October 27, 2023 
World no. 5 Tom McEwen stormed into the CCI5*-L lead at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, France on Friday aboard 12-year-old Holsteiner, JL Dublin.
The pair wowed the judges from the start, earning four nines for their medium and extended canters, and never dropping below 7.5 scores throughout the test. Their 23.1 score puts them atop the provisional leaderboard after dressage.
“Wow Dubs!!” wrote McEwen on Instagram. “What an incredible test. Without a doubt the best we have done together. So proud of him.”
JL Dublin was brought up through the grades by Nicola Wilson. McEwen successfully took over the ride after Wilson’s fall at Badminton last spring. The pair rode to a second place finish in their first five star ride in Kentucky earlier this year and have taken the runner up position on the podium in three of their six FEI appearances together.
McEwen won the Pau 5* in 2019 aboard Toledo de Kerser.
Two fellow Brits came closest to challenging McEwen for the lead. World no. 2 and reigning European champion Ros Canter lies just over a mark behind, aboard Izilot DHI on 24.3 penalties while eventing veteran Pippa Funnell is three points adrift on MCS Maverick (26.4).
Both horses are competing in their first 5 star events but have had great “warm up” runs this season. Izilot DHI won the CCI 4*-L at Blenheim last month. MCS Maverick took the honors at the CCI 4*-L at Bramham in June.
Both riders are also in the top 10 on their second mounts. Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel sit in 8th on 28.3. Funnell and Billy Walk On are currently 10th on 29.6.
Diachello, ridden by New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell, is half a penalty behind Funnell in fourth, finishing on 26.9. He is joined in the top ten by fellow New Zealanders Tim Price, yesterday’s leader with Viscount Viktor (6th), and Samantha Lissington (9th) with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ.
The world no. 1, Oliver Townend (GBR) completes the top five; riding Tregilder, on whom he retired on the cross country at Burghley after a tack malfunction.
“He’s a very big horse and he’s a little bit of a worrier,” said Townend. “Dressage is not something he finds easy but he continues to improve and tried his hardest.”
Great Britain and New Zealand have a monopoly on the top ten but America’s Phillip Dutton attained his ambition to gain a sub 30 score and is lying 12th on Z with a score of 29.9. Boyd Martin and Fedarman B are still in the hunt on 31.7 penalties, leaving them 16th, while Alexandra Knowles (Morswood) and Cosby Green (Copper Beach) and 28th and 35th respectively.
Fifty-five combinations are set to tackle cross country on Saturday.
“It may be a flat track, but it’s probably the best flat track in the world,” said Townend. “Everything is there to slow you down—the long three strides turn into short four strides—every time you take back you waste two or three seconds, and time is likely to be very important tomorrow. There are some truly world class horses here this year and they will take everything to beat.”
