Following three intense days of competition, Canadian Eventing veteran Rebecca Howard claimed her place among the top 10 at the prestigious CCI 4* Luhmühlen, held June 18-21 in Germany.
Howard, originally from British Columbia and now training in Great Britain, was the only Canadian in the 38-rider start list. Aboard Riddle Master, a 14-year-old bay Canadian Sport Horse gelding (Rodero x Eyes to Rule), owned and bred by fellow Canadian Caroline Bazley of Blithe Hill Farm, she laid down a solid performance in dressage on the opening day of competition. Their score of 42.50 would land them in 15th position and set the stage for an impressive move up the ranks in the coming days.
A spectacular double-clear cross-country performance on day two helped the pair jump five spots in the standings and crack the top 10, a position they would have to fight to keep thanks to a challenging final day of competition.
That challenge came courtesy of a difficult and technical show jumping track, set by Britain’s Mark Phillips. Howard and Riddle Master handled the questions well, but suffered an unlucky rail and came in just over the tight time allowed to finish with five faults, bringing their total score to 47.50 penalties at the close of the competition, and securing their 10th place finish.
“I’m very happy with Riddle Master, and very pleased to have him back at the 4* level and feeling so on form,” said Howard of her 2012 London Olympic Games partner, who recently returned to competition following an injury at the Badminton Horse Trials last May. “The dressage continues to be a work in progress, but he is getting more consistent and I am feeling closer to being able to show off what he can do at home. Cross-country he is pretty perfect. I would have been happier without the rail in stadium, it was a rather cheap rail at the triple bar of all fences. He was full of spunk on Sunday morning and I think he was just as happy as I was to be back at a big event. He is a worker and really enjoys his job.”
Germany’s own Ingrid Klimke secured the win with a final score of 32.70 aboard FRH Escada JS. Jonelle Price of New Zealand, riding Faerie Dianimo, came closest to catching the pair, earning 32.80 and a second-place finish. Fellow German Michael Jung and La Biosthetique-Sam FBW rounded out the top three with their score of 34.20.
Full results from the CCI 4* Luhmühlen can be found here.
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