Rebecca Howard rode her Olympic partner, Riddle Master, to a sixth place finish in the CICO 3* division at Fontainebleau, FRA, held March 21-24, 2013.

Riddle Master, a 12-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding owned by Blithe Hill Farm, and Howard, originally of Salmon Arm, BC, were awarded 41.0 penalties for a personal best dressage test. The pair then added 5.2 cross country time penalties and had one rail down for four show jumping penalties to finish with a score of 50.2 for sixth place overall out of 78 entries.

“Riddle Master was super all week,” said Howard who is now based at Maizey Manor in Marlborough, England. “He is turning into such a professional. After a winter of training with new people and getting my bearings in a new country, it feels really good to go out and have a successful and confident competition against a strong field.

“Riddle Master feels great and I am trying my best to soak up as much as I can from the people and sport over here to keep improving,” she added.

The CICO 3* division was won by the reigning Olympic and World Equestrian Games gold medalist Michael Jung of Germany.

In North America, over the March 21-24 weekend, Canadians attended the Poplar Place Farm March CIC 2* and CIC 1* International Horse Trials in Hamilton, GA. Howard’s fellow Olympian, Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, rode A Little Romance, Don Leschied’s eight-year-old Thoroughbred cross gelding, to fifth place in the CIC 2* division, finishing on a score of 72.80. Kyle Carter of Calgary, AB, riding FR’s Trust Fund, the rider’s seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, finished in eighth place. Phoenix also placed 11th riding her eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood cross mare, Executive Decision.

In the CIC 1* division, Lauren Clark, 17, of Uxbridge, ON, rode her own eight-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred mare, Coolumn XV, to sixth place overall. The duo added only four jumping penalties to their dressage score of 54.10 to finish with a final score of 58.10. Tenth place went to Jamie Kellock, 18, of Cedar Valley, ON, who had a final score of 65.30 riding her own eight-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred mare, Don’t Blink. Rounding out the top 12 in the CIC 1* division was Stephanie Calvert of Carp, ON, riding Denver, the rider’s 11-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, with a final score of 68.60.

For complete results, please visit CICO 3* Fontainebleau and Poplar Place Farm March Horse Trials.