Our ponies and riders representing Great Britain at the European Championships for Ponies at Strzegom put in some brilliant performances over a tricky cross country track to leave the team lying just outside the medals heading into tomorrow’s show jumping.
The optimum time proved tough to reach, with only a small number of competitors avoiding penalties. Pippa Royle and Midnight Engagement were one of those combinations to achieve a clear inside the time, getting Great Britain off to a superb start with a clear inside the time as pathfinders for the team. This also saw them leap up the leaderboard individually, moving from 27th to 11th.
Lucy Baguley and Glencarrig Dolphin were next to go for Great Britain. They delivered a solid round which saw them pick up just 8.4 time penalties to be lying 22nd individually.
Erin Jennings and Night Fury (competing as an individual) were another British combination to make the optimum time – storming round the course to remain on their dressage score and jump up the score board from 29th to 14th.
Ella Howard and Midnight Mist III have also jumped up a couple of places to be the best placed of the Brits, lying fifth individually after they picked up just 1.2 time penalties. Their round also helped secure the team position in fourth, heading into the show jumping tomorrow morning.
Overall it was a day of mixed fortunes for the British riders, with an unlucky fall for Charlotte Cooke and Liscannor Tulira when in contention for an individual medal. They had been lying 5th going into the cross country and were looking to be having a super round before the fall which sadly meant they were eliminated.
There was also frustration for Phoebe Sykes and Ive Dun Talking (competing as an individual). They enjoyed a great round with just an unlucky glance off a fence in the water, which saw them collect 20 penalties and 2 time penalties.
It’s all to play for in tomorrow’s show jumping, which gets underway at 9am BST.
The start list and live results will be available here.
Watch all the action live courtesy of ClipMyHorse.TV Great Britain here.
British Eventing would like to thank Event Collection, Fairfax & Favor, Holland Cooper, Premier Equine and Racesafe who are supporting the team with kit.
