Three British riders finished in the top 10 at NAF Saumur CCI3*, France, with Oliver Townend improving on his fourth place after dressage on Fenyas Elegance to take third. Mathieu Lemoine (pictured) beat his compatriot Astier Nicolas into second place, the pair having held those positions from the outset.

“She’s an exceptional mare,” said Oliver, who must have caught the selectors’ eyes ahead of the European Championships. “The French boys did a great job, and the winner has been particularly impressive in every phase.”

Nana Dalton’s double clear with Abbeylara Prince secured sixth, a significant rise from 21st after dressage, while Emily Llewellyn’s belief in Worldy Du Hans was confirmed in ninth.

“I saw him in France a year ago and wanted to have him, so we persuaded the owners to sell,” said Emily, who knocked just one part of the treble. “He’s done everything I’ve asked and more.”

Oliver Townend produced a remarkable display on Fenyas Elegance, given that the mare has only been in his yard a fortnight. Having brushed aside the disappointment of his other horse Note Worthy being eliminated after finishing fifth in the dressage, Oliver steamed round the cross-country with the chestnut mare.

“She is a real professional, and tries so hard,” said Oliver.

So often we have seen Oliver on a less-than-careful showjumper, but Fenyas Elegance looks the real deal. She pinged round a troublesome track to keep the pressure on the two Frenchmen, who responded with clears. Wiltshire-based Astier had a slightly nervous moment when he missed his stride at an upright and had to take a longer route to the triple bar, but he kept his cool although he accrued one time-fault.

While the cross-country phase proved largely uneventful, with 25 of the 32 runners going clear, only six left all the coloured poles up. These riders took home the first six prizes.

Read the full report from Saumur in Horse & Hound magazine, 28 May 2015

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The French were in indomitable form on their own stamping ground at Saumur CCI3*. But the nine-strong British contingent that made the trip to the Loire Valley is holding its own with three in the top 10 after cross-country.

Oliver Townend currently lies third with his new ride Fenyas Elegance, who was last out on Pierre Michelet’s track. Exactly one fence ahead of him lies first-placed Mathieu Lemoine on his three-star debutant Bart L, closely followed by Bristol-based Astier Nicolas on his 2013 Euros partner Piaf De B’Neville.

Oliver was particularly thrilled with the chestnut mare’s dressage performance, which earned 44.9 and fourth place.

“She has a lot of ability, but isn’t good at handling pressure, so I was really proud of her,” said Oliver, who has had two weeks to get to know the 11-year-old. “She was a real professional cross-country — I didn’t know about her fitness, but she wanted to get to the end.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Nicholson had been sandwiched between Oliver and Astier on Lucy Wiegersma’s Cillnabradden Evo. But the nine-year-old just showed a touch of greenness at his first CCI3*, with a refusal halfway round. Andrew had better luck with Teseo, who moved up from 17th to eighth thanks to a fast clear.

Nana Dalton made the most of a last-minute entry to the event with Elite Syncopation (pictured below) to go clear inside the time and take seventh spot overnight, having been 10th after dressage. Sheila Jones’ 12-year-old was also contesting his first CCI3*, having “hit a wall” at Blenheim CIC3* last autumn.

“He has had a wind op and this was the first time I’ve gone more quickly,” said Nana, who also rode Abbeylara Prince into 12th. “Yogi [Breisner] told me to get on with it, and I did. He was so genuine — and I was over the moon with his dressage.”

Emily Llewellyn’s Worldy Du Hans also posted a fast clear to sit just behind Elite Syncopation in ninth, rising up from 18th in the first phase.

“He’s a jumping machine, and really quick,” said Emily. “He did everything I asked and more.”

And a British victory isn’t out of sight. Oliver is within a pole of the leaders — neither of whom have a spotless showjumping record — and just two poles cover the top six. Further down the order, dropped rails will be very expensive — one pole covers eighth to 17th.

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Two weeks after his fall in Saumur, Clayton Fredericks won and was also placed second at Renswoude CCI*** in Holland (10 June).

