Tom McEwen gave home supporters something to cheer about when he rode into the lead in the dressage phase at the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire (GB) this morning just before the lunch break.
Tom, third to go for the British team, scored 26.2 on JL Dublin and the British team currently holds a tiny 2.1-penalty lead over Germany with Yasmin Ingham and Piggy March in fourth and sixth places respectively.
Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Libussa Lübbeke are now in second and third places and their third rider, Jerome Robine riding Black Ice is in seventh on a score of 30.4.
“The battle between Great Britain and Germany makes it fun,” said Jerome, who finished third in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim last year. “We are a young team and I think the cross-country will change the scoreboard a lot.”
France is currently third, on 97.3, after their third rider Alexis Goury scored 31.9 to lie 10th on Je’Vall.
“Dubs was fab,” said Tom of his mount, a European champion in 2021 with Nicola Wilson. “It was a shame about the obvious mistake after the half-pass, but he really worked hard.”
Of Saturday’s cross-country test, Tom commented: “The Captain [course-designer Mark Phillips] has produced a serious track. There are some challenging questions and unusual angles – it’s a proper technical test.
“The ground is perfect but I think time will be a factor. It’s measured at 10 minutes and one second [optimum time] but I think it walks more like 10 minutes 15 seconds.”
Among the riders competing as individuals is Hungarian representative Noémi Viola Doerfer riding the Irish-bred Piltown Harry, currently in 36th place on 37.6. “I haven’t been doing this very long,” she explained, “As I only really started eventing after covid. I learned all the foundations with [Irish rider] Austin O’ Connor and have had great help from him and Tracie Robinson [Irish team dressage trainer] and Gill Watson.”
Naomi, who is based in Germany and has a Hungarian mother, revealed that her early equestrian experience was in vaulting. “It really teaches you balance – I would advise anyone starting to ride to try it.”
The final part of the dressage phase commences at 2.30pm and all eyes will be on the British-German battle between Olympic gold medallists Laura Collett (London 52 at 3.54pm) and Michael Jung (FischerChipmunk FRH, 4.08pm).
In the GFS Saddles 8 & 9 Year Old CCI4*-S, Gemma Stevens remains at the head of affairs, but Britain’s Sarah Bullimore riding her home-bred Corimiro is now in second place on 24.8.
