The final dressage test at the final ever Defender Blair Castle International Horse Trials is done and dusted and the very last competitor to head down the centreline was none other than Olympic Gold medallist and world number two Ros Canter (GBR) and her Pau 2023 winning ride Alex Moody and her own, Izilot DHI.
Usurping her Paris teammate and current world number one Tom McEwen (GBR), Ros and ‘Isaac’ performed a sensational test to take the lead in the CCI4*S and head into tomorrow’s jumping on a score of 23.9. Tom and Mrs Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Quality sit in second on a score of 25.4 with Caroline Powell of New Zealand and her two rides Nicholas and Fiona Lambert’s Legally Grey and Chris Mann’s Greenacres Special Cavalier in 3rd and 4th place respectively.
Piggy March (GBR) holds the lead in the hotly contested CCI3*L with Mrs Susie Wood’s striking grey Cooley Goodwood. Breathing down their necks on a score of 29.1 are New Zealand’s Dan Jocelyn and the Atomic Syndicate’s 8-year-old gelding Greannanstown Atomic with Switzerland’s Nadja Minder and Top Job’s Jalisco sitting in third on 29.6.
The CCI2*L is also lead by Ros Canter, this time partnering Mrs Kate Willis, Mrs Mel Pritchard’s Armscote Explorer, hot on their heels is Alex Hua Tian (CHN) with the Chilli Morning Clone, Chilli Morning III who go into the Cross Country on a score of 26.1. Last night’s overnight leader, Hazel Towers (GBR) with her own Torpex lie in third on 26.6.
Leading the CCI1* S Section E, Emma Lawton and her own Ross Skylark bagged a score of 29.6 and with a score of 29.8, Annie Broad (NZL) with Dr Linda McSwiggan’s Chieftain of the White Legs retain their overnight lead in CCI 1* S Section F.
Pony power was on full display in the main arena this afternoon as the CCI-S P2* got underway. Leading the charge is Florence Drewitt on Mrs Helen Drewitt’s Battleston Delight who sit at the top of the leaderboard on a score of 27.7.
With both design and build befitting of Blair Castle’s eventing swan song, the cross-country courses are strung, the lines have been walked and walked again, the jumps are dressed and we are ready for the riders’ final fling around the Blair Castle turf.
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