The British team are leading after dressage at the pony European Eventing Championships in Freudenberg, Germany.
Britain’s Libby Soley, Gina Ruck (pictured), Tom McEwen and Chloe Kirkpatrick are just 0.5 of a penalty ahead of the German team as today’s dressage finishes.
Libby Soley, 16, and Noble Springbok, individual silver and team bronze medallists last year, are second at this stage on 41. They are 0.5 of a penalty behind German individual Nina Stegemann on Mr Hale Bob.
Gina Ruck, 14, lies fifth on Ice Cool Bailey, with Tom McEwen, 16, sixth on Dick Taytoe.
British individual Lottie Kennedy, 14, is 18th equal on Darraks Tonto, while Chloe Kirkpatrick, 16, and Puzzle IV are 27th.
The Germans are fielding two of the riders who were in their gold medal-winning team last year. Ben Leuwer and Friedrichshof Nighttiger currently hold the individual bronze place, but last year’s pony European Champion, Franca Lüdeke with Hillery 5, is 25th equal after scoring 58.8, her team’s discard mark at the moment.
The cross-country phase is on Saturday.
For full results visit: http://www.rechenstelle.de/html/veranstaltungen/freudenb/2007_07/uebersicht.htm
NB: Click on any of the British ponies names to see their British Eventing record.
See Horse&Hound magazine 2 August for a full report and pictures from the pony European Championships in dressage, eventing and show jumping
