Blair Castle Horse Trials: Tom McEwen leads CCI3*-L after dressage

Tom McEwen and Brookfield Cavalier Cruise lead the CCI3*-L at Blair Castle Horse Trials after the dressage phase — (Image credit: Hannah Cole Photography)

Tom McEwen heads the leaderboard of the Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI3*-L with Brookfield Cavalier Cruise after posting an untouchable 22.9 dressage.

Tom threw down the gauntlet on Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s nine-year-old gelding on the first day of dressage on Thursday (25 August) and no other combinations came within touching distance as the first phase concluded on Friday. Coral Hardman (nee Keen) is in provisional second with her own and Ginnie Welling’s nine-year-old gelding Impuls V on 26.6. Sam Ecroyd lies in third with his mother Penelope Ecroyd’s 11-year-old gelding Withingon on 28.6.

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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.

‘He was phenomenal’: Tom McEwen tops Blair Castle Horse Trials CCI3*-L dressage with untouchable score

Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, known at home as Fletcher, produced a flowing confident test and the striking gelding commanded attention from the spectators.

“He’s a beautiful mover and has a beautiful way of going. He’s a stunning horse,” Tom told H&H.

“He was a good few marks ahead of everyone else, and deservedly so in my opinion. He was phenomenal; very correct, clear and accurate.”

Tom added the atmosphere at Blair Castle is already building.

Tom will tackle the Scottish hills tomorrow (27 August) for the cross-country phase and said the ground is “beyond perfect”.

“I’m looking forward to cross-country tomorrow with Fletcher,” he said. “We were at Gatcombe Horse Trials on the hills, so hopefully the hills here will suit him. But it’s a good place to find out and it’s a good strong three-star track.

“We’re very excited to see green grass and good ground. It’s refreshing.”

Tom has four rides at Blair Castle Horse Trials; Brookfield Quality and Brookfield Benjamin Bounce are in 5th and 34th place respectively overnight in the CCI4-S. He lies in second overnight in the CCI4-L with his British intermediate champion Luna Mist.

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