Fei Classics™: Klimke And Fox-Pitt Share Dressage Lead At Pau

Two of the world’s most illustrious riders are sharing the lead after the Dressage phase at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), opening leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, riding the 10-year-old Horseware Hale Bob, and William Fox-Pitt (GBR), with the 14-year-old Parklane Hawk, were the only two riders to score below 40 penalties and they are now tying for the lead at this stage on 39.3 penalties apiece.

Klimke, who has won numerous team gold medals for Germany, has yet to win a CCI4*. It is her first visit to Pau since the FEI European Championships were held at the French venue, a racehorse-training centre, in 2001.

“My horse, ‘Bobby’, has proved he can do the CCI4* distance when he completed Luhmuhlen this year,” she said. “He is sharp and clever and I’m looking forward to riding him across country.”

Fox-Pitt, in contrast, is a regular at Pau and has won it twice, in 2011 on Oslo and last year on Seacookie, the horse on which he is currently lying in fifth place with a score of 41.8.

“I couldn’t split my two horses,” he said. “Seacookie has got good memories of Pau and when he feels confident, he can do anything. ‘Parker’ has had a few issues this year and has missed some runs, but he is on good form. The only problem is that he is a strong, fast horse and I am wondering whether I will be able to hold him on the Cross Country.”

Andreas Dibowski (GER), the 2010 Pau winner, is in close contention in third place on FRH Butts Avedon, only 1.4 penalties behind the joint leaders.

Britain’s Nicola Wilson was visibly thrilled with her CCI4* first-timer One Two Many after scoring 41.2 penalties. The 12-year-old by Chacoa won the CIC3* at Blair Castle (GBR) in August.

The young Belgian rider, Julien Despontin, 25, has made a good start to his first CCI4* and is in sixth place on 43.7 on Waldano 36, just ahead of the Kentucky (USA) runners-up and Pau first-timers Lauren Kieffer (USA) and Veronica (44.2).

Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Horseware Hale Bob, joint leaders with William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parklane Hawk after today’s Dressage phase, are ready to take on tomorrow’s Cross Country at Les Etoiles de Pau, the opening leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. (Trevor Holt/FEI)

Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) Cross Country, which follows a twisting route on and off the racecourse and is 30 seconds longer than in 2013, is, as ever, earning the riders’ respect. Fox-Pitt deems it even more challenging than last year.

First out on course tomorrow 14.00 CEST is Ireland’s Joseph Murphy on Sportsfield Othello.

Follow all the action live on FEI TV (www.feitv.org), with live results on http://www.event-pau.fr

Results after Dressage
1 Ingrid Klimke/Horseware Hale Bob (GER) 39.3
1 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 39.3
3 Andreas Dibowski/FRH Butts Avedon (GER) 40.7
4 Nicola Wilson/One Two Many (GBR) 41.2
5 William Fox-Pitt/Seacookie TSF (GBR) 41.8
6 Julien Despontin/Waldano 36 (BEL) 43.7
7 Lauren Kieffer/Veronica (USA) 44.2
8 Pippa Funnell/Redesigned (GBR) 44.5
9 Francis Whittington/West Side (GBRT) 45.8
10 Joseph Murphy/Electric Cruise (IRL) 46.3

Full results on http://www.event-pau.fr

Kate Green

Fei Classics™: New Season Starts At Pau With All-Star Cast

An elite group of riders have gathered in south-west France for Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the start of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. The premier French event is the first of the popular series that links the world’s six CCI4*s.

World number one William Fox-Pitt (GBR), who won the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 with victories at Pau and Kentucky (USA) last year, is bidding to stamp his authority on the new season. He has entered two former CCI4* winners: Parklane Hawk (Burghley 2011 and Kentucky 2012) and Seacookie, the horse he rode to victory in Pau 12 months ago.

Andreas Dibowski (GER) is another former winner of the French four-star, in 2010 on another mare, FRH Fantasia. This time he rides FRH Butts Avedon, an 11-year-old gelding that finished ninth at Luhmühlen (GER) last year.

Dibowski’s compatriot Ingrid Klimke, a member of the all-conquering German team at the last four senior championships, has another CCI4* horse in the making in Horseware Hale Bob, a 10-year-old Oldenburger gelding which completed Luhmühlen this year.

Pau has received 35 entries from 10 nations, with key combinations to watch including the Kentucky 2013 runners-up, Lauren Kieffer (USA) with Veronica, and Jock Paget (NZL) on the former Andrew Nicholson ride Shady Grey. Fellow New Zealander Jonelle Price, fourth at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, is also aiming to make her mark in Pau with the nine-year-old mare Faerie Dianimo, recent winner of the Young Horse CIC3* at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

From the home side, France’s Pascal Leroy will be a force to be reckoned with on the seasoned Minos de Petra, fifth at Badminton (GBR) earlier this year.

World number one William Fox-Pitt (GBR), winner of last year’s FEI Classics™ – the popular Eventing series linking the world’s six four-star events – will take on an elite group at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the first leg of this year’s series, with two former CCI4* winners Parklane Hawk (pictured) and Seacookie, the horse he rode to victory in Pau twelve months ago.

And there is a strong British contingent. Louise Harwood (GBR) has been having a good season with Whitson, on which she was second at Tattersalls CCI3* and third at Blair Castle CCI3* this year, and Francis Whittington (GBR), fresh from celebrating his first CCI3* win, at Blenheim, rides West Side at Pau.

These two will be joined by the very experienced Pippa Funnell on the magnificent chestnut Redesigned, on which she was unlucky to be unseated at Badminton when challenging for a place, and Mirage d’Elle. Nicola Wilson, who went so well across country at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ on CCI4* first-timer One Two Many will also challenge in Pau.

Dressage Startlist

The Dressage phase of the first leg of the popular FEI Classics™ series starts tomorrow at 14.00 CEST, with Cross Country on Saturday from 14.00 CEST and Jumping on Sunday from 14.30.

Follow Live Action

Follow live results from Pau on http://www.event-pau.fr and watch the entire event live on FEI TV.

Notes

Kate Green