After the second half of the Dressage phase there was a switch of the top three riders. Leading the way going into the cross country is Germany’s Bettina Hoy riding Ringwood Cockatoo with an incredible low score of 28.8. Lucinda Fredericks from Australia sits next with Headley Britannia (32.3). Holding on to the third spot is our very own Buck Davidson and My Boy Bobby(39).

Overall very pleased with their tests it is cross country day that draws their attention now that they have the dressage out of the way. Bettina’s Cockatoo is a veteran who has been successful in many arenas over the years and his amazing score in dressage certainly has raised the bar for other riders.

“Cockatoo has been wonderful especially in this phase. He is a bit like a professor. We are like an old married couple. He seems to be getting better with getting older,” commented Bettina, who didn’t seem as surprised as I was about her score. “I had a 28 with him before but it was at a 3 star. This felt like the best test he has ever done. It felt very nice to ride.”

Going into the test Bettina was not tense. She’s ridden her mount forever and because “he is not a nervous horse” it certainly helps. “He is a cool customer that doesn’t get affected by atmosphere.” While Bettina did like the new arena she also said that it “felt very hot in there. Outside you felt a breeze but not in the arena.”

Lucinda refers to her mount as “Brits” and commented that she is a different horse and I have to work very hard. I like riding her but I don’t enjoy schooling her because she doesn’t give you a lot of feel. I’ve spent the last couple of days all over the park just trying to keep her amused. I feel that Brit and I are like the two old women. She is a professional now. I trust her to behave and I thoroughly enjoyed my test.”

Buck and Bobby are a different story. For them this is all new but Buck has been working with Bettina now for awhile and credits her help with some of the success he’s had with his horse. “This is Bobby’s first Four Star. He is a very nice horse to ride but unlike these two I was very nervous today,” he commented.

Focusing on the Cross Country

When the conversation turned to the cross country the riders had different viewpoints. For Belinda it is more about having fun and not about the results. “Cockatoo is 18 years old now and he doesn’t owe me anything. I owe him everything. Whatever happens in any competition we enter is okay. I feel that every competition he is doing now is a real bonus to me. If at any stage I feel he’s had enough I will stop.”

Lucinda spoke about the difficulty in the course that she’s already walked two times. “I am looking forward to riding it. The ground is fantastic, the course is beautifully presented, it’s fast, the fences are fair and there is plenty out there where we can make mistakes. I am a bit of a naughty one for taking too many pulls. To go fast without taking undo risks I am too old for that. The quarry is true Badminton quality and the last 7 or 8 fences are all true four-star material. It is going to take some jumping.”

While Buck realizes he and Bobby are up against two veterans, he still is going for it. “Hopefully I will give them a run for their money. We will see if he is a four-star horse. He is as good a jumper as there is. He is fit. I am not going to guarantee I am going to get the time but I am going to be close.”

I did walk the course today and I’ll provide more details in a separate story. It took a few hours to walk even with taking some shortcuts. So, imagine that the riders all do it at least twice and some even four or five times. They do that because they are the ones guiding the horse and in cross country knowing what you are doing when you are doing it and also being prepared to implement immediate decisions is what can often make the difference.

As always I welcome your questions and comments at dderosa1@optonline.net.