The Team Challenge

At last, with many thanks to Cindy Collier Rawson (via Sara Futh), who rode on the Team for the Americas, eventingetc has received some information about the Americas Team, which finished fourth and last in the Team Challenge at The Windsor Horse Trials.

Cindy rode Harley (The Gatecrasher, who is headed for the Bramham CCI***, the second weekend in June) and thought the competition was, "... really fun!" The competition was run over the CCI** course; but, without either steeplechase or roads and tracks, which Cindy felt, "... made it tough." (Cindy is pictured at the right riding Ashdale David's Way at the 2003 Burghley Masterfoods CCI****.) The Dressage was on Sat., the Cross Country on Sun. morning, with the Show Jumping three hours later.

David O'Connor, Will Coleman and Robert Lemieux (CAN),(instead of Karen O'Connor, as originally announced), were on the Americas Team with Cindy. The Americas Team was the only team with two riders (David and Will), on borrowed horses. The Organizers didn't give any leeway for that situation.

Each competitor on each team received points according to where they finished versus their equivalent competitors. That is the number 1's on the Americas Team team rode against the three other number 1's - Australasia, Great Britain and The Continent (The Rest of Europe); the number 2's against the other number 2's, etc, etc.

Cindy's horse Harley/The Gatecrasher did a nice Dressage test and was 2nd of the four in her group. Then Cindy tried to go, "...the long way into the water turning and twisting back on ourselves, after four easy fences, and he wasn't switched on at all and stopped. I should have just kicked on the straight way, I think."

Cindy continued, "It was interesting to do the short format because, without the 'Chase or Show Jumping before Cross Country, the horses really aren't switched on at all (in) the same (way as in a Long Format Three Day Event).

Harley redeemed himself with the best Show Jumping round in Cindy's group.

The Americas team couldn't make up the Dressage and Show Jumping deficit from David and Will, who were both riding borrowed horses.
Both the borrowed horses were four star horses, (Topping and Barclay Square); but; "... certainly not easy ones! They both did bad Dressage tests, clear Cross Country rounds, and difficult Show Jumping rounds. Robert (Lemieux) did a bad dress; was clear, but really slow Cross Country; and had a great Show Jumping round.

"Anyway, it was really fun and the Brits were a little shocked that they didn't
win! Zara had a fall on Springleaze Mac. and Pippa had a stop on Matter of
Fact. Matt Ryan (for Australasia) had a runout and Heidi Antikatzidis (for the Continental Team) had two stops." There was "... plenty of trouble for an experienced bunch!"

"We didn't wear watches Cross Country, to make it more interesting; but, Andrew Nicholson (for Australasia), on Duddles, still came in 4 sec inside the time! Will (Fox-Pitt) rode Stunning, so (there were) lots of four star
horses!

"(There were) fun prizes and (I) think it will happen again next year."

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Sunday, May 30, Show Jumping Day

eventingetc is grateful to The Telegraph Group Ltd. and to Alan Smith for the following report on the International Challenge at the Windsor International Horse Trials. It should be noted that no other news of this competition, and no news of the American Team, other than that they finished last, is currently available.

Equestrianism: Mixed Debut for Phillips
By Alan Smith
(Filed: 31/05/2004)

Trials Results

Zara Phillips had a fall on the cross-country course on her team debut, but remounted to finish in an incident-packed Team Challenge at the UAE International Horse Trials at Windsor yesterday. Britain's three-day event team narrowly failed to peg back the Australasian quartet. (Andrew Hoy riding Yeoman's Point and Matt Ryan, the Olympic Individual Gold Medalist from Barcelona, 1992, with Slight Of Hand, led the Anzac challenge.)

As well as Phillips's tumble from Springleaze Macaroo at the penultimate fence, there was a run-out for Pippa Funnell's Matter of Fact halfway round the course, which left Britain trailing the combined Australia-New Zealand team by five points going in to the show jumping.

The innovative competition, brainchild of new Windsor director Mike Tucker, was run in groups of four - one from each of the teams taking part. William Fox-Pitt with his brilliant veteran, Stunning, was first to go across country for Britain and paid the penalty for being too fast.

Riders were penalised for being too much inside the 7min 33sec time allowed as well as for exceeding it, and were not allowed to wear their normal stopwatches. New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson timed his effort on Duddles almost to perfection in clocking 7-29.

Phillips and Springleaze Macaroo, who she took over this season from Fox-Pitt and who was Simon Long's mount when he had his fatal fall at Burghley in 1999, went fast and clear through the tricky first water complex and had no problems over the first 18 cross-country fences yesterday.

But the horse landed too steeply over the first element of the 19th, a double, and hit the second part so hard that Phillips came off, though with no harm done and she remounted to finish the course.

Funnell needed all her expertise on Matter of Fact and had to give him a couple of taps to get through the first water but still had a refusal at the 11th obstacle.

Sarah Cutteridge, who will be making her Olympic debut in Athens, put the British back in contention with a superb round on The Master's Lady, sitting tight when the mare pitched at the water and galloping through the finish in a well-judged 7-25.

A clear show jumping round from Stunning, with just three time penalties, got the British off to a good start in the final phase, and when Phillips finished equal first in her group and Funnell second in hers, Britain drew level with the Australasians.

