The first phase kicks off at 9.30am tomorrow (Friday 3 September), when David Doel will enter the arena on Galileo Nieuwmoed.
Oliver Townend is second in on MHS King Joules at 9.40am, with Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy (HHS Noble Call) following him at 9.50am. Pippa Funnell is fourth to go at 10am on Majas Hope.
These first four riders all have a second horse at the end of the day, with David at 3.50pm on Ferro Point, Padraig at 4pm riding Leonidas II and Pippa at 4.10pm on Billy Walk On. Oliver will be the last to go, starting at 4.20pm on Tregilder.
The other horse who has won a five-star in the field is Ringwood Sky Boy, ridden by New Zealand’s Tim Price, and he starts at 11.20am on the Bicton Horse Trials dressage times list.
With 32 horses expected to come forward after today’s Bicton Horse Trials first trot-up, the dressage has been split into four blocks of eight horses, with 20-minute coffee and tea breaks and an hour’s lunch break to punctuate the day.
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Francis Whittington will be the first rider in after the morning break, on DHI Purple Rain at 11.10am, while Richard Jones starts the afternoon action, riding Alfies Clover at 1.30pm. Australia’s Sam Griffiths will get the final group of competitors underway when he does his test on Gurtera Cher at 3.10pm.
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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.
