Hoy heads Blenheim field
Germany’s former European champion Bettina Hoy underlined her flair for dressage with a 6.5 penalty lead at the Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships.
Hoy, on Athens Olympic ride Ringwood Cockatoo held the advantage over Britain’s Pippa Funnell and Ensign.
Hoy, 42, won the Luhmuehlen four star three-day event, Germany’s equivalent of Badminton, in July with her grey, a vastly more experienced campaigner compared to Funnell’s 10-year-old Ensign.
Funnell conceded this was her mount’s “biggest test by far”, adding: “This is his best ever dressage result by a long way.”
Funnell and her mother Jenny Nolan bought Ensign over three years ago.
She recalled: “He was a cheap and cheerful racing reject, to sell on, but although three people tried him, nobody wanted to buy him.
“I can understand why he was too slow for racing, he might win a beach race with a donkey, he is so laid-back, but I love him to bits.”
Ensign, attempting his third three star event, was second at the Dutch Championships in Boekelo a year ago.
William Fox-Pitt, last weekend’s Burghley winner, was best placed of Britain’s team, taking fourth with Tamarillo to help the home side into second place behind Germany at the halfway dressage stage.
