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<\/a><\/p>\nStuart Tinney and Pluto Mio<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The short arena grading\/ watering break saw us entertained by \u201cBongo Cam\u201d Yes\u2026.Bongo Cam. Imagine if you will \u201cKissing Cam\u201d like you see at American baseball games but here cartoon bongo drums are superimposed on the big screen and people play them as the camera passes over the crowd. I\u2019m not sure how successful it was, to be honest, but we\u2019ll see if it makes a return!<\/p>\n Bongo Cam<\/em><\/p>\n Pippa Funnell from Team GB was first on after the break and she had Billy the Biz swinging along quite nicely for a clean test but was that one of those sneaky sliding stops from yesterday I saw at the end? Her final score was 43.9.<\/p>\n Pippa Funnell and Billy the Biz<\/em><\/p>\n Alice Naber-Lozeman from Holland rode Peter Parker through a clean test with some super flying changes. That must be Peter\u2019s party trick as he was happy to throw in some one tempis on the final centreline. Unfortunately, no extra marks for such skill! 46.2 was their final score.<\/p>\n Alice Naber-Lozeman and\u00a0Peter Parker<\/em><\/p>\n Kiwi Clarke Johnstone is such a lovely rider, but his big grey Balmoral Sensation just seemed a little bit too laid back today. It was rhythmic and correct, but just lacking in a bit of bounce. Oh but what fabulous changes! They walked away with 46.5.<\/p>\n Kiwi Clarke Johnstone and\u00a0Balmoral Sensation<\/em><\/p>\n Late call up for Germany Julia Krajewski and Samouri du Thot didn\u2019t let the team down putting in a solid performance. Low early marks brought the score down a bit for a final result of 44.8. Poor Julia, usually the Germans are so well organised that they get to do a European Champs before a Games, but the 28 year old was tossed in the deep end, and was perhaps a bit over-awed.<\/p>\n Julia Krajewski and Samouri du Thot<\/em><\/p>\n Alex Hua Tian from China was first to go after lunch on Don Geniro and the big horse lived up to his dressage lineage with an extraordinary trot. Unfortunately a few little mistakes, like a break in the first extended trot hindered their progress. Alex is a lovely, supple-backed rider and the pair finished their test on an impressive 42.4.<\/p>\n Alex Hua Tian and\u00a0Don Geniro<\/em><\/p>\n Karin Donckers from Belgium is an old hand at the Olympics, this being her sixth. She started competing internationally back in 1992. The accuracy of her test and her ability to not give away a point is a dead give away of that experience. She and Fletcha Van\u2019t Verahof finished their test on 41.1.<\/p>\n Karin Donckers and\u00a0Fletcha Van\u2019t Verahof<\/em><\/p>\n The last French rider was as beautiful to watch as his fellow countrymen. Mathieu Lemoine had Bart L through, rhythmic, accurate; they didn\u2019t put a foot wrong. Must be that good Dutch dressage breeding. They shot up the rankings to third on 39.2.<\/p>\n Mathieu Lemoine and Bart L<\/em><\/p>\n Shane Rose and CP Qualified were a few combinations later. The horse was super loose\u2026almost a little too much at first, but Shane got things together to produce a smooth test, although the judge at C seemed to have her mean pants on. We thought it was lovely though and so did the other judges which allowed for a final result of 42.5.<\/p>\n Shane Rose and CP Qualified<\/em><\/p>\n The last of the Dutch riders Merel Blom\u2019s partner Rumour Has It seemed a bit put out to have to do the dressage and not go straight to the cross country. The exuberant gelding bolted after every flying change which unfortunately saw them right down the list on 54.4.<\/p>\n Ingrid, wonderful Ingrid! Such an extraordinary rider on not such a flash pony but so correct was the riding that they finished on 39.5 and fourth place. Luckily Hale Bob saved his excitement for after the test where he celebrated his great score with some leaps of joy!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n