Tom Jackson has dropped down the leaderboard after incurring 20 jumping penalties over the European Eventing Championships cross-country course.
Tom was going well and riding a mature round with Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie and Sarah Webb’s Burghley Horse Trials runner-up Capels Hollow Drift until the final water at fence 25 (Le gué des nations FEI).
He tried to take the inside line and it didn’t quite come off to the final skinny; the grey only half-jumped the side of the fence on the left. The pair were able to extricate themselves and finish the course with 24 time-faults, as well as their 20 jumping penalties.
“He was tired – if I kicked him more, nothing happened and if I’d pulled we would have ground to a stop, so I knew I was on a bit of a dodgy one. I thought, ‘We’ve just got to sit here and keep hoping.’ Bless him, he tried his absolute heart out – it was just one of those things,” said Tom.
Reflecting on the round as a whole, Tom said: “I am absolutely delighted with the horse. He literally gave me everything and some more. Obviously I’m bitterly disappointed that we didn’t come back with a clear, but I couldn’t be prouder of him.
“That’s tougher than the going was at Badminton this year. I want to say that’s as deep as I’ve ever ridden in because it was deeper than that normally, I might have gone home. I think today the ground jury did a good job – it was clearly a good decision taking the two-minute loop out. These are good experienced horses, and they’re still finding it a bit tiring with that really holding ground.
“I thought that hopefully Badminton would have given him experience [in this sort of ground] and hopefully it helped. Unfortunately, today wasn’t quite our day, but hopefully he’ll learn from it.
“He’s pulled up really well and recovered really quickly. As far as he knows, he didn’t actually really do anything wrong, so he looks quite pleased with himself.”
Tom had put in a personal best dressage score of 25.7 to give himself sixth place overnight and a real chance of an individual medal at his first senior championship.
British pathfinder Kitty King still tops the individual leaderboard with Vendredi Biats going into the final rotation of team riders on this European Eventing Championships cross-country day, with Britain in team silver behind Germany and ahead of France. Germany’s Sandra Auffarth holds second individually on Viamant Du Matz.
End of day update: Tom Jackson finished the day in 32nd place, with Kitty King and Sandra Auffarth in indivdual silver and bronze behind Ros Canter. Full individual results
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