Longines FEI European Eventing Championships: Final countdown begins with 66 through first horse inspection

By Kate Green

There were plenty of lively horses at the first horse inspection for the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship at Blair Castle (GBR) as riders have clearly taken seriously the advice that they should get their horses fit for this spectacular venue in the Scottish Highlands.

The Ground Jury of President Sue Baxter (GBR), Andrew Bennie (NZL) and Sándor Fulop (HUN), all smartly clad in Scottish tartan, passed all the horses except one, Igor Atrokhov’s Russian team horse Indigo Pyreneen.

A total of 66 combinations will go forward to the Dressage phase which starts at 10.00 tomorrow with a Guinea Pig test by Scottish rider Olivia Wilmot on Zebedee de Foja.

The Netherlands, reigning world bronze medallists, have been drawn first to go of the 11 teams: Theo van de Vendel riding Zindane will be first into the Dressage arena at 10.20.

Ireland, fielding Joseph Murphy (Sportsfield Othello) as pathfinder, is second, followed by Italy, Great Britain, Switzerland, reigning champions Germany, Russia, France, Sweden, Spain and Belgium.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), again the anchorman for the British team, had to hang on tight to Bay My Hero as the Irish Sport Horse showed his wellbeing by prancing and bucking down the trot-up strip. Fox-Pitt, 46, is competing in his 10^th European Championship. His tally of 10 medals, which includes six team golds, equals the record set by Lucinda Green (GBR), a back-to-back champion in 1975 and 1977. 

Tomorrow will be a big day for Kitty King (GBR); riding Persimmon, she will make her team debut in the pathfinding slot for the British team, who are anxious to uphold honour on home ground. Nicola Wilson (One Two Many) and former dual European champion Pippa Funnell (Sandman 7) take the second and third team slots.

The hugely experienced combination of Dirk Schrade (GER) and Hop And Skip will go first for Germany, followed by Michael Jung on the eight-year-old Anglo Arab FischerTakinou, world champions Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo and, finally, Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob.

It is a first visit to Blair Castle for Jung, who comes fresh from his brilliant Burghley CCI4* win on Sunday. “This is a wonderful place and a beautiful course,” said the defending champion, who will be performing his Dressage test tomorrow afternoon. “When you look down [on the showground] from the top of the hill, it all looks so small! My horse is feeling very happy and relaxed and I’m looking forward to starting.”

Follow all the action with live results on www.blair2015.com and coverage on FEI TV www.feitv.org.

Notes to Editors:

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UK Sport

The Longines FEI European Eventing Championship 2015 at Blair Castle forms part of UK Sport’s major events programme, which is investing around £40million of National Lottery funding to bring up to 100 world-class events to Great Britain to help build a strong legacy from London 2012 and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Championship is also supported by EventScotland, who have a longstanding relationship with the team at Blair Castle.

About Longines

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier in Switzerland since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. Longines has generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships and as partner of international sports federation. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 140 countries.

As Top Partner of the FEI, Longines is Title Partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European, Chinese and North American Leagues, as well as the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. The Swiss watch brand also supports as Timekeeper and Official Watch the FEI Furusiyya Nations Cup™ Jumping.

Blair 2015 Media Contact:

Bridget Jennings

Blair@jbpromotions.co.uk

+44 7850 822820