United States Eventing Association

Montgomery Leads The Event Rider Masters CIC3* at Bramham International After Dressage

Clark Montgomery (USA) riding Loughan Glen produced a stunning dressage test to take the lead on day 1 on the Event Rider Masters (ERM) competition at the EQUI-TREK Bramham International Horse Trials today. Scoring 36.5 penalty marks and despite a course error Montgomery goes into tomorrow morning’s showjumping phase in pole position with a two point lead.

Commenting following his dressage, Clark said;

“I am delighted with Loughan Glen’s performance, the atmosphere today in the arena actually helped him rather than made him tense. I don’t’ know what happened with my course error – I think I had a bit too much fun at the Bramham BBQ last night!”

The open distances of tomorrow’s cross-country should suit Glen, there are some big questions out there but it’s it will be our last run before Rio and the ERM prize money on offer is fantastic so I don’t plan to hang around”.

Bill Levett leads the way for the Australian’s following a superb test from Shannondale Titan scoring 39 penalties to put them into second.

Levett said;

“His test was really good today, I worked him for a bit longer as we had a bit of disaster at Chatsworth where he really got taken back by the atmosphere of the arena. But he’s a beautiful horse and it’s nice to do him justice and that everyone can enjoy him when he goes as nicely as he did today”.

Alex Hua Tian representing China was very happy with Don Geniro dressage, positioning him in third place on a mark of 40.

“Don has endless scope in the dressage and has changed a lot this last year. We were used to ‘floppy Don’, as he was a relaxed character, but he took us by surprise in the dressage at Chatsworth and was fresh, so we have changed his warm up routine and he’s certainly improved”

“Tomorrow’s cross-country should suit and it would be great to get a slice of the £50,000 up for grabs”!

The current leader of the ERM series ‘Flying Frenchman’ Astier Nicolas and Molakai is expected not to hang about in tomorrow’s cross-country. Lying just seven marks off the leader following their dressage and renowned for his swift cross-country performances, Astier along with his teammate Maxime Livio riding Pica D’Or currently lying in fourth with 40.8, France could once again dominate the ERM podium tomorrow.

The Brits played a strong hand in the dressage with four riders placed in the top ten. This includes 2015 Bramham CIC 3 star winners Nicola Wilson and Annie Clover who sit in equal sixth place along with Pippa Funnell and Mirage D’Elle on 42.3 penalty marks. Izzy Taylor and Be Touchable lie in equal eighth scoring 42.9 and Allstar B in tenth with 43.3.

Breathing down the neck of the leaders are New Zealanders Sir Mark Todd riding NZB Campino (42.2) and Jonelle Price with Faerie Dianimo (42.9) who currently lie in fifth and equal eighth place respectively. With the previous competition form indicating the likely winner could come from the top ten after dressage and the kiwi pair renowned for their solid cross-country form a New Zealander featuring on the podium tomorrow would be no surprise.

New for 2016, ERM incorporates six CiC *** Eventing competitions at venues across Great Britain with a total of £350,000 on offer across the series. The ERM competition can be viewed live on Saturday, when the competition culminates with the Showjumping and cross-country ran in reverse order. Free streaming can be viewed at www.eventridermasters.tv

For a full running order of ERM horses and riders and times and to live stream the competition visit www.eventridermasters.tv