Britain swept the board, taking fourteen of the first twenty places at the 34th edition of the 5 Etoiles de Pau. Having made the top three last night after epic cross-country tests, Caroline Harris, Rosalind Canter and Tom McEwen all rode a clear round on the final day of the competition, demonstrating once again that they totally master their discipline. At 34 years old, Caroline Harris was competing in the second CCI5*-L of her young career, making her performance even more exceptional. After this weekend’s performance, the horse-rider pair ends the season with three international victories.
Rosalind Canter, back to defend her title at the 5 Etoiles de Pau with Izilot DHI, missed a second victory by just 0.3 points. Her compatriote Tom McEwen, who won in Pau in 2019, came 2nd in 2021 and 3rd in 2023, added a new podium to his impressive track record in Pau, for his 9th 5* here. Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian, gold-medallist in the individual competition at the last Asian Games, came in at a wonderful 4th place for his first time in the Béarn region. American rider Boyd Martin completed the top five with Fedarman B, the horse he rode for the Paris Olympics (where he ranked 10th in the individual competition).
The riders said:
Caroline Harris (GBR), winner of the CCI5*-L of Pau 2024
“I can’t thank Pau enough for everything they’ve put into this weekend to make it run. I had my doubts for a minute, but actually the ground ran really well in the cross-country, I thought most of the horses finished extremely well and a really great competition. I really don’t have any words to describe my horse D. Day. He was bred to just be a happy hack hunter and he came to me and he’s just going on and on and on. I didn’t think he’d ever be more than a 3* horse, and just look at him now. He was ready to go again, he’s 80% thoroughbred, so skipping through the ground yesterday took nothing out of him – he’s an out-and-out trier, and I love him to bits.”
Rosalind Canter (GBR), 2nd
“I think with regards to the ground, I actually took some of the kids out for a bike ride this morning and we stopped and had a look at the ground when you came back from the race course up to the log on the mound, and they all sunk and got stuck, so that is what the ground was like and everyone did an amazing job to keep it going, so we’re all very grateful. With regards to Pau, it’s a very happy event for me, I absolutely love coming here, my horses always seem to enjoy it and it’s a great event for my family too. He will have a very well-deserved holiday, he’s been up and running for a very long time this year, so very much looking forward to him getting home and having some time in the field. Then I’m not sure about next year yet, but hopefully some more 5* on the cards.”
Tom McEwen (GBR), 3rd
“First of all I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone in Pau, they did the most incredible job over the whole weekend. The footing and the sand that all the volunteers put down, to actually being able to run, so a massive thank you to everyone here. Norris has been amazing, he’s an awesome little horse with a huge amount of character. It’s taken a bit of time to get to know one another, but he’s amazing, so on the cards, same as Ros, a well-deserved break and then hopefully some more 5* next year.”
Full results here
Save the date from 23rd to 26th October 2025 for a new edition of the 5 Etoiles de Pau.
Photo by Laura Dupuy
