Friday, September 10 - Second Day of Dressage

Two Thyme is a Good Friend
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Reigning British Open Champions Ruth Friend and Two Thyme (no. 112) impressed the Ground Jury enough to take the lead at The Blenheim Petplan International Horse Trials.
Ruth and Mr & Mrs Phil Smith’s 10 year old Thoroughbred, who Ruth trains with International dressage judge Judy Harvey, put the warmbloods in their place with an energetic and positive test showing smart flying changes and good transitions within the paces to be awarded a mark of 35.8 penalties.

“I was really pleased – he is such a super horse in the arena – he has such presence and allows me to really ride him,” said Ruth, a member of the World Class Potential squad. The combination is the first to have won consecutive Intermediate and Open Championships and look to be in with a strong chance here. “It is a lovely course and he is a horse on form and usually a good show jumper,” said Ruth.

Ruth was the only rider to head off early leader Pippa Funnell and Sue and Lizzie Bunn’s stallion Viceroy II (no.54) who now lie in second place just three penalties behind while the 23 year old German Simone Dietermann and Flambeau (no.43) are third on 40.2. German Olympic team member Ingrid Klimke and Robinson’s Concorde (no. 109) moved up into the top six.

A busy cross country day will start at 10.00am tomorrow. As Blenheim is running the short (horse trials) format, as used at this year’s Olympics, riders will come straight to cross country without roads, tracks or a steeplechase.

There are 27 fences on the course designed by Blenheim Event Director Mike Etherington Smith.

(Article courtesy of The Blenheim Web Site.)

Results after the Second Day of Dressage:110 NORWEGIAN CONNECTION

1. TWO THYME, Ruth Friend (GBR) 74.00 80.00 74.40 = 35.8
2. VICEROY II, Pippa Funnell (GBR) 74.80 76.00 71.60 = 38.8
3.. FLAMBEAU H, Simone Deitermann (GER) 74.80 76.00 71.60 = 40.2
4. ESCAPE LANE* MILI, Didier Willefert (FRA) 70.40 73.20 69.20 = 43.6
5. ROBINSON'S, CONCORD, Ingrid Klimke (GER) 69.20 72.00 70.80 = 44.0
6. SILVER SUN, Sally Taylor (GBR) 72.00 69.20 68.80 = 45.0
7. MOON MAN, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 68.80 72.40 68.00 = 45.4
8. LAST ANGEL, Owen Moore (GBR) 71.20 66.40 71.20 = 45.6
9. BALLY'S GERONIMO, Viktoria Carlerback (SWE) 64.40 74.00 69.20 = 46.2
10. TWO FOR JOY, Polly Jackson (GBR)74.40 64.00 68.80 = 46.4*
11. ILROAD, Rodney Powell (GBR) 169 178 161 = 48.4
12. SPECIAL AGENT WAL, Caron Myles (GBR)66.80 64.00 68.00 50.6
13.. MCGUIGAN, Jeanette Brakewell (GBR) 67.20 65.60 64.40 = 51.4
14. HALLO AGAIN, Laura Fortune (GBR) 71.20 60.00 65.60 = 51.6
15T. ROCK MODEL, Vittoria Panizzon (ITA) 64.80 65.20 66.40 = 51.8
15T. TOPPING, Oliver Townend (GBR) 64.40 63.60 68.40 = 51.8

The Dressage Scores and Placings of the Three Americans, and one Permanent USA Resident, are Listed below. None are in the top 60% of the scores:

62. Laine Ashker (USA), Eight Saint James Place - 64.8
66T. Kristin Schmolze (USA), Cavaldi - 65.8
70T. Eleanor Brennan* (GBR), Bailey Zwei - 66.6
74. Joseph Giannamore (USA), Horoscope - 67.2

*Eleanor is a British National; but, resides permanently in Esmont, VA.

The Ground Jury:

Mr. David Lee (IRE), President
Mrs. Sue Baxter (GBR)
Mrs. Jane Tolley (GBR)

John Tulloch (GBR), Technical Delegate

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Thursday, September 9 - First Day of Dressage

51 competitors completed their Dressage Tests at the Blenheim CCI*** (without Steeplechase) on Thursday.

To no one's surprise Athens Olympic Individual Bronze Medalist Pippa Funnell, also as a member of the Silver Medal Team, leads with Viceroy II, on a score of 38.8. Two other members of the Brits' Olympic Silver Medal Team are in the top ten after the first day of Dressage. William Fox-Pitt stands fourth with Moon Man on 45.4 and Jeanette Brakewell riding McGuigan with a score of 51.4.

There are an unusual number of French and German competitors entered at Blenheim this year. This would be because the European Championships are to be held at Blenheim next year under the same format as is being tested this year - the CCI*** without Steeplechase. Germany's Simone Deitermann is currently in second place riding Flambeau H (40.2), 1.4 faults adrift of the leader. France's DidierWillefert is third with Escape Lane on 43.6.

