The 53rd edition of Military Boekelo-Enschede is guaranteed to have an exciting ending. The top three of the rankings consist of combinations that are less than four penalty points apart.
Laura Collett strengthened her leading position in the cross-country, adding just 1.86 time penalties to now sit on a score of 25.3 with Dacapo. Number two in the dressage Julia Krajewski from Germany (28.8) dropped a place with Nickel 21, because the winner of 2018 in Boekelo was passed by the British Sarah Bullimore with Corimoro (27.0).
Laura Collett looked back with pleasure on her performance in the cross country; “Dacapo is a huge fan of this competition anyway and today he went super again. He just doesn’t have such a great history in jumping, although he is getting better and better. But it will still be quite exciting.”
Of course, number two Sarah Bullimore was also in her element as an individual rider for England. “After a somewhat less successful period, I am building up nicely again. My horse is still very young, so I didn’t expect too much from him in his first long four-star. Everything he does tomorrow is good.”
After Krajewski, the Frenchman Benjamin Massie with Figaro Fonroy (30.2), the American Hallie Coon with Cute Girl (30.4), two-time winner (2017 and 2022) Tim Price from New Zealand and the German Calvin Bockmann with Altair de la Cense (both 30.6) follow for the time being. Bullimore and Coon formed the five combinations that completed the cross country within the time, together with Ireland’s Susannah Berry on Clever Trick (now eighth), the Swiss Robin Godel on Global DHI (ninth) and the British Daniel Alderson on Blarney Monbeg Pepper (eighteenth).
Of the 93 combinations that started on Saturday, 72 eventually reached the finish, with three participants withdrawing before cross-country. There were no significant falls on the course, which had been shortened by three obstacles in the initial phase.
Laura Collett said of the cross country course: “The organisation really did everything they could to create the best possible cross-country for us and they absolutely succeeded.”
Sarah Bullimore added: “As an individual starter, I was quite far back in the field, but the ground was still fine. It was very doable.”
For starting lists and results, see www.military-boekelo.nl/Actueel/StartsResults
