Fleeceworks Royal Moves Into Top Twenty After Double Clear Cross-Country at Le Lion d’Angers
Fleeceworks Royal, recipient of the Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Le Lion d’Angers Grant, made her way around the cross-country course in flying fashion, adding nothing to her dressage score of 51.3.
Piloted by Tamie Smith, “Rory” had a peak performance around this challenging track at the FEI World Eventing Breeding Championship, jumping from 30th to 16th place in the 7-year-old division. Judith McSwain’s Holstiner mare earned these funds to travel to Le Lion d’Angers after being the highest-placed 2014 Young Event Horse (YEH) graduate who qualified for this Championship as a 7-year-old. The grant, backed by Dr. Tim and Cheryl Holekamp and Christine Turner, aims to encourage U.S.-based breeding and training of young horses.
Rory was bred in California by Charlotte Wrather. She is by the Holsteiner Riverman, and out of Marisol.
“I was thrilled with her. It means so much when you produce them from the beginning and see something in them that you really feel is special,” said Smith. “I did not get to watch anyone go as I was third out, so rode everything the way I thought to ride it and it went great. She was like a pro out there. It felt easy for her and like she was a little racecar.”
“The course required bravery and rideability, and that is her middle name. She read all the questions great and was not fazed by the crowds. They organizers and staff did an incredible job on the footing. It was hard in some places and they worked to make it perfect. It means so much when you have an event put so much into their course. They take enormous pride in this event, and it shows.”
The other U.S. representative and fellow YEH graduate, Betawave, picked up only .4 time penalties to move into 31st place in this very competitive 7-year-old class. Owned by her breeder, Carol Singh, and her rider, Robyn Fisher, “Leta” is a Holstiener mare by Linaro and out of Wavelength.
Marion Drache and Ingrid Klimke’s Weisse Duene kept the lead of the 7-year-old championship division. The Holstiener mare (Clarimo x Espirit V), ridden by Klimke, jumped to a double clear cross-country finish to continue to sit on 36.9 penalty points going into tomorrow’s show jumping. Pippa Funnel piloted Billy Walk On (Billy Mexico x Shannon Line), owned by Barbara and Nicholas Walkinshaw, to a faultless run. They sit in second place on 39 points.
Double clear rounds also helped Vroum D’auzay & Miaxime Livio, Chillis Gem & Gemma Tattersal, and Vegas des Boursons, also ridden by Livio, to move into third, fourth and fifth places respectively.
Though the cross-country was influential, the course seemed to reward forward, accurate riding. 19 pairs came home clean within the time, and only six of the 59 starters did not finish.
Find all scores here.
- Elizabeth Howell
