After sailing through the pre competition trot ups, the British team have got off to a flying start in the dressage at the World Equestrian Games. The first half of the British quartet have now ridden their grand prix tests.
Fiona Bigwood aboard Wie Atlantico pulled out all the stops for a 70.12% test. Despite some small mistakes, such a loss of rythum at the end of the first extended trot, Fiona and the Wie Weltmeyer sired gelding managed great changes and a solid passage tour, even if the piaffe was occasionally lacking jump.
Her score puts her in fourth place overnight and was a fabulous start to team GB's dressage ambitions at these games.
Second and final British rider of the day, Maria Eilberg also put in a solid performance with Two Sox for a score of 68.213%. As Maria explains in the audio interview above, Two Sox - or 'Ed' - had a slight virus after the flight over to the US, so Maria had to walk him for a few days in the run up to the team competition.
The two scores but the GB team into bronze medal position overnight with the big guns Laura Bechtolsheimer (Mistral Hojris) and Carl Hester (Liebling) still to ride tomorrow.
Overnight lead is held by Imke Schellekens-Bartels aboard, Hunter Douglas Sunrise. Sunrise danced her way to a score of 73.447% with a beautiful and fluid test, with just one mistake in the canter zigzag.
Hans Peter Minderhoud, whose lovely horse Exquis Nadine put in a much more settled performance than at Hickstead this summer, lies in third overnight. The mare was still swinging left and right with the front legs in the piaffe, but the excellent quality of the passage was a real highlight.
Their placings secure The Netherlands the overnight lead with Germany in second place. German Christoph Koschel lies in second on 72.638 with Donnperignon (two judges gave him a higher score than the leader) while compatriot Annabel Balkehol on 67.702% secures the Germans the silver position for now.
But team GB are in touching distance. Be sure to watch the culmination of the team dressage on the BBC red button at 7pm.
For full results, click here.
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