Cutteridge and The Master's Lady - who has had two foals by embryo transfer born this week - gave their rivals a chance when clipping a brick off the wall. Matt Ryan, a triple Olympic gold medal-winner, did not need to be asked twice and raced round on Slight of Hand for the best score of the day.

Polly Williamson, a former European junior and young rider champion, who had twice been fourth in the conventional Windsor three-day event, run concurrently with the Team Challenge, finally reaped her reward yesterday.

She and Wicked Time had gone into the lead after Saturday's cross country and never looked like relinquishing it, with a flawless show jumping clear yesterday.

They beat Isabelle Taylor on Flurry Knox V, who were also clear, with Fox-Pitt and Birthday Night third after having one fence down. Wicked Time was nearly sold 18 months ago, but had a bruised sole when due for a vet's inspection, so the sale fell through. Luana Edge subsequently bought a half-share, with Williamson keeping the ride.

When Taylor, 20, broke two vertabrae in a fall at the Belgian International in Lummen last July it looked as though her eventing career would be cut short. But she was determined to ride again, started hunting last winter and now is clearly back on track.

UAE WINDSOR INT'NAL HORSE TRIALS TEAM CHALLENGE:

1. Australasia - 35.5pts.
2. GB - 33.0 pts.
3. Rest of Europe - 26.5 pts.
4, The Americas - 24.5 pts.

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004.

CCI**

Polly Williamson Show Jumped Clean with Wicked Time to retain her overnight lead an win the Windsor International CCI**. Polly finished on her Dressage score of 42,8.

Isabelle Taylor came from 5th after Cross Country to 2nd place with an double clear Show Jumping round on Flurry Knox V, to finish on a score of 50.0.

William Fox-Pitt, fresh from wins at the Saumur CCI*** and the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI**** finished 3rd, with one rail down, and a final score of 53.0

The top six finisherd were:

1. Polly Williamson, Wicked Time - 42.8 (0 faults SJ)
2. Isabelle Taylor, Flurry Knox V - 50.0 (0 faults SJ)
3. William Fox-Pitt, Birthday Night - 53.0 (4 faults SJ)
4. Kristina Cook, First Flight - 54.8 (4 faults SJ)
5. Leslie Law, Arctic Fox Too - 55.8 (4 faults SJ)
6. Franck Bourney (FRA), Belmont On The Road - 56.2 (8 faults SJ)

Still no word on the International Team Challenge. eventingetc will bring you these results when they become available and weather permitting. Lexington has been under a Tornado Warning for five or six hours, with rotation and funnel clouds reported all around the city as well as severe thunder storms and flash flooding..

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Saturday, May 29th - Cross Country Day

Polly Williamson and Wicked Time ran a double clear to take the lead on a score of 42,8, when the overnight leader Terry Boon had 60 jumping faults and 33.2 time faults to drop to 97th.

Patricia Polson, who had been third after Dressage, had a refusal and 24.8 time faults to drop to 81st. Pippa Funnell withdrew Ensign.

The top eight after Cross Country, all of whom ran double clears, are:

1. Polly Williamson, Wicked Time - 42.8
2. Cressida Clague Reading, James - 48.2
3. Franck Bourny (FRA), Belmont On The Road - 48.2
4. William Fox-Pitt, Birthday Night - 49.0
5. Isabelle Taylor, Flurry Knox V - 50.0
6. Louisa Brassey, Plantagenet Of Rushall - 50.0
7. Gemma Tatersall, Balfern Milly Molly Mandy - 50.2
8. Kristina Cook, First Flight - 50.8

At 5:30 PM EDST (10:30 PM, in England) no results are available for the Team Challenge.

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Friday, May 28th - The Second Day of Dressage

Only two competitors, who did their Dressage on Friday, gained scores in the 40's. These two were: William Fox-Pitt, the reigning Badminton and Saumur Champion, riding Birthday Night, who scored 49.0; and Franck Bourney (FRA) riding Belmont On The Road, whose score was 48.2. Franck Bourney was the person who rode Mallards Treat to a tie with Kim Severson, which he eventually won, at the Blenheim CCI*** several years ago.

Terry Boon and Drive Time retained their overnight lead, on 36.6, as well as the distinction of being the only pair to attain a score in the 30's.

The top seven, at the end of the Dressage Phase are listed below:

1. Terry Boon, Drive Time - 36.6
2. Polly Williamson, Wicked Time - 42.8
3. Patricia Polson, Peppershill Oscar - 43.6
4. Cressida Clague Reading, James - 46.6
5. Franck Bourney (FRA), Belmont On The Road, 48.2
6. William Fox-Pitt, Birthday Night - 49.0
7. Pippa Funnell, Ensign - 49.8

Thursday, May 27th - The First Day of Dressage

Terry Boon riding Drive Time leads the Windsor International Horse Trials CCI** with the only score in the 30's. Four competitors scored in the 40's from 78 competitors who completed their Dresage on Thursday..

The top five, after the first day, are listed below:

1. Terry Boon, Drive Time - 36.6
2. Polly Williamson, Wicked Time - 42.8
3. Patricia Polson, Peppershill Oscar - 43.6
4. Cressida Clague Reading, James - 46.6
5. Pippa Funnell, Ensign - 49.8

* * * * * * * *

PIPPA FUNNELL & ZARA PHILLIPS JOIN OTHER STARS FOR
OLYMPIC DRESS REHEARSAL AT WINDSOR