Eighty four horses vetted in the Young horse 119k world Championship today at Compiegne France.The grounds became crowded compared to preceding days as the entrants and crews arrived for the climaxing event here
Everyone gathered in the big dining tent to sample the finest buffet I have ever enjoyed with more variety of food and desserts than I knew existed. All prepared by a staff of top notch chefs and complete with ample bottles of wine on each table.
During the vetting in a thunder storm interrupted things for about twenty minutes.the ground is wet but the footing is sand over clay and the mud isn't deep and footing will be good, and speeds are expected to be fast. The quality an depth of talent was evident in the team 160 k championship with 15 horses finishing under ten hours.Start is 7am,
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KIDSON LORNA of GBR took the lead and held it to take a seven minute lead in the first 30K loop averaging 17.5 k per hour.
Although recent winners of championship rides have nearly always come from mid pack with a seriss of negative splits to take the lead late, she's going against conventional wisdom, the very strong field of french horses, and has held on thru the second vet gate.
From the confident look in her eye and the look of her horse she just might pull it off.
Over Twenty horses are within ten minutes of the leader at this point following the second vet check so as they say, its anyones race.
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In an exciting climax,nine riders left the final vet gate 3, within six minutes of each other, all at a hand gallop.
Stephanie Arnal of France riding a modest size grey Stallion was in first,followed by Romua Theisman of Belgium who was a large man on a large chestnut.
The finish was on a turf course in front of hundreds of spectators. it was Jean Frances of France who romped into view with hammer down, followed closely by Stephanie Arnal, finishing in 6:18 having run the last loop of 21kilometers in an average of 24 k per hour and 18;5 k for the day. it would be another 10 minutes before 3rd place Romua Theisman crossed the line for third.
All watched the carefully scrutinized trots for completion and Jean had to retrot before the jury of vets gave the thumbs up to a roar of the crowd.
What a race, great photos to follow.
Hi from France,
Sephanne Arrnal riiding Liana el Baraka, the second place horse, took the Best Condition. It seems her horse was a mare, not a stallion, as I previously reported.
your correspondent in France
David kaden
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