Tom McEwen has taken the lead from Yasmin Ingham at the top of the Pau Horse Trials dressage leaderboard.
Tom is riding Quintus, a precocious rising star who is making his five-star debut at the age of nine – one of a trio of his year group at Pau.
The pair scored 28.6, to move just 0.3 ahead of overnight leader Yasmin on another first-timer Gypsie Du Loir.
“He's come here as a nine-year-old, done Boekelo as an eight-year-old, so he’s smashing the numbers but the numbers don’t matter, it’s how he feels,” said Tom of the Quibery 3-sired gelding, who is owned by Deirdre Johnston and Jane Knight. “And he feels amazing. To come out here and do a PB for way of going in an arena is pretty special.
“Today is what he can do at five-star at this moment in time and I believe there’s an awful lot more in there.
“He's a massive horse who works really hard. From the outside he looks super relaxed, but internally he gets a little bit nervous.
“We’re doing things a little differently with him now,” Tom added. “I messed up at the start of the year, nearly put too much pressure on him to get him a little bit more together, and it made him tense, whereas now I treat him like a smaller horse and ride him forward and keep him easy.”
A shift at top of Pau dressage leaderboard
Wiltshire-based American Tiana Coudray was another from this Friday-morning session to catch the eye. She slotted into equal second on her own Cancaras Girl on a score of 28.9.
Despite this accurate and expressive performance, Tiana says the 16-year-old mare isn’t a natural in the dressage arena, but is still getting stronger.
“She’s a horse I can't be greedy with,” she said. “She does everything she does out of good will and a fantastic temperament. She doesn’t actually have the best body for this, so as long as I respect that and nurture it, she gives me everything.
“One change we threw some marks away, but she keeps getting better and better. It’s really exciting to have a horse that tries so hard and keeps showing up to work. She’s very level-headed and on the aids, it’s what we’re all dreaming of.”
This test features a half-circle trot stretch, which has been hit and miss for some horses.
“The trot stretch is very short, so I’ve been training her to show it off as otherwise it’s over before you’ve done it – today in the ring was the first time she’s done it!” Tiana said.
Last year the mare slipped on the flat when she was going well across country, so Tiana is keen to put their French record straight.
“I like the course but I’m nervous I’m too comfortable and am missing a few tricks,” she said. “My first thoughts are that it’s a lovely track with enough to do.”
Izzy Taylor and Ros Canter in the mix
Izzy Taylor continued her impressive return to this level with a sub-30 test on the grey 11-year-old SBH Big Wall, whom she describes as “a really level horse without a crazy side – or he hides it well”.
“I’ve had this horse from the beginning, which is a treat to bring them up to the five-star level because you do know everything about them – and them about you – that’s very special.
“It’s not been the smoothest year for us [after Izzy broke her leg] but he went in there, his five-star debut and gave it a good crack. We always want more but there’s massive room for improvement but for where we are I’m pretty happy.”
Izzy is also ninth currently on Barrington Alice.
Ros Canter conjured a super test from MHS Seventeen – also owned by Deirdre Johnston, as well as Lady Milnes Coates – to lie in sixth on 31.9.
“He hasn’t always found the dressage easy and he doesn’t have the best movement, but this year he’s found his confidence in the work and I’m able to show him off much more,” Ros said.
The gelding cut his hock in the field 10 days before Luhmühlen, which necessitated some time on the sidelines.
“We’ve come here to give it a go, but I’m probably a bit shy of where I want to be with him. He’s been to Pau before and deserved another shot at it.
“It’s nice for him to be here off his own bat, because he's always been to five-stars with Izilot and been the underdog. But actually he’s starting to hold his own and I absolutely love riding him. He’s a phenomenal jumper and I love to gallop him.”
There is still plenty of action to come in the Pau Horse Trials dressage phase, with the final 18 of the 49-strong field set to resume at 2.30pm (1.30pm British time).
Pau Horse Trials dressage standings at the end of Friday morning
1. Tom McEwen/Quintus (GBR) 28.6
2eq. Yasmin Ingham/Gypsie Du Loir (GBR) 28.9
2eq. Tiana Coudray/Cancaras Girl (USA) 28.9
4. Izzy Taylor/SBH Big Wall (GBR) 29.5
5. Hallie Coon/Kapriccio (USA) 31.4
6. Ros Canter/MHS Seventeen (GBR) 31.9
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