EVENTING News


Podium slips away in Kentucky
Sunday, 27 April 2014


Andrew Nicholson has finished a disappointing 21st after a rather forgettable final phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in the United States this morning.

The world's number one eventer, who was defending his title, moved into sixth place before the showjumping but the rails tumbled after an uncharacteristic round from his lovely grey horse.

Fourteen-year-old Avebury (owned by Mark and Rosemary Barlow and Nicholson) seemed fine for the first half of the course, but Nicholson said when a rail fell mid field, he started to feel as though it was hard work for him.

The combination finished with 24 jumping faults and a time fault on 76.7 penalty points.
“He's 14 and has high mileage in these top events,” said Nicholson. “He's been doing this since he was nine and does two biggies a year.”

Just 10 of the 37 left in the field went clear and inside time in the showjumping – three from the top 20 managed to move up into the top 10. Sixty started the event.

Sir Mark Todd and Oloa (owned by Di Brunsden, Peter Cattrell, Pip McCarroll and Todd) withdrew before the cross country after their dressage score saw them sitting in the bottom half of the field.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Bay My Hero won the event on his dressage score of 44 penalty points.

The focus now moved to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials running from May 7-11.

For the full leaderboard, head to http://www.rk3de.org/results.php .