Competing in Normandie France , at the venue for the 2014 World Equestrian Games – Eventing Championship , Canadian Olympian Rebecca Howard took fourth place against a strong international field at the CIC3* in Le Grand Complet, Haras du Pin.
Howard, of Salmon Arm, BC, who currently lives and trains near Marlborough, GBR, was competing with her 2012 Olympic Games and 2010 World Equestrian Games partner Riddle Master, the 12-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding sired by Rodero, owned and bred by Blithe Hill Farm of Orangeville, ON.
Howard and Riddle Master completed the three days of competition adding just six cross country time penalties to their dressage score of 47.9 to give them a final score of 53.9 penalty points.
“My Goal at Haras was to have a good prep for CCI 4* Burghley Three Day Event, GBR September 5-8th. I wanted to have a slightly different preparation then the one before Badminton,” said Howard. “I continue to focus on improving his dressage and his ability to deal with the electric atmospheres. My thought going to Haras was to put him a higher pressure environment closer to Burghley, so we made the trip to France. Of course I was keen to go and preview the venue for next year and practice on some French soil.
“We did have a few mistakes in the Dressage, but he felt the same in the practice arena as the competition ring, so I was very pleased with that aspect.
Both jumping phases proved to be very influential, he could not have jumped any better in the show jumping, lending to one of our softest rounds to date. Cross country was a very stiff track, and once again he proved to be able to handle a style of track that we have not seen before with confidence … I think the both of us are feeling good and prepared going into Burghley!”
2012 Olympic teammate, Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON rode Pavarotti, her individual gold medalist partner at the 2011 Pan American Games, Don Good’s 11-year-old Westphalian gelding sired by Pavarotti V.D. Helle, to a 17th place finish on 79.0 penalties.
For complete competition results for Haras du Pins click here.
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