Went to the cross country day of the three star at Saumur yesterday and Zara was competing. Not on Toytown though, on Red Baron. Is that because of Toytown not being papered we wondered?
She was lying third after the dressage so hopes were high, but got a refusal in the cross country that did for her. The time was very tight and all the riders were going like stink to make it. Rodney Powell did excellently and ended up second (provisional placing) at the end of the day. Nicolas Toussaint who I think is the local hero was provisional first.
Interesting thing for us was that all the other riders spent ten minutes warming up in the warm-up area before they started, but Zara just walked in two minutes before her time, walked a few circles and went. Allan thought maybe the butler or some other flunky did the warming up for her?
Hilary

I was able to catch some of the Saumur CC last night on Equidia & did see Zara's ride. I think I get your last dry remark about her butler, but as an American I won't touch that subject any further - I'll be curious to read some British comments, though!! Seriously, though, are there contrary opinions about her talent, "family connections," etc.?? Also, what do you mean about her other horse's unpapered status? Is an unpapered horse prohibited from competing in France?

I've always LOVED watching the cross part of the 3 Day Event - mainly because I admire the bravery of the riders (since I wouldn't have the courage to do it myself). And those marvelous horses!! What heart they must have, to give their all in such a demanding sport.

It doesn't actually matter if a foreign horse is papered or not as long as it is competed in an international competition with a foreign rider. So, that couldn't have been the reason for Toytown not competing. I think it might have more to do with the fact that he was meant to do Badminton and therefore not entered for Saumur. After the decision not to run him at Badminton it would have been too late to enter him for Saumur after all.
The 'papers' issue is only important in national competitions.

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Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!

That's probably a bit harsh. Some horses get way over excited in the warm up ring - there were a couple at Badminton being warmed up a long way from any other horse - the commentator remarked on it and the reason why.

It wasn't clear whether you meant before the cc or before the dressage, but I know from running affiliated dressage that senior competitors know to the minute how long their horse needs - woe betide you if your classes slip even 3 minutes. Sue

Zara showed what she is......a moderate rider with so much money behind her. I was there and watched her go, although I didn't see the stops. The course was not an up to height 3*, and she still looked average. The horse is magnificent....but she rode the fence I saw (curving post and rails to a skinny house) badly. I suspect that the horse has got fed up getting her out of jail. Unlike Toytown, who is a saint.
Toytown will be papered, she had two horses entered for Saumur so couldn't take three. Tho' I dunno what happened to the 2* horse.
Lucy Wiegersma was superb, accurate at every fence.
Sadly I am horrified by some of the French riding again. Nicolas Touzaint is an arrogant brat, screaming and yelling his way around the end of the course, gobbing his horse in the teeth on the approach to the fence.......
There are some beautiful horses bred over here, why are they taking so long to learn to ride them well...............

Is he the bloke that sometimes drops the reins completely at the end of xcountry and leaves the poor horse abandoned to cross the line unguided? I was not impressed.

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cheers

Yup, that's him...........
He's the son of the chef d'equipe for the French team so is another one with the job set up for him.

No, he's the nephew of Thierry Touzaint, but then again, that probably still doesn't change much in terms of favouritism....

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Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!

I've been misinformed re his nepotic connections then.
To be honest, I really don't care how wealthy or well-connected riders are, good on them as it is a very difficult sport to do without a few quid. But what bugs me is wealth and/or priviledged circumstances allowing an easy passage to the top of the tree without the talent to be there in the first place.
I know how hard these riders work, and the sacrifices they make to get to where they are. WFP had as much as he needed behind him to start off, but he is a very talented and hardworking rider, achieving results on all manner of horses. But the likes of the Kiwi and Aussie riders that came over, they all sold up in their homeland to pursue their dreams as event riders, and it is sheer graft and talent that has put them where they are.

Your terminology is correct tho' - nepotism orginally referred to the favouritism of uncles towards their nephews.....