Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise are impressive overnight leaders after the cross country in the Northern Hemisphere season's last CCI4* event at Les Etoiles des Pau in France, with Andrew Nicholson aboard Nereo in third spot.
It’s tight at the top of the star-stacked leaderboard, with less than a rail between the leading quad as they head into the all-important showjumping round in the early hours of tomorrow (Monday) morning.
Paget has been steadily working his way into the limelight after finishing seventh at the 2010 World Equestrian Championships, fifth at the Burghley International Horse Trials in 2011 and 2012 and a member of the bronze medal winning team at the London Olympics where he also finished 10th individual.
“Promise was a star today,” said a very happy Paget, adding respect for the course was key. It was their fifth four star start.
The combination were clear and inside time over the challenging cross country course, as was Nicholson aboard both his mounts, Nereo and Mr Cruise Control. Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung (GER) is in second place aboard Leopin FST.
Caroline Powell and Onwards and Upwards were also clear in the cross country to move up 20 places on the leaderboard into 10th spot, while Alice Montgomery and Gordon in their first four star start came home with 34.8 faults to move up to 22nd place.
Mark Todd and Major Milestone came unstuck after hitting a spread towards the end of the course but neither were hurt.
Dressage leader Christoper Burton (AUS) on the Kiwi prepared Underdiscussion – who is part owned by Christine Weal – had a run-out early in the course and later retired after a stop at a water jump. At the end of the cross country phase, just 33 of the 62 field remain, with 22 of those notching clear rounds, 11 of whom were inside the optimum time.
Results (after the dressage and cross country phases) -
Jonathan Paget (NZL) Clifton Promise 36.7 dressage + 0 cross country = 36.7 1, Michael Jung (GER) Leopin FST 38.3 + 0 = 38.3 2, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Nereo 39.0 + 0 = 39.0 3, Astier Nicolas (FRA) Jhakti du Janlie 39.5 + 0 = 39.5 4, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Bay My Hero 41.7 + 0 = 41.7 5, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Chilli Morning 44.7 + 0 = 44.7 6, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Mr Cruise Control 45.7 + 0 = 45.7 7, Kevin McNab (AUS) Clifton Pinot 50.2 + 0 = 50.2 8, Gemma Tattersall (GBR) Stormhill Kossack 42.6 + 8.0 = 60.6 9, Caroline Powell (NZL) Onwards And Upwards 53.2 + 0 = 53.2 10, Alice Montgomery (NZL) Gordon 50.7 + 34.8 = 85.5 20.
