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Lucinda leads Luhmuehlen
Saturday, June 14th, 2008
Australia's Lucinda
Fredericks is well on her way to earning some valuable points in the new HSBC
FEI Classics™ series after her sparkling performance with the brilliant little
mare Headly Britannia put her out in front after the dressage phase of the
4-Star competition at Luhmuehlen this afternoon.
"Brit" as the mare is
affectionately known is now 15 years of age but has lost none of her "look what
I can do!" quality, and the leading partnership left a star-studded field of
runners in their wake. "She deserved the marks she got" Lucinda said after
topping the scoreboard in the opening phase. "Brit doesn't do her best work in
the practice arena but she knows when it’s the big-time!" the rider
added.
Lying second at this early stage is 27 year old German rider
Simone Deitermann with another 15 year old horse, the gelding Flambeau. On a
score of 35.40 they are just over two points behind the leaders while Australian
star Andrew Hoy holds third spot with Moonfleet another four points
adrift.
British riders featured strongly in the earlier part of the day
but the afternoon session saw Hoy move out in front before Deitermann squeezed
ahead only to be overtaken by Fredericks who was fourth-last of the 24
starters.
Lucinda has ridden dressage at Grand Prix level so her skills
in this phase of the three-day-event are pretty exceptional and she knows that
gives her a good advantage. However as she pointed out, Headly Britannia is not
the most extravagant mover - "her natural paces are not very exciting" she said.
But when it comes to competition time the little mare lights up - "and she loves
the "tricks" involved in the 4-Star test, like the flying changes and the
half-passes and particularly the extensions - she got good marks in all of these
today because she thought it was great fun!" Lucinda explained.
"With
her there is a huge difference between collected and medium and extended trot so
the judges really notice that. She's difficult to prepare though, because she
gets bored in practice so you have to keep her amused by doing playful things.
I'm extra proud of her right now because over the last few weeks we just had two
foals from her by embryo transfer - both by Jaguar Mail - we are very excited
about that" the rider added.
A heavy shower during the lunch-break today
came as a huge relief because the ground conditions have been causing some
concern and Lucinda said she would be watching developments ahead of tomorrow's
cross-country phase.
However Ground Jury member Christian Landolt (SUI)
said this evening that he was confident the going would be fine as riders head
out to tackle Capt Mark Philips' 32-fence cross-country challenge. "The
organisers here at Luhmuehlen are aware that the ground has been hard, but last
year we rotovated it early in the week at the riders request and it went the
other way so it was decided to wait until today to work on the course. Some of
it still has to be done but 90% of it has now received attention and it is much
better. If riders gallop on the track it will be fine" he said.
"The
course is technical - not huge - but there are plenty of big ditches out there!"
Lucinda commented while second-placed Simone Deitermann described it as "fair,
but big". Simone, who is based near Warendorf, was reserve rider on the German
team for the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and finished third in the World Cup
and sixth in Boekolo in 2004 with Flambeau who she has been riding since he was
a four year old. "I think the time will be difficult to get" she said, "but I
will be concentrating on getting no penalties".
Earlier in the week Mark
Philips talked about the Luhmuehlen course which has seen some changes over the
last few years. How strong is the challenge out there? he was asked. "If you ask
me is it Badminton, the answer is no - ask me is it Burghley, the answer is no -
ask me is it a 3-Star the answer is no. This is not a world championship track
but it is definitely a 4-Star. Pau and Luhmuehlen are quite alike in the
challenge they present and I would describe them both as "move up" 4-Star
courses" he pointed out. The track runs through some forestry but most of the
fences are in open areas with a concentration of jumping activity in the "arena"
area where horses and riders face seven jumping efforts quite close together.
"There is an intensive minute in there from fences 20 to 26" the course designer
explained. The water complex at fence 27 also promises some excitement with a
1.80m drop in followed by four strides to an island with an arrowhead on top, a
drop back into water and then three more strides to a house.
It’s
difficult to imagine that this will create any problems for Lucinda and Headley
Britannia who stormed around Burghley to claim that coveted title in the finest
style in 2006 but the rider knows that luck also plays a big part in this most
testing of sports. "I wouldn't be here this weekend if my mare hadn't been given
medication that gave her a skin infection and stopped her from competing at
Tattersalls in Ireland two weeks ago" she pointed out.
And her
compatriot Andrew Hoy knows all about luck too. In Badminton with Moonfleet he
seemed ready to cruise to success only to find himself in a heap at the
formidable Huntsmans Close. He will be hoping to leave that experience far
behind him this time out....
Lucinda has the Olympic Games in Hong Kong
in her sights, and this weekend's result is an important step along the way.
