Katie Ruppel and Houdini (Libby Law Photography)
Ruppel (Anthony, Fla.) and her own Houdini gained valuable experience at Pau on cross-country day, crossing through the finish flags at the end of a course that caused a fair amount of problems. She and the 2004 Thoroughbred gelding collected 40 jumping penalties for refusals at 6C, an angled house following a drop, and 16A, a bullfinch, but finished strongly. The pair added 67.6 time penalties to their score to head into the final day of competition with a score of 156.9.
USEF Land Rover Competition Grant recipient Jennie Brannigan (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Nina Gardner's Cambalda were sitting in an impressive ninth place following the dressage phase. She and the 2002 Irish Thoroughbred gelding started out determinedly on course but an unfortunate sticky moment at 15, the racecourse hedge, resulted in a fall, but both horse and rider were fine.
Lillian Heard (Poolesville, Md.) and her own Share Option, a 2002 Thoroughbred Cross gelding, began well, but had refusals at 8B, a narrow wedge at the first water complex, and 13A, a cottage, where they elected to retire. Barbara Crabo (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and her own Eveready, a 1999 Swedish Warmblood gelding, were having a great round until a large effort at 24A, a table into the final water complex, popped Crabo loose resulting in a rider fall between the A and B elements, but was unharmed.
Michael Jung (GER) remained in the top two places on the leaderboard following the cross-country phase. He and Halunke FBW added just four-tenths of a time penalty to their score to remain in the lead on a score of 34.9. Jung and fischerRocana had a double-clear round to keep them in second on a score of 35.4. Emily King (GBR) and Brookleigh held onto third place with their score of 38.3 after having a double-clear round.
Find out more about Les Étoiles de Pau CCI4*, view results, and watch the live on feitv.com.