Barbury Day One: Andrew Nicholson and Nereo take the lead in the three star dressage
Andrew Nicholson and NereoAfter the first day of the CIC** dressage competition at the St James's Place Barbury International Horse Trials, New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson tops the leader board on Nereo (with 38.3 penalties.)
Second is Britain's Louise Harwood on Whitson (39.6) and in third place is France's Mathieu Lemoine on Bart L (40.7.) British rider Nana Dalton and Abbeylara Prince are in fourth position - having led up to the lunch break (43.5.)
Nicholson and Nereo came sixth at this year's Badminton, won the CIC**** at Pau in 2012 and came fourth at the London Olympics. Nicholson has seven rides at the various competition levels. Nicholson and Avebury (who have won the Barbury CIC*** for last three years) will be in dressage ring just after three o'clock on Friday afternoon.
Nicholson, who is based in Lockeridge, is lying second equal in the CIC** - behind fellow New Zealander Sir Mark Todd on Brownsville Bertie (38.6). Nicholson and Loughnatousa Joey are in joint second place with Britain's Harry Meade on Vrolijk (38.7.)
Yogi Breisner & Nana Dalton and her assistant
Yogi Breisner, Louise Harwood & assistantThe dressage performances by both Louise Harwood and Nana Dalton caught the eye of Yogi Breisner - the British Eventing National Coach and World Class Performance Manager. And he took details of both riders and their assistants. Though as someone watching the dressage noted: "It is not quite a ticket to Rio, but it is certainly going in the right direction."
On Friday the novice competitors are first to take on the cross-country course. And it looks as though the weather will hold through Saturday - though the ground might get a soaking for the CIC*** cross-country on Sunday afternoon.
The competitions are being live streamed through the Barbury website.
The Willis Brothers team 'greening' the cross-country's ReadySupp Owl Hole
Click on photos to enlarge them.