The cross-country course certainly was a huge influence on the scoreboard at Military Boekelo CCI03*. The event is now being led by Germany’s Stephanie Böhe riding Haytom, from American Lauren Kieffer on Meadowbrook Scarlett. Another German, Andreas Dibowski on FRH Butts Avedon, is third.
Sir Mark Todd is still fourth, adding 4.4 time faults to his dressage score to be only 2.8 behind the leader. Only eight combinations went clear within the time on the tricky and twisty course built by Sue Benson. One of these was Dan Jocelyn on Beaucatcher, who is now in 18th place.
Megan Heath is the next best Kiwi, adding 11.6 time for 32nd place. Blyth Tait is 35th after picking up 20pen for a run-out at 7a, and 7.2 time faults. He also struck trouble there on Leo Distinction, with a run-out at 7b and 16 time. Jesse Campbell encountered the first of his problems at the second element of the bogey fence, three very skinny arrowhead brushes on an S-shaped bend. He had another stop at 17b and then a rider fall at fence 21.
The combination at 7 caught a lot of riders, including Sammi Birch from Australia who had a fall at the C element. This, combined with Paul Tapner’s fall at the step out of the water, put the Australian team – who led after dressage – out of contention.
Great Britain has a good lead in the team competition now on 146.6 points, with Netherlands second on 176.2, New Zealand third on 178.8 and Germany fourth on 189.5. Only the Dutch team still has four riders, so the other three teams need all of their three remaining riders to get through the horse inspection in the morning.