The Australian eventer was in hospital for more than a week after a fall on the cross-country course at Saumur CCI*** in France on 19 May.

His horse Be My Guest, “Lottie”, trod on his stomach.

But he hopes his win at Renswoude will assure him a place at the Olympics.

Clayton said: “Bendigo, who won, felt amazing and was the fastest on the cross-country course where no one got the time.

“I was quite anxious about the cross-country as the three horses in front of me did not make it past the fourth fence, a huge ditch and hedge into the woods.

“However, Walter [Walterstown Don who came second] the first of my rides sailed through to huge roar from the spectators.

“I hope this will now stand me in good position for a crack at an individual medal in London.”

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Clayton Fredericks is recovering in hospital following a fall on the cross-country at Saumur CCI*** in France on Saturday.

The Australian event rider was riding Be My Guest (“Lottie”) when the accident happened.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance for tests, then was moved to another hospital at Angers and stayed in overnight for observation.

Clayton took to his Facebook page to reassure friends and fans who were worried about him.

“I’m absolutely fine, frustrated to be lying here in hospital,” he said.

“It is just cautionary as it appears Lottie stepped right on my stomach.

“I will be scanned in a few days and hopefully on my way back and to London [Olympics] preparations!” he added.

Clayton’s wife, Lucinda, who was competing at Little Downham, Cambs at the weekend posted on their website:

“He needs a few quiet days and hopefully will come home early next week.”

“Lottie is ok, too,” she added.

Fellow Australian Christopher Burton impressed the Olympic selectors with a 1-2 at Saumur. He won with the less experienced of his two horses, Haruzac, while Holstein Park Leilani was second.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson was third with Viscount George, while Mark Todd qualified his second string, NZB Grass Valley for the Olympics with a seventh place finish. His top horse, last year’s Badminton winner NZB Land Vision was ruled out of the Games with the recurrence of an old tendon injury earlier this month.

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Wish you could ride like Mark Todd? See how his copybook CIC two-star cross-country round at Saumur looked from the eyes of the eventing legend himself.

Mark was riding Hezabrook in this video and the pair were not placed at the end of the competition, but Mark did finish second on his other ride, NZB Campino.

Video supplied by Mark Todd’s sponsor, Mitavite

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The Brits held their own at Saumur CDI (29 April–2 May), with team stalwarts proving able and newcomers showing potential.

H&H columnist Richard Davison rode the Countess of Derby’s 11-year-old Florestan gelding Hiscox Artemis to grand prix freestyle victory having finished third in the grand prix.

The pair scored 75.15% in the music, despite two false starts on account of a hailstorm and then a problem with the music not playing.

Of his first restart Richard said: “Suddenly all this shouting started and people were running for cover.

“I’m happy with Artemis, he coped so well with all the disruption and I’m glad he got to raise the flag for Great Britain on the final day.”

Henriette Andersen — fifth in the grand prix — finished second in the freestyle (71.25%) with Paula Potter’s 13-year-old gelding Louis D’Or.

Amy Stovold impressed on her senior international debut to take 10th place in the grand prix and fourth in the freestyle (70.65%) riding her 17hh chestnut gelding MacBrian.

Nations cup

The British team of Fiona Bigwood, Judy Harvey (Fitzceraldo) and newcomers Anna Ross-Davies with Pegasus MK and Gemma Green on Showtime, finished third in the CDIO (nations cup), thanks to a top ride from Fiona.

She rode Wie Atlantico, her 11-year-old gelding by Wie Weltmeyer, to second place in the grand prix special (71.17%) and third in the freestyle (72.55%).

Fiona said: “We’ve been working hard all winter and I was hoping to do well, but you can never be sure. I feel as though we’ve turned a corner, it was a great show and we all left with smiles on our faces.

“It was nice for the team to take bronze; there were some competitive teams out there so I’m delighted.”

Richard Waygood began his role as senior chef d’equipe — he will work alongside team captain Richard Davison in preparation for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky this September.

