Burton and Underdiscussion Do the Talking at Pau

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Christopher Burton and Underdiscussion, leaders after Dressage with the excellent mark of 34.8 at Les Etoiles de Pau. (Image: Kit Houghton/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 26 October 2012 – Christopher Burton, Australia’s latest Eventing star, performed an outstanding Dressage test on Underdiscussion, to sweep into the lead at Les Etoiles de Pau, the first leg of the 2012/2013 HSBC FEI Classics.

After a test that was full of impulsion and expression, Burton was awarded the only 10 of the day, by Ground Jury President Christian Landolt (SUI) for the halt, and heads a strong field with the good score of 34.8.

Burton has 1.0 penalties in hand over the equally exciting young New Zealand competitor Jonathan Paget on Clifton Promise. Both riders are now based in Britain and were pathfinders for their teams at the London Olympic Games, Paget finishing 10th and winning a team bronze medal on the same horse, and Burton finishing 16th overall on Holstein Park Leilani.

The 14-year-old Underdiscussion, by Lantham, was initially produced as a Dressage horse before Burton took over the ride. This is his first CCI4*, having won the CCI2* at Tattersalls (IRL) and CIC3* at Aachen (GER) this year. Most recently, they led the first phase and then finished in eventual 19th place at Blenheim CCI3* (GBR).

“I was angry with myself for going for it too much in the extended canter,” said Burton of the moment the striking black gelding bounded forward exuberantly. “But of course I’m thrilled with his performance. He’s a complex character and not that simple to train, but he’s been progressing nicely.”

Paget, who still works with his original trainer, Kevin McNab (AUS), plus Mark Todd (NZL) and British Dressage rider Andrew Gould, said he had hoped for a mark of 39, so he was pleased to do even better with 36.7. “It’s the best test I’ve ever done,” he said delightedly. “Clifton Promise is a full New Zealand Thoroughbred, so he’s not built to do dressage, but because he’s so athletic he’s developed the muscles to do the job.”

Michael Jung’s (GER) mount, Leopin FST, is not a natural Dressage horse either, but the reigning Olympic, World and European Champion does not throw away a single mark and his performance on the Luhmühlen CCI4* winner was the epitome of accuracy and calm.

Jung, fourth in the 2012 HSBC FEI Classics, is paying his first visit to Pau. “Dressage is Leopin’s weakest phase so that was very good for him,” he said. “However, I think tomorrow (Cross Country) could be an even better day, as that is his strongest phase.”

The heavy rain that had been threatening all day finally arrived as the Dressage came to a close, but it takes more than a soaking to break Andrew Nicholson’s concentration, and the New Zealander, current leader of the HSBC Rankings, is now in fourth place on his Olympic bronze medallist Nereo.

Astier Nicolas (FRA) thrilled the home audience with an excellent performance on Jhakti du Janlie and is in close contention, in fifth place, just 0.1 of a penalty ahead of the last rider to go, Mary King (GBR). The experienced King, winner of the 2011 HSBC FEI Classics, was also caught in the downpour but Imperial Cavalier has enough presence to shine in the worst weather and they are in sixth place.

Another Australian, Bill Levett, is seventh on Hippolyte, having re-routed the 17-year-old gelding to Pau after an early Cross Country run-out at Burghley.

“This is his best CCI4* test,” said Levett. “He’s been going well, so I was quietly confident. He’s a sensitive horse, so you have to be careful not to overwork him. He didn’t cope well at Burghley, but he’s had a good run in a national event since so we decided to bring him here.”

Karin Donckers (BEL) and Lamicell Charizard, three-time HSBC FEI Classics winner William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse Bay My Hero and Japanese Olympic rider Kenki Sato (Chippieh) complete an international top 10.

Course Designer Pierre Michelet (FRA) has set a fascinating Cross Country test for the 62 riders in the competition. He has reversed the direction of the track, which crosses the racecourse at Pau, and the questions come up thick and fast very early on.

Horses will have little time to get into their stride before they arrive at a big spread on top of a mound (fence 3) where they will have to be in complete control to achieve the turn to a narrow corner (fence 4) at the bottom of the slope.

The theme of spreads, turns and skinnies continues for much of the course and M Michelet has set quite a test at the first water complex (Le Premier Lac, fence 6) with a pair of carved ducks set on a turn, followed by a steep drop into the water, another turn to a bank and a skinny brush.

“It all worries me!” said Jonathan Paget, who is making his debut at the premier French event. “It’s a very intense course and you can’t dismiss a single fence. I’ve heard a lot about Pierre Michelet’s courses with his sharp angles and committed distances, which is how course design should be.”

Burton, 30, who has won international competitions at Saumur (FRA), Tattersalls (IRL), Aachen (GER) and Hartpury (GBR) this year, led the Dressage and Cross Country last year at Pau on Holstein Park Leilani, finishing in eventual eighth place.

“I love Pierre Michelet’s courses,” he said. “His distances are always nice. It should be a good test.”

Cross Country starts at 13.00 CEST tomorrow (27 October), with all the action live on FEI TV www.feitv.org

Full results on www.event-pau.fr.

HSBC’s Training Bursary

At the centre of HSBC’s sponsorship is a commitment to the development of the sport of Eventing at every level. As part of its support of the HSBC FEI Classics, HSBC has introduced a Training Bursary. This is a unique award which is presented to the highest placed rider never to have previously completed a 4-star level event. The winning rider receives a training voucher to the value of US $1,000 to be spent on sessions with a trainer of the athlete’s choice approved by the FEI and National Federation.

HSBC FEI Classics 2012/2013 calendar

1 Les Etoiles de Pau CCI 4* (FRA) – 24-28 October 2012
2 Australian International 3 Day Event (AUS) – 22-25 November 2012
3 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) – 25-28 April 2013
4 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) – 3-6 May 2013
5 Luhmühlen CCI 4* (GER) – 13-16 June 2013
6 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) – 5-8 September 2013

HSBC, the platinum partner of the FEI and global sponsor of Eventing, has supported the HSBC FEI Classics series, which unites the top end of the international Eventing circuit, since 2008.

In our HSBC FEI Hub: www.fei.org/hsbc/hsbc-fei-classics, you can access the HSBC Rankings, past series news and the information below:

HSBC FEI Classics 2012 Final Standings (full 2012 standings here):
1 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 40 points ($150,000, Series Champion)
2 Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 39 ($75,000)
3 Alison Springer (USA) 17 ($50,000)
4 Michael Jung (GER) 15 ($33,000)
5 Stuart Tinney (AUS) 15 ($25,000)

Prize money

The HSBC FEI Classics prize fund is the largest on offer in the sport of Eventing on an annual basis. At the end of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012/2013 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six HSBC FEI Classics events will be awarded their share of a total fund of US$333,000 split as follows:

1st – US$150,000 (Series Champion)
2nd – US$75,000
3rd – US$50,000
4th – US$33,000
5th – US$25,000

HSBC Rankings

The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2012 Eventing season will receive a US $50,000 bonus. The winning rider will be announced in December 2012.

Watch the action LIVE from Pau on FEI TV, the FEI’s official video website:

27 October – Cross Country: 12.45 CEST
28 October – Jumping: 14.15 CET

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #HSBC and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #HSBC FEI Classics #Eventing

Les Etoiles de Pau will provide live results on www.event-pau.fr.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

Les Etoiles de Pau Press Office
Cecilia Reymond
Cecilia.reymond@centaure-production.fr
+33 6 72 86 45 21

FEI Media Contacts
Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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