An Eventful Life is filming every competitor on cross country at Blair International - find out more here
Oliver Townend and Cillnabradden Evo head into cross country in the lead
The show jumping course at Blair for the Event Rider Masters was technical, built to height and the time proved to be crucial.
Diane Beaumont’s course was cleverly designed with an alternative plank fence giving riders the option to save 75 metres if they were willing to brave the tight turn and many took the option. Even with that option many found the time difficult to make
The overnight leader Bettina Hoy had two fences down and one time penalty, costing her the lead on a score of 43.60 heading into this afternoon’s cross country and allowing Oliver Townend, who jumped a fabulous clear round on Cillnabradden Evo, to move into the very dangerous top place (42). Can anybody shift him from there? If there is one man that can make the time on this course, it is Oliver as he proved yesterday in the CCI3*
Chris Burton and Polystar I
Chris Burton is being touted as ‘the fastest man in eventing’ in this series but he is on the fairly inexperienced Polystar I for this afternoon’s hilly cross country. They also jumped an impressive round and Chris showed at Rio what he can do with an inexperienced horse so they are certainly well in the running in third place (46.80)
Bill Levett is in fourth place, moving up from 11th with another very classy show jumping round on Shannondale Titan and again, this combination has all the experience to really challenge on cross country, heading into this phase on 49.70
Bill Levett and Shannondale Titan
The two other Australians, Shane Rose and Paul Tapner didn’t have such a good morning. Paul had two down, losing him the current overall lead of the ERM Series, and Shane Rose’s CP Qualified was ballooning over everything but had Fence 6 down and seemed to completely misread the very last fence
Blyth Tait and Gemma Tattersall also both put in lovely clear rounds to move up the leader board and Gemma is now sitting on top of the Series points – will she still be there later today?
