Eventer Laura Collett takes gold in world championship - but William Fox-Pitt is injured in fall
Laura Collett walking the course at Barbury (July 2015)British eventer Laura Collett, who used to be based at Membury and is now at Lambourn, and the Holsteiner gelding Mr Bass have won the title for seven-year-old horses in the FEI World Breeding Federation Eventing Championships for Young Horses 2015 at Le Lion d’Angers in France. But after a fall in the competition, William Fox-Pitt remains in hospital with head injuries.
The top German rider, Michael Jung on Fischerincantas - another Holsteiner - won the gold medal in the competition for six-year-old horses.
These Championships have been held annually since 1992, and this year 103 horses were entered representing a wide range of studbooks.
Collett was in seventh place after the dressage and had moved up to fourth by the end of the cross-country phase. She clinched the title with a perfect show jumping round.
The cross-country course proved tricky for the seven-year-olds. But 34 of the 67 starters went clear - adding no penalties to their dressage scores. Two combinations retired on the course and 12 were eliminated.
William Fox-Pitt at Barbury (2015) Among the latter was Britain's most successful eventer, William Fox-Pitt who was thrown when his horse Reinstated hit the Owl Hole obstacle towards the end of the course.
He was taken to Angers hospital with head injuries.
Forty-six year old Fox-Pitt, who has four children and is married to Channel 4 racing presenter Alice Plunkett, was said to be in a stable condition.
The Wednesday afternoon update (at 4.24 pm, October 21) on the eventer's official website said: "We have this afternoon received the update that William’s condition remains the same with no change overnight. He is still sedated and under constant observation."