Oli Townend tops the HSBC FEI Classic™ table

Townend tops the HSBC FEI Classic™ table

Putting his disappointing show jumping round behind him, Oliver Townend still triumphed overall in the Final of the HSBC FEI Classics™ series, riding Andrew Cawthray’s Carousel Quest at Les Etoiles De Pau in France (22-25 October). Oliver took home around £92,000 in prize money to his new Shropshire base. Grey is fast looking to be Oliver’s lucky colour as another of Andrew’s greys, the French bred Neo Du Breuil came home in second place with Oliver in the CIC2*.

Lucy Wiegersma finished top of the British riders in 4^th place in the hotly contested HSBC FEI Classic™ final in the last CCI4* of the year with her Blenheim winner Granntevka Prince, owned by Geraldine Mills.

Lucy says: “We decided to take up the chance to compete at Pau off the back of our Blenheim result and to capitalise on the good run he has had so far.

“He did a really pleasing test with a couple of minor errors; was fantastic across country, on a very technical course.

“I was a bit frustrated with our show jumping round (8 penalties) as he is such a good jumper, but he does get a little tense, which will improve with experience. I went out there aiming for a top five result so I was really pleased.  Our plan for next year is to head for Luhmühlen.”

William Fox-Pitt had an unfortunate run-out across country with his own and Jane Keir’s Macchiatio, who won Luhmühlen earlier this year. This incurred 20 time penalties which unfortunately dropped him out of contention to maintain his HSBC FEI Classics™ title for another year, ultimately finishing in 4^th place on the final table.

Among the British riders to complete the four star competition were Clea Phillipps on her own, her husband Vere Phillipp’s and Judy Barnard’s Lead the Way (14^th place) and Natasha Halliday on her own Viva La Diva II (22^nd place).

The final rider results from the CCI4* are as follows:

1 Dirk Schrade/King Artus (GER) 46.7 + 0.8 + 1 = 48.5
2 Andreas Dibowski/Euroridings Butts Leon (GER) 43.8 + 4.8 + 0 = 48.6
3 Pascal Leroy/Minos de Petra (FRA) 49.7 + 0.4 + 12 = 62.1
4 Lucy Wiegersma/Granntevka Prince (GBR) 47.5 + 8.4 + 8 = 63.9
5 Jean Teulere/Matelot du Grand Val (FRA) 54.8 + 1.6 + 8 = 64.4
6 Rodolphe Scherer/Fairfax (FRA) 53.8 + 9.2 + 4 = 67.0
7 Gwendolen Fer/Leria du Ter (FRA) 64.2 + 0 + 4 = 68.2
8 Oliver Townend/Carousel Quest (GBR) 42.5 + 0.8 + 28 = 74.3
9 Gianluca Gardini/Lion Dancer (ITA) 59.5 + 12.4 + 4 = 75.9
10 Susanna Bordone/Ava (ITA) 47.5 + 17.2 + 8/6 = 78.7

The Final Standings of the 2009 HSBC FEI CLASSICS™

1 Oliver Townend (GBR) 36 points
2 Dirk Schrade (GER) 25
3 Andreas Dibowski (GER) 24
4 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 21
5 Sam Griffiths (AUS) 20
6 Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) 19
7 Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) 15
8 Michael Jung (GER) 15
9 Bettina Hoy (GER) 12
10 Phillip Dutton (USA) 12

For more details go to www.event-pau.fr or www.feitv.org/page/Live/0,,12664,00.html