Fifth for Nicholson at Pau
Monday, 28 October 2013

Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control have finished fifth in the CCI4* at Les Etoiles du Pau in France overnight.

The beautiful grey horse owned by Robin and Nicky Salmon with Nicholson had two costly rails in the showjumping phase which saw the leaderboard tumbled around.

Winner William Fox-Pitt (GBR) who had been sitting on a trifecta, did not manage a clear round with any of his three horses, while four star debutant Maxime Livio (FRA) and Ca Thar De Game L left everything up to finish second behind Seacookie TSF, with Fox-Pitt also third on Cool Mountain.

Lucy Jackson (NZL) and Willy Do (owned by Gillian Greenlees and Jackson) rode a stunning clear round to move from 21st up to 12th.

Caroline Powell (NZL) and Onwards and Upwards (owned by Cameron and Mary Crawford and Powell) picked up just two time faults to also move up the board, from 32nd to finish in 23rd place.

Nicholson was unlucky with Quimbo (owned by Deborah Sellar) with his rail that saw them finish in 26th, while Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy in their first four star together finished in 31th, with Megan Heath and St Daniel right behind in 31st after a great clear round, and Annabel Wigley aboard Frog Rock also clear to finish in 33rd.

Fox-Pitt now has a jump on the 2013-2014 FEI Classics Series, sitting at the front with 15 points. Nicholson is in fourth with six points, with five more events to go.
In the CIC2* Powell and The Earl of Belvedere (owned by Richard Ames) finished sixth.

For more information, head to http://www.event-pau.fr/en/homepage .