Tom McEwen puts in fast round to take the lead as Blenheim Europeans cross-country day continues

Tom McEwen has put in the fastest round so far over the Agria Blenheim European Championships cross-country course, becoming the first British rider to complete the track and taking the lead at this stage.

Tom piloted Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin through a very economical round, bringing him to each fence on a great take-off spot with seemingly minimal adjustment and they finished with just 6.8 time-penalties. They were initially given 15 penalties for a flag penalty at the corner at the FEI Mounds (fence 22ab), which were quickly removed.

“I’m delighted with ‘Dubs’. He was superb throughout. He cruised around. It’s lovely being on a five-star pony on a four-star track. He was reading all the lines and the combinations near the palace were actually just a bit of fun, really, for him. So I was rather spoiled to be on top of him,” said Tom.

Tom added that he was advised to let the speed build round the track, rather than let Dubs’ follow his natural desire to run on at the start.

“There are plenty of hills, plenty of combinations to jump towards the end, so it’s keeping some petrol in the tank,” he said, adding that the positive, forward distances suited him and Dubs.

After the elimination of Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ) and Piggy March (Halo), the first two riders for the British team, which runs in partnership with Agria, Tom was riding soley for individual honours.

Talking about that situation, Tom said: “It’s like we’re taking penalties, so we are all supportive of each other, but technically we’re taking care of our own penalty, so you only need to focus on yourself. I thought all three girls [including individual Caroline Harris] rode fantastic rounds. And some days, as I’ve definitely experienced, are not your days.”

JL Dublin skipped slightly into the triple bar on a mound into The Suregrow Dew Pond (fence 6abc), before a foot-perfect trip through the arena fences, the Joules Pavilion and Palace View tables (fences eight and nine) and the shoulder brushes at the Agria Angles (fence 10abc)

Tom rode a beautiful flowing line into the big box on the brink of the hill at the BE Support Trust Healing Garden (fence 17ab), before hailing a cab over the narrow hedge into the lake at the Subaru Splash (fence 17c/18ab).

The rider brought JL Dublin back to make sure of a careful five strides to the corner in the water at the GFS Saddles Water (fence 20abc), where team-mate Piggy March fell. He then rode a moving four strides through the FEI Mounds, the fence where Tom’s compatriots Yasmin Ingham and Caroline Harris fell earlier today.

He took the alternative at the CrossCountry App Wooded Hollow (fence 25abc), which adds an extra jumping element with two skinnies rather than one before the ditch, but very little time.

Tom was in individual bronze position after dressage. Those 6.8 time-penalties over the Blenheim European Championships cross-country course open the door for other riders to get ahead of Tom McEwen, but the clock is proving a real challenge for riders today, so it’s quite possible he will still be in contention for a medal at the end of the day.

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