Brilliant Brits and tough marking headline bumper opening dressage day at Luhmühlen

British riders have set their five-star campaigns off to a strong start to hold the first four places after day one of dressage at the 2023 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street lead the way with their day-topping score of 23.1, with Kitty King and Vendredi Biats provisional second on 26.8 and Laura Collett and Dacapo completing the top three at this stage on 29.7.

There were notable discrepancies between judges’ marks for some tests. While the three judges agreed on Pippa as their overnight leader, all competitors in the top three had a difference of at least five percent between their highest and lowest scores.

Kitty and the 14-year-old gelding, owned by Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre and Samantha Wilson, have previous form here, finishing seventh and best of the Brits when competing as individuals at the 2019 European Championships. She was delighted with Vendredi Biats’ performance, if a little peeved about the score, and remained philosophical.

“I was really chuffed with how he went. It’s disappointing when the marks don’t always reflect how you feel they went,” said Kitty.

“I would have said it was as solid a test as Badminton and Burghley, where he scored in the 21s and 22s. So a score of 26 is disappointing, but then if they keep marking harshly [across the board], then that’s fine.

“He stayed really consistent all the way through. He’s become more and more solid as he’s got older, thank goodness because he was always a bit tricky! The stronger he’s getting at home, the more it’s coming through into his tests.

“He stretched better than he normally does, his changes all felt good, and that’s all you can ask of him really.”

Laura and Dacapo were third into the arena today at Lühmuhlen Horse Trials and the first to break the 30 barrier.

“He missed one change, but other than that felt very obedient and did everything when I wanted him to do it,” said Laura, adding the 14-year-old owned by Alison and Michael Smedley, Carolyn Taylor, Diana Chappell and Gillian Morris-Adams has come into the event “feeling amazing”.

Oliver Townend had two of his three rides on the opening day of dressage. He holds fourth overnight with the Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group’s Tregilder (29.9) and is in 14th with Paul Ridgeon’s five-star first-timer Cooley Rosalent (37.4).

Lühmuhlen Horse Trials: the best of the rest

New Zealand’s Muzi Pottinger is the best non-British rider at this stage, in provisional fifth with her family-owned Just Kidding on 30.7.

Boyd Martin is the only other competitor with three horses in the five-star at Lühmuhlen Horse Trials this week. The US rider has two in the top 10 after day one, with his third ride to come on Friday.

Boyd and his world team silver medal-winning ride Tsetserleg TSF (“Thomas”), owned by the Turners, are in sixth on 31.1, and he is also in eighth with the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Federman B on 32.4.

“Thomas did really well. It’s always hard going really early and I thought he put in a good test. I wish I had my time over again with both horses, and did one or two little things a bit differently. But all in all, it wasn’t a disaster and we’re within striking distance,” said Boyd, adding he was also delighted with Federman B’s first time in a five-star dressage arena.

“We’ve been practising it like mad, and we got about 80% of what we’ve been getting at home, which is pretty good for first timer.

“Bettina [Hoy] and [my wife] Silva have been trying to get the canter a bit shorter and then I did the exact opposite there and let him rip! You can feel that he’s a little bit inexperienced in the ring, but all in all, I’m very pleased. If we can finish on that, it would be fantastic.”

Esib Power and Senza Fine, who Esib owns with Therese Miller, are sandwiched between Boyd’s two rides on 32.1.

Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar earned a new five-star personal best of 32.7 to sit ninth overnight.

“I’ve had huge help from Damian Hallam, who’s just been my knight in shining armour and he’s transformed us,” said Fiona.

The 15-year-old gelding appeared to have something in his ear during their canter work, and earnestly kept his focus on the test, while trying to flick it out.

“I think any other horse would have just been like, ‘that’s it – get this thing out!’ But he tries his absolute heart out for me and he’s an absolute pleasure to have on the yard,” she said.

Tom Jackson and Farndon complete the top 10 at this stage on 34.9.

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