1. VICEROY II, Pippa Funnell (GBR) 187 190 179 = 38.8
2. FLAMBEAU H, Simone Deitermann (GER) 184 187 178 = 40.2
3. ESCAPE LANE* MILI, Didier Willefert (FRA) 176 183 173 = 43.6
4. MOON MAN, William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 172 181 170 = 45.4
5. LAST ANGEL, Owen Moore (GBR) 178 166 178 = 45.6
6. BALLY'S GERONIMO, Viktoria Carlerback (SWE) 161 185 173 = 46.2
7. ILROAD, Rodney Powell (GBR) 169 178 161 = 48.4
8. MCGUIGAN, Jeanette Brakewell (GBR) 168 164 161 = 51.4
9. HENRY TANKERVILLE, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 161 167 162 = 52.0
10. DIAMOND B VOGUE Claudia Graham (AUS) 162 158 160 = 54.0

The Three Americans have completed their Dressage. None are in the top 50% of those who have already ridden:

27. Laine Ashker (USA), Eight Saint James Place - 64.8
31T. Kristin Schmolze (USA), Cavaldi - 65.8
37. Joseph Giannamore USA), Horoscope - 67.2

(These placings will change as the competition progresses; but, of course, the scores will not change.)

Viceroy Proves Perfect Ambassador .. (from the Blenheim Web Site)

With her customary flair in the dressage arena Olympic individual bronze medallist Pippa Funnell rode Viceroy II (no. 54) into pole position at the end of the first day of dressage at The Blenheim Petplan International Horse Trials. (Pippa and Viceroy are pictured below at the right. Photo Courtesy of the Blenheim Web Site.)

The 14 year old stallion performed a fluent, well balanced and obliging test to be leader for all three judges receiving a score of over 76% from judge at C, David Lee, and is the first to break into the thirties scoring 38.8 penalties. “He is a lot older and more established than many of the other horses here; but, even so he is a lot more consistent in his work,” said Pippa who will be looking to improve on his third place here last year.

Young German rider and Blenheim first-timer Simone Dietermann and the 11 year old gelding Flambeau (no. 43) showed no signs of debut nerves to receive a score of 40.2, just 1.4 penalties behind. The 23 year old, a Young Rider Team Gold Medallist, in 2002, who was first reserve for this year’s German Olympic team, is making her first trip to England “Though I hope to be back for next year’s European Championships here,” said Simone.
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Wednesday, September 8 - First Veterinary Inspection

101 horses passed the First Veterinary Inspection at the Blenheim International Horse Trial on Wednesday.

All three Americans who were entered passed. They are all scheduled to ride their Dressage tests on Thursday at the following times:

Kristin Schmolze, Cavaldi - 9:45 Thursday

Joseph Giannamore, Horoscope - 14:37 Thursday

Lane Ashker, Eight Saint James Place - 14:52 Thursday

Editor's Note: It has been drawn to eventingetc's attention that Eleanor Brennan, a British national, who resides permanantly in the United States, in Esmont, VA, is the youngest competitor at Blenheim. In fact, she will turn 18 on the day she does her Dressage - Friday.

Eleanor and Bailey Zwei (Bailey II) train with Kim Severson and have placed 4th in the Advanced Section at Southern Pines; 10th at the Bramham Under 25; 17th at Gatcombe Advanced; was the top young rider, placed 17th, at the Thirlestane CIC***; and was eliminated on Phase A, B, or C at the Foxhall CCI*** this spring.

Eleanor Brennan (GBR), Bailey Zwei - 14:37 Friday

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Entries for Blenheim

Four members of the British Silver Medal Olympic Team from Greece will compete at the Blenheim Pet Plan International Horse Trials, a CCI*** without steeplechase, which begins with the First Veterinary Inspection on Wednesday, this week.

Leslie Law, the Individual Gold Medalist in Athens, will ride Fox On the Run; Pippa Funnell, the Individual Bronze Medalist, brings Viceroy II; William Fox-Pitt will run Moon Man: and Jeanette Brakewell has McGuigan.

Other recent Olympians include Ingrid Klimke (GER) with Robinson's Concord and Andrew Hicholson (NZL), who will ride both Flush Banker and Henry Tankerville.

The Following Americans are entered:

Lain Ashker, Eight St. James Place (Eight Saint James Place finisned 6th at the CIC*** World Cup Qualifier at Over the Walls this summer.)

Joseph Giannamore, Horoscope (Giannamore competes exclusively in the UK. Horoscope has placed 24th in an Advanced section at Lulworth Castle; 22nd in an OI section at Tweseldown; 5th on the AI at Longleaf; and 47th in the CIC*** at Chatsworth, this season.)

Kristin Schmolze, Cavaldi (Cavaldi finished 5th at the CIC*** World Cup Qualifier at Over The Walls this summer as well as 2nd in the CIC***at Hair Hill International, last fall.) (Kristin and Cavaldi are pictured at the right jumping the corner after the last water at the Fair Hill International CCI***, in the fall of 2003.)