In the pony international, 16-year-old Claire Gallimore from St Albans, Hertfordshire, shone with the 14.1hh chestnut gelding Gigolo.

They beat 39 riders to finish second in the team test with an impressive 74.22% and were third in the individual test (73.26%) and fifth in the freestyle (74.50%).

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I spent last week in Saumur, France, for the international dressage show. I’ve been before and always love the show — there’s a great atmosphere, it’s a wonderful place, really well organised and everyone is very friendly. It’s the French national training base, home of the Cadre Noir, and being set in acres and acres you can go hacking off road for hours.

We knew before we arrived that it was going to be wet, but the first day we got away with it on the weather front — there was just a little drizzle. I rode Abira first and wanted to give him a confidence-building ride after things had not gone so well at Addington international two weeks before. We did a safe test for about 66%. It was a hot class, with lots of young rider team contenders there. There were 36 competing which is unusual for a young rider international — normally there’s about 15 or 20, unless you’re in Germany or the Netherlands where there’ll be hundreds! Merlin Nemorensis (Nemo) had another good day, finishing sixth.

On the second day I rode Abira in the dry and he was better, though the judges still gave us roughly the same mark. Then, in the afternoon, the heavens opened and I was drenched in this monsoon while warming-up Nemo. The surfaces in Saumur are sand, so when it rains that hard the water just sits on the top for a while. In the 10-minute box he was jumping all the puddles. My reins are made of nubuck and when they get that wet they just slip through my gloves — I was holding on to the curb rein for dear life! I did really worry what was going to happen in the arena. Nemo was still bothered by the puddles in there, so I just had to guide him through as best I could.

The whole competition really taught me that you can’t help the situation you’re in sometimes and you just have to get on with it, cope with what you’ve got and make the most of it. It was interesting to watch how the other riders in the senior competition dealt with any problems, too. The trick is to cover the problem up, so only you know it’s happening. A lot of the best riders do that really well, which is why they gain marks when they might otherwise be lost.

Charlie

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A post-mortem on Clayton Fredericks’ eventer Nullabor, who died at Saumur CCI*** on Saturday, has revealed he broke his neck, as suspected.

The vet confirmed that the 11-year-old had broken his fifth cervical vertebrae.

Nullabor slipped on a galloping stretch of the course, landing awkwardly on his neck, Clayton told H&H.

But on a happier note, Lucinda’s ride Mr Alligator, whom she pulled up lame with a suspected fractured stifle at the same event, is now sound.

The Fredericks’ vet now thinks he had hit a nerve, causing temporary unsoundness.

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FFE TV interviews Mark Todd after the cross-country phase at Saumur three-star, where he completed his qualification for the Olympic Games in Hong Kong 2008. Mark shares his thoughts on his performance at Saumur, his hopes for the Olympics, the changes that have happened in the sport since he retired and his life in New Zealand.

Click on the image below to view the video.

Video provided by kind permission of FFE TV.

Don’t miss H&H magazine’s exclusive interview with Mark Todd, on sale 29 May, ’08

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Clayton Fredericks has told H&H that he is “devastated” after the death of 11-year-old Nullabor at Saumur CCI*** on Saturday.

The horse died instantly of a suspected broken neck after a fall on the flat early on the cross-country course with the Australian rider.

Clayton said: “It was on the flat, between fence two and three, a galloping section, we came to the corner, he was set to turn and he slipped and stumbled.

“He went down very quickly and must have hit his neck in the wrong position.”

The Fredericks bought Nullabor as a three-year-old and he was Clayton’s second ranking horse after Ben Along Time.

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Eventing legend Mark Todd is now eligible to represent New Zealand at the 2008 Olympic Games after completing his qualification with a double clear on Gandalf in the CCI*** at Saumur this weekend.

The partnership finished in sixth place, ahead of the highest placed British rider Mary King, who was eighth on Kings Gem.

Sam Griffiths riding Happy Times claimed the win for Australia, ahead of the home nation’s Aurelian Khan riding Lord de Ligniere. The show jumping phase proved particularly troublesome with all of the top five picking up jumping penalties, but Sam retained his pole position after cross-country despite having four down.

