Bettina and Seigneur Medicott
“Actually it’s my 10th championship” said Bettina as, with her usual charm and smile, she gently corrected the TV interviewer
Bettina’s career at the top of her sport spans many years but, 15 years after producing her (still standing) world record score of 20.8 at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera on Woodsides Ashby, she pulled off another fantastic score today at the European Championships at Strzegom on ‘a very different horse’ Seigneur Medicott
It was a delight to watch. The judge at B, Sue Baxter scored a 9 for the very first movement and she followed it up with 10’s for the collected/extended canter and Bettina’s riding. The judge at C, Dr. Ernst Topp also awarded Bettina a 10 for her riding and the final score of 24.60 is nearly 10 points ahead of the second placed Thomas Carlile and Upsilon (34.40) at the end of the first day of competition
Bettina Hoy
It was a bit like being a child in a sweet shop watching Bettina on Seigneur Medicott and Thomas Carlile on Upsilon in the final warm up together. These two horses are quite different but so beautiful to watch; even Bettina is a bit of a fan of the grey stallion Upsilon saying ‘If I had a mare I would send her to Upsilon!’ in the press conference
Thomas and Upsilon
Taking part in his first Championship for France, Thomas is being tipped as a very hot competitor and, although at the end of today he is a few points behind Bettina, he gave it a good go in the arena but he was conscious of the fact that the ‘Formula 1’ driver has to do the job as well as the Formula 1 car!
The pair started less strongly than Bettina but their scores improved as the test went on, with very consistent work in the canter, including another 10 from Sue Baxter for the collected/extended canter movement
Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Switzerland’s Felix Vogg, first and second after the morning session, are now in third and fourth places with another surprise package, Sweden’s team rider Louise Svensson Jahde in fifth place on Wieloch’s Utah Sun.
A blip in the flying changes brought their overall score down to 38.3, but this is still by far a personal best and helps Sweden into fourth place of the team competition after their first two riders
Louise Svensson Jahde and Wieloch’s Utah Sun (above) and Ros Canter on Allstar B (below)
Britain’s Ros Canter rounds out the top six with a score of 38.60 on Allstar B. This big horse finds the lateral work not so easy but the good marks really started to flow later in the test with some 9’s being awarded for the canter work.
“I watched Julia’s test earlier today and thought it was beautiful so I’m really pleased to be not too far behind her!” says Ros
Ros and Allstar B finished third in the Nations Cup here in 2016 so it has been happy hunting ground for them and, after their strong performance at Badminton earlier this year, they have certainly shown they are more than capable of dealing with a course like this
Piggy French and Quarrycrest Echo
It wasn't quite such an easy ride for Piggy French on Quarrycrest Echo, competing as individuals for Great Britain, who didn't quite produce his best today. Piggy was naturally disappointed as she has had a great run on all of her horses so far this year but Quarrycrest Echo, who is not a very ‘go-ey’ horse and naturally a bit lazy says Piggy, just didn’t have the oomph required today
With a score of 46.20 and currently 17th place, Piggy may be off the pace of the very top leaders (let’s face it, even the second placed rider is a bit off the pace with Bettina’s score!) but she is a past individual silver medallist at the Europeans and her aim to ‘kick on’ on cross country may provide a very different result after cross country
