British rider Bubby Upton, 26, and her 18-year-old Dutch stallion Cannavaro took the lead at Les Étoiles de Pau with an improved dressage score of 25.6, up from 33.0 last year. Upton also holds sixth place with another horse, It’s Cooley Time. Close behind in second place, tied at 26.1, are fellow British riders Tom McEwen with Brookfield Quality and Oliver Townend with the highly decorated Ballaghmore Class, who has an impressive record including wins at Maryland, Kentucky, and Burghley.
Rounding out the top five are New Zealand’s Tim Price with Jarillo and Abigail Long with Henton Audacious. The competition now moves to the demanding cross-country phase, featuring 30 obstacles designed by Pierre Michelet, which will test the riders’ skill and luck on this iconic course. Full event results are available on the official website.
