6:39am Saturday 5th July 2008
Australian couple Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks shared the limelight after the first official day of dressage at the St James' Place Barbury International Horse Trials, taking the first and second spot respectively, writes JANET PERRINS.
Lucinda leads the three star event with her Badminton winner Headley Britannia on 30.8 and Clayton is a close second on Ben Along A Time with 32.5. But hot on their heels in third and fourth place on the leader board is British team member William Fox-Pitt with Tamarillo and Parkmore Ed.
However, there are over 40 riders still remaining in the dressage section and they will perform their tests today.
The two star section has been split and Marlborough based New Zealander Andrew Nicholson leads one section with Avebury and also the Retrained Racehorse Championships class with Trafalgar. Nicholson is lying 10th in the three star on his Olympic ride Lord Killinghurst, with Swindon based Australian Paul Tapner on Innonothing in 11th.
Two star competitor Sam Albert was very pleased with her mare, Before I Do It, who put in one of her best tests to put them in 12th position with 54 penalties - a fraction behind Rodney Powell with 53.4 - the pair share the same dressage trainer.
Marlborough schoolgirl Katy Vincent, who rode at Barbury for the first time yesterday, said she was really pleased with her horse's dressage and was really looking forward to today's cross country.
"I have walked the course three times and it is quite big but that will suit my horse, Ganton Gyr, because you can gallop - he doesn't like the twisty turns and corners, "said the 17-year-old from Ogbourne St Andrew.
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