The event was marred by the death of Clayton Frederick’s Nullabor, who fell on the flat between fences two and three on the cross-country course.

Read H&H’s full report from Saumur, on sale 22 May, ’08

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Britain’s top amateur dressage rider Stephanie Croxford beat the professionals at Saumur CDI, France (20-23 September) by winning the grand prix kr.

Stephanie, a geochemist, was riding her driving-bred Gelderlander Mr President.

The pair were second to Julia Chevanne of France in the grand prix on 68.58% and improved for a 74.7% to take the kr from Denmarks Anders Dahl on Afrikka.

I couldnt believe my result, said Stephanie. I never expected to do that well. My horse was on fire though. He went into the arena on a mission.

Stephanie had a break from competing Mr President when she had her first child, Annabelle, in June. But she feels confident.

Weve had a few competitions with little mistakes where weve misunderstood each other but in Saumur we had our old partnership back, she said.

British national champion Spencer Wilton was fifth in the grand prix and second in the grand prix special on 70.88%.

Read Horse & Hound’s full report from Saumur in next week’s magazine, on sale 4 October, ’07)

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Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint lead from start to finish at Saumur International Horse Trials on the Anglo Arab Tatchou. But the Brits proved a match for the home team, fielding half the top-10 finishers.

Rodney Powell and Langarth Darcy emerged as the greatest threat to the Frenchman in the final phase with a snappy double clear to finish runner-up.

Two Frenchmen, Cdric Lyard and Eric Vigeanel, finished third and fourth, ahead of Brits Lucy Wiegersma (Shaabrak, fifth and Zebedee, ninth), Emily Baldwin (Drivetime, sixth) and Francis Whittington (Sir Percival III, seventh).

Zara Phillips was well placed after dressage with Red Baron but suffered two refusals at La Banquette (23) and La Table (25) to eventually finished 30th.

Pierre-Marie Dubois headed the CIC** on Jachou Bel. The French took the top seven places, with the best of the four Brits, Louisa Lockwood, securing 10th with a double clear.

The other Brits Joanna Killin, Nick Turner and Robert Stevens all performed with credit without being placed, each with a clear cross-country and one rail down.

Read this report in full in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound (31 May, ’07)

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Eventers will compete to win a £2,000 saddle in a new accumulator prize for Blenheim Horse Trials (6-9 September) and the three-day event at Saumur, France (17-20 May).

Riders at the two CCI***s will accumulate points from 35 for the winner down to one point for completion. The person with the most points will receive a Butet saddle worth nearly £2,000.

Blenheim director Mike Etherington-Smith said: “I’m very pleased with this link because it enhances the international status of both events and will add extra interest. We look forward to welcoming more of the leading French riders to Blenheim to spice up the competition.”

Riders must compete at both events to be eligible and multiple horse riders will gain points on their best-placed horse only.

• www.blenheim-horse.co.uk
• www.saumur.org

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The Derby House-sponsored British squad for the Pony European Eventing Championships at Saumur (25-30 July) is Libby Soley (Noble Springbok), Amy Hawley (Billy Joe Bob), Sienna Myson-Davies (Welton Jazz), Chloe Kirkpatrick (Puzzle IV) and Annabelle James (Majic Mouse).

Reserves are Michelle Chalmers (Juno II) and Katie Kneen (Springtime Whinnie The Pooh).

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Britain will be out in force at Saumur this weekend. The event is recording its greatest numbers ever, and the British contingent, which will be 23-strong, has been instrumental in helping achieve this record.

Organisers will host around 105 combinations from18 nations. Some riders come from as far afield as Tunisia, which is fielding Nadia Benzineb de Buck, and the Ukraine, which is making its first appearance at the competition with Andrey Senin, Dmitriy Maslenikov and Nikolay Tomochko, in an effort to gain a place for Blenheim’s Europeans. Other competitors are local to Saumur, such as Jean-Lou Bigot, who will compete his new mount, Derby de Longueval.

