that brought his nation’s total to 76.1. The U.S. has 76.6 penalties, but New Zealand is close behind. The Kiwis are on 77.9 penalties, with Australia fifth on 81.1.
Michael, who could be on his way to his second individual world championship title, said of his mount, “It’s amazing how he performs in the arena. He just brings everything in there and you can ride like at home so this is a great feeling.
“He is so relaxed but powerful and concentrated so you can show all of what you train, and that’s an amazing feeling for the rider.”
Saturday will undoubtedly re-arrange the standings, as the cross-country test set by Giuseppe della Chiesa includes formidable terrain. I will be posting a cross-country story tomorrow morning, so please come back to the website then to track the competition.