Pippa Funnell cruises into the lead in Bicton CCI4*-L *H&H Plus*

Find out how the top of the leaderboard looks after day one of dressage in the CCI4*-L at Bicton

Pippa Funnell leads the CCI4*-L section at Bicton International Horse Trials supported by Chedington on Billy Walk On, after the first day of dressage today (10 June). She posted a score of 29.4 aboard the Barbara and Nicholas Walkinshaw-owned 12-year-old to sit .3 of a penalty ahead of second-placed Laura Collett and Dacapo.

“That was good enough for me — the judges are marking quite harshly in that section,” said Pippa after her test.

Piggy March and her 2019 Badminton winner Vanir Kamira are third on 29.9.

“That wasn’t her best test but it was a clear round,” Piggy said afterwards. ”I know that sounds ridiculous as she’s done a lot and is quite experienced, but I’ve actually found it very difficult since she had a busy year in 2019 with Badminton and finishing second at Burghley that year too — it was all very exciting with big occasions, prize-givings, the whole thing. Since then she has been picked up and put down so many times and it has actually been a nightmare with a horse with such a fragile temperament.

“She’s not a natural dressage horse at all — she’s built to run fast with her head down and off she goes. I’ve always said there’s a fine line with her temperament and ability and getting the very best out of her.

“I actually wasn’t really sure what my plan was today, apart from to just have a happy horse and a nice test and I felt that she was that, so I’m really pleased — she didn’t shoot her brain was brilliant. She picked her ears, she was settled and she was happy to be there. She was very true and mistake-free.”

Read the full report from Bicton in the 17 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine and keep checking back to horseandhound.co.uk for further updates and insight

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