But nearly one in every four riders will speak the Queen’s English, despite two last-minute withdrawals. The British will almost match the French, who are fielding 25 combinations.

“With the demise of Punchestown, we were only left with Bramham and Saumur for CCI*** in the spring. The field would be much smaller is Punchestown had taken place,” explains Paul Graham from British Eventing. “[And] it is one of the last chances to qualify for the Europeans. Also, Saumur is a lovely event with a nice track.”

Last year’s Saumur winner, William Fox Pitt, won’t be coming to the party, but Pippa Funnell stands a good chance to land the Loire title. She will be competing her trusted Cornerman (pictured) and Ensign, who finished second at his CCI*** debut in Boekelo last year. Mary King is also in contention with her Saumur veteran King Solomon III, who won the event in 1997.

However, both ladies will have to beat stiff competition from les Bleaus, who are fielding three out of five Olympic combinations and have every intention of winning the CCI***. Reigning European champion Nicolas Touzaint will make his bid for the Saumur title with Galan de Sauvagère and Hidalgo de l’Ile. He will be challenged by compatriots Cédric Lyard with Macduff and Fine Merveille, and Arnaud Boiteau with Hortus de Pierre*HN and Expo du Moulin. Meanwhile, chef d’equipe Thierry Touzaint is keeping his fingers crossed for a fourth French combination to qualify at the Europeans.

The British contingent harbours plenty of European hopefuls too. Britain can have 12 combinations at Blenheim and young riders will try their best to gain a place in the team. Among them are Matthew Wright and Ruth Edge, who will compete two horses each: Cermont and Burghley runner-up Park Pilot for Wright, and Marsh Mayfly and Burnham Market winner Two Thyme for Edge.

“A lot of horses and riders are in contention for the Europeans, and a lot thought that if they ended in the top five in Saumur it would be better than ending 20th at Badminton to gain a place in the squad,” says Graham.

But Saumur won’t just be an Anglo-French affair. Kiwi Andrew Nicholson, with Henry Tankerville, could make a good claim to the title, as could Compiègne winner, Karin Donckers, from Belgium, who was third at the Loire event last year.

Pierre Michelet’s course is likely to present new challenges even to old Saumur hands, however, as 20 out of its 26 fences are new or modified. Saumur 2005 will follow the short format with no roads and tracks and steeplechase.

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Emma Hindle led the senior British squad to a successful result at the CDIO competition in Saumur, France, last weekend, while the British pony dressage squad finished second in their Nations Cup competition.

Hindle won two small tour classes with her Oldenburg stallion Diamond Hit, and was fourth twice in the big tour with her Olympic partner Wie Weltmeyer. Scores of 67.35% and 68.85% were sufficient to win the prix st george and intermediaire I classes with Diamond Hit, and the partnership broke the 70% barrier for second place in the kür.

Saumur was Wie Weltmeyer’s first competitive appearance since the Athens Olympic, where he pulled a muscle in his front leg. He looked happy to be back in the arena, moving with more power and expression than previously and was the top placed Briton in the grand prix with 68.875% and in the kür with 71.950%.

The senior team of Hindle on Wie Weltmeyer, Laura Bechtolsheimer on Douglas Dorsey, Jane Bredin and Lucky Star and Henriette Anderson with Astonish, finished fourth in the Nations Cup, 30 points adrift of the Russian A-squad in bronze position. Germany took the gold, while Belgium was the surprise silver medallist.

The British pony squad also had a successful time in Saumur, with an individual win in the team championship test for Samantha Harrison riding Manitu N, and silver in the Nations Cup.

“Samantha rode Manitu to a new level of excellence,” said travelling chef d’equipe Islay Auty.

Harrison, Georgina Roberts (Gigolo), Portia Manning (DHI Langar) and Keri Bates (DHI Peppino) finished 51 points behind the Germans — who were not fielding their A-team.

Team selector Rachel Hillier said: “At last we’ve broken out of that bronze position. We’ll be even stronger by the European Championships in July.”

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