"She has done three advanced CIC's and she has been very good" she said, hoping
that her luck stays firmly in place.
Luhmuehlen is the third leg of the
HSBC FEI Classics™ series that also includes the 4-Star fixtures in Kentucky,
Badminton, Burghley and Pau and which offers a prize-fund of US$1million over
the next three years.
RESULT AFTER
DRESSAGE 1, Headly Britannia (Lucinda Fredericks) AUS 32.60; 2
Flambeau H3 (Simone Deitermann) GER 35.40; 3, Moonfleet (Andrew Hoy) AUS 39.30;
4, SS Jett (Karin Donckers) BEL 41.80; 5, Sir Roselier (Julie Tew) GBR 45.00' 6,
Comanche (James Robinson) GBR 45.20; 7, Adm. v. Schneider (Dirk Schrade) GER
45.90; 8, Expo du Moulin (Arnaud Boiteau) FRA 46.50; 9, Macchiato (William
Fox-Pitt) GBR 47.40; 10, Little Paint (Frank Ostholt) GER 47.80; Equal 11,
Vettori (Stuart Tinney) AUS, Ismene du Temple (Didier Dhennin) FRA 48.20; 13,
Look Out (Julie Tew) GBR 50.90; 14, Smart Approach (Fiona Hobby) GBR 53.10; 15,
Chill Out Bob (Jeanette Brakewell) GBR 55.90; 16, Karascada (Kai-Steffen Meier)
GER 58.70; 17, Balmoral Cavalier (Emily Anker) AUS 59.10; 18, Jakata (Julia
Crowson) GBR 63.70; 19, Kincluny (Sarah Wardell) IRL 64.80; 20, I've Been Dun
(Sacha Pemble) IRL 65.40; 21, The Nightflight (Alberto Giugni) ITA 68.50; 22,
Howecote Psammite (Julie Lawson) GBR 70.40; 23, Catherston Defender (Alberto
Giugni) ITA 71.70; 24, Axia (Luisa Palli) ITA 83.50.
THE STANDINGS (after 2 of 5 events) 1.
Phillip DUTTON (USA) - 15 2. Nicolas TOUZAINT (FRA) -15 3. Rebecca HOLDER
(USA) -12 4. Lucy WIEGERSMA (GBR) -12 5. William FOX-PITT (GBR) -10 6.
Missy RANSEHOUSEN (USA) - 10 7. Caroline POWELL (NZL) - 8 8. Stephen
BRADLEY (USA) - 8 9. Sharon HUNT (GBR) - 6 10. Kimberly SEVERSON (USA) -
6 11. Polly STOCKTON (GBR) - 5 12. Karen O'CONNOR (USA) - 5 13. Nic
WILSON (GBR) - 4 14. Jennifer WOOTEN (USA) - 4 15. Matt RYAN (AUS) -
3 16. Daisy DICK (GBR) - 2 17. Georgie DAVIES (GBR) - 1 18. Boyd MARTIN
(AUS) - 1
The HSBC FEI CLASSICS
is a new FEI series linking the five 4-Star Eventing competitions
currently on the international calendar.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2008: 1, Rolex
Kentucky Three Day Event (USA) 24-27 April; 2, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse
Trials (GBR) 1-4 May; 3, Luhmuhlen CCI**** presented by EON (Ger) 12-15 June; 4,
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) 4-7 September; 5, FINAL - Les Etoiles de
Pau (FRA) 22-26 October.
POINTS
SYSTEM: Points will be awarded to the top ten riders at each event
as follows: 1st: 15 points 2nd: 12 points 3rd: 10 points 4th: 8
points 5th: 6 points 6th : 5 points 7th: 4 points 8th: 3
points 9th: 2 points 10th: 1 point
Riders can only win points with
their best horse/performance at one event and if the combination has obtained a
qualifying result. Only the top ten riders will score points.
Tie-Break:
In case of equality of ranking points, the best-placed rider is the competitor
with the lowest total of penalty points at the specific event (=differentiating
score).
PRIZE MONEY HSBC will contribute US$1million to the series over the next three years. At
the end of each season, the five riders with the greatest number of points will
be awarded PRIZE-MONEY as follows: Series Champion - US$ 150,000; 2nd - US$
75,000; 3rd - US$ 50,000; 4th - US$ 33,333; 5th - US$ 25,000.
This
represents the biggest prize pot on offer in the sport of eventing on an annual
basis.
USEFUL
INFORMATION For further information on the third leg of the 2008
HSBC FEI Classics™ check out website www.luhmuehlen.de.
For more information about the HSBC FEI ClassicsTM, please check the official website
www.feiworldcup.org.
