Fresh from Thomas’ fabulous Maryland win, Oliver went straight on to Les Etoiles de Pau with Kentucky winner Cooley Rosalent and 5* debutants Crazy du Loir and En Taro Des Vernier.
The more experienced Cooley Rosalent, not surprisingly, did the best dressage test to lie in second place on 24.6. En Taro des Vernier scored an exciting 29.4 and Crazy du Loir 36.3 after mistakes in the flying changes.
All three horses jumped clear around a very wet and muddy cross-country, which had 10 fences removed over night due to the conditions. ‘Rosie’ was the last round the track, enduring the worst of the going and slipping a few places down the order due to time penalties after jumping clear, finishing in 16th place at the close of play.
Crazy du Loir was the one to showjump clear, moving up the leaderboard to finish 17th. Three down for En Taro des Vernier put him in 28th place – out of over 70 starters a great result for the 5* first timers, and another solid result for Cooley Rosalent.
Oliver and Crazy du Loir © Hannah Cole