Would you jump that? See the fences Ros Canter, Oliver Townend and Pippa Funnell will tackle at Pau five-star

Les Étoiles de Pau CCI5*, the final five-star competition of the eventing season, begins today (26 October). Pierre Michelet’ 2023 Pau Horse Trials cross-country course features 31 fences over a distance of 6,322m.

The optimum time is 11 minutes six seconds.

Pau Horse Trials cross-country course fence by fence

Fence 1: Maison du Département des Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Fence 2: Brouette de le Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Fence 3: Bergerie Centaure Event

Fence 4ab: Contrebas & pointe des Cafés San Marco

Alternative fence b: long route

Fence 5: Mur de pierre

Fence 6ab: Stères

Alternative fence 6ab: long route

Fence 7ab: Gué de la Communauté d’Agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées Cygne & pointe

Alternative fence b: long route

Fence 8: Barrière blanche Loc Expo

Fence 9abc: Gué Communauté d’Agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénéese: oxer de haie, contru-haut, & haie

Fence 10: Oxer de haie

Fence 11ab: Tronc & brush Loc Expo

Fence 11a: side view

Alternative fence b: long route

Fence 12: Palois de la Communauté d’Agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées

Fence 13ab: Oxer & pointe des bénévoles 5 Etoiles

Fence 14: Palombière

Fence 14: side view

Fence 15: Trakehnen

Fence 16: Haie de laurier

Fence 17ab: Bille de bois & haie delta

Fence 17a: side view

Fence 18abc: Delta/fossé/bille de chêne Equi-Thème

 Fence 19: Brook mims sur fossé

Fence 20ab: Gué Clear Channel: tronc & triple brush

Alternative fence b: long route

Fence 21: Triple Brush

Alternative fence 21: long route

Fence 22: Maison béarnaise

Fence 23: Pointe

Fence 24ab: Gué Forestier: tronc/cygne

Fence 25: Tronc Forestier

Fence 26: Champignons de la Ville de Pau

Fence 27: Vertical de la Sorcière

Fence 28abcd: Bull finch du Crédit Agricole Pyrénées Gascogne, triple brush du Crédit, Haie du Crédit

Alternative fence 28abcd: long route

Fence 29: Tonneaux de la Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Fence 30ab: Maisons béarnaises Communauté d’Agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées

Fence 31: Bull Finch 5 Etoiles de Pau

The trot-up gets underway at 10am (9am BST) today, with the dressage starting at 2.30pm (1.30pm) BST. The second day of dressage takes place on Friday (27 October), and riders tackle the Pau Horse Trials cross-country course on Saturday (28 October), before the winner is decided during the showjumping on Sunday (29 October).

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Becky Murray

H&H senior news writer

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.