Dan Jocelyn leads Bramham Horse Trials after cross-country

Dan Jocelyn put himself right back in contention for the New Zealand team at this summer’s Olympics in Hong Kong when he took the lead at Bramham Horse Trials in today’s cross-country phase.

Dan put in one of the fastest rounds of the day on the 16-year-old Mr Pracatan, finishing only 2sec over the elusive optimum time of 10min. This lifted him from sixth after dressage to the head of affairs.

“I had a lovely ride,” said Dan. “I’d seen the time was hard to get so I knew it was going to be a hard graft. He’s not the biggest galloper, but he doesn’t pull so you can keep travelling to the fences.”

In the last few minutes Louise Skelton has been promoted to second place after successfully appealing a stop at the second water with 2005 Blair CCI*** winner Partly Pickled.

Ruth Edge has now moved up to third with Mr Dumbledore. William Fox-Pitt is fourth on Kaleidoscope and also sixth on Navigator, while Polly Stockton (Estrada) lies fifth. Less than one show jumping fence separates the top four riders.

Dressage leader Tracy Garside bowed out at the most influential fence of the day, the Carter Jonas Rails, Ditch And Castle Birch at fence 21. Her ride Dunauger had an awkward jump over the first rails and then ducked out of the narrow hedge over the ditch, jumping the final hedge element and thus being eliminated.

The course generally rode well, causing less problems than last year, but the optimum time was difficult to achieve, which means the cross-country has been influential in the standings. Heavy overnight rain meant the ground was muddy in places, and several horses looked tired at the end of the course.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS AFTER CROSS-COUNTRY

Senior CCI***
1. Mr Pracatan (Dan Jocelyn, NZL) 48.2
2. Partly Pickled (Louise Skelton, GB) 51.5
3. Mr Dumbledore (Ruth Edge, GB) 51.8
4. Kaleidoscope (William Fox-Pitt, GB) 52
5. Estrada (Polly Stockton, GB) 52.5
6. Navigator (William Fox-Pitt, GB) 52.8

Full results and times from Bramham

Report on under-25 section

Gallery of Bramham cross-country fences

Log back on to www.horseandhound.co.uk for daily reports from Bramham and don’t forget to buy H&H next Thursday (12 May) for a full report, colour photographs and William Fox-Pitt’s comment.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.