Today is cross-country day at the Agria FEI European Eventing Championships, with the first rider — Switzerland’s Nadja Minder on Toblerone — due to leave the startbox at 11am.
Captain Mark Phillips has designed the 31-fence course, which covers undulating terrain and includes two river crossings.
When Your Horse asked the riders which fences they predict will be most influential, they were unanimous in saying that there will be problems all the way round.
The Suregrow Dew Pond (fence 6abc, pictured top), Subaru Sensation (11abc) in front of Blenheim Palace, the GFS Saddles Water (20abc) and the LeMieux Wedge (23ab), which Mark Phillips called “naughty” during our course walk with him, were all highlighted as interesting fences to watch.
How watch at home
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‘It’s a cumulative effect’
“I know it’s a get out card, but I think you’ll find problems all the way round,” said British team rider Tom McEwen, who lies third after dressage with JL Dublin.
“There will be people that will probably take alternatives and think, ‘Oh, this is easier’, and have problems like that. It’s a consecutive effect, for sure.”
Tom highlighted the Subaru Sensation, a large chest to two corners, as being “big and technical” and said “the waters are decent”.
He added: “It’s all the way around and it’s the little things, like the little skinny coming out the dip [LeMieux Wedge]. It’s meant to be a run jump fence, but it’s not a run, jump fence. You’ve always got to keep your keep your wits about you.”
‘A spiced up Blenheim’
“There are a few sneaky problems to be had anywhere,” agreed fellow British team rider Piggy March. “It’s a championship track; a spiced up Blenheim for sure. I think we’ll see bits and pieces spread out. Definitely a thrills and spills day — hopefully my thrill, not spill.
“I think it’s crafty coming out of the main water, over a little angled brush [GFS Saddles Water], which we jump lots of, but I think they’ve been very clever with the [position of a] flower pot coming out there.
“Then at the far end, the oxer to the corner [FEI Mounds, 22ab], and even the coffin [Cross-Country App Wooded Hollow, 25abc], which just is a rail to a ditch on its own, but we could easily have a pin.
“We haven’t had [the Suregrow Dew Pond] in for ages, so it’s cool to have it back, but you have to take notice of the pins and flags, which are all a part of the sport that we all have to think about.”
‘Typical Mark Phillips’
Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy described it as “a serious track”.
“It’s an easy enough start to let the horses breathe and get into a good rhythm, but when you come up to the main arena and out onto the front lawn there, it really smacks you in the face,” he said.
“It’s very typical Mark Phillips. He puts you on one line and you have to accept a lot of angle and there’s no deviation from it. I think we’re going to see plenty mistakes. It’s a championship and it’s going to be good sport.”
Italy’s Daniele Bizzarro also predicts that this phase will be influential.
“It is very tough compared to normal Blenheim,” he said. “They’ve definitely beefed it up. From fence number 10, there are 11 or 12 fences in a row that are very intense, lots of big efforts.
“I think horses that have got a big, rangy canter and lots of scope will really benefit from it.
“Mine struggles a little bit with the distances, but we’ve got alternatives if we want to make it a bit easier for our horses.”
‘Time will be a factor’
Tom McEwen also believes that time-penalties will be plentiful.
“It’s wheeled 10mins 1secs officially, but I would say it feels more like a 10mins 15secs course,” said Tom.
“Time will definitely be a factor. Two things that are positive is the ground is going to be very good and the distances are very positive, so there will be a few rounds that make it look as easy as horses should be able to make it look, while others find the time a harder.”
He added that the distances are big and “ultra positive”.
“With the Captain’s courses, if you can get into his flow and his state of mind, it’s a really positive way of going,” added Tom.
“The ground is perfect, but the consecutive effect of so many combinations and little bits everywhere, it’s a really interesting course and hopefully people on the outside will see it for how good a job he’s done.”
‘We’ll need a bit of luck’
Belgium’s Lara De Liedekerke-Meier, lying fifth after dressage with Hooney D’Arville, believes riders will “need a bit of luck” on their sides.
“It’s really attacking. I had a chat with Captain Mark yesterday, and he said, ‘Are you surprised?’ I said, no, I’m not,” said Lara.
“All the lines are asking for forward riding, but it’s really clear for the horses. If we trust our horses it should be fine, but, as always in sport, we will need a bit of luck too.”
