18 Jun 2011
Jonathan Paget is creating plenty of interest as the best of the Kiwis at the Luhmühlen 4* three day event in Germany.
He and his new mount Clifton Lush (owned by Frances Stead and Lucy Allison) received 43.8 penalty points putting them into 10th spot, with World Equestrian Games bronze medallist Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control (owned by Robin and Nicola Salmon) just behind them with 44.2 points in 11th position.
Paget, who was seventh individual at WEG last year, has only recently taken the ride of Lush from Joe Meyer. Pagets first international class with Lush was just a few weeks ago when he won the 3* Class at Bramham Horse Trials.
Nicholson is also sitting in 24th spot with 51.5 points on Armada (owned by Paul Ridgeon), with Caroline Powell and Mrs Tilly (owned by Camilla and Neil Martin and Roy and Fiona Martin), having her first 4* start, in 35th with 58.8. Not there is Mark Todd, who says he did not have a horse ready for the event.
Leading the field is Germany's Frank Ostholt, an Olympic team medallist in Hong Kong in 2008, aboard Little Paint on 35.3, just 1.9 points ahead of Piggy French (Great Britain) on Flying machine.
Current world champion Michael Jung, who also won Luhmühlen in 2009, is in ninth spot aboard Leopin.
The event, which carries the same rating as the Olympic Games, is the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics and current leader Mary King (Great Britain) is back in 14th spot, with Todd in second and French in third.
Cross-Country Course Designer Captain Mark Phillips (Great Britain) says tomorrows ground conditions should be excellent after the recent rain, and predicts that fence 12, the HSBC Hexagon Corner, will be influential.
The event has attracted 43 combinations representing Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and the USA.
Follow more information head to www.luhmuehlen.de and highlights on www.feitv.org.
(Equestrian Sports New Zealand)
Sourced from: http://www.nznewsuk.co.uk/sport/?id=19777&story=Jock-Best-Of-The-Kiwis