Luhmühlen Is Canter's to Lose

Ros Canter and Izilot are thisclose to adding a second five star title to their resume.

The British Olympic team gold medalist and reigning European champion stormed around a wet cross-country course at the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI5*-L on Saturday, adding just two time penalties to her dressage score with Izilot DHI (26.9).

“I’m absolutely delighted, Izilot felt so grown up today,” said the world no. 3.

“He’s brave and he’s genuine, sometimes he gets a little spooky, and he was at the beginning but then he really settled down and he gave me [a brilliant] ride. He was fantastic all the way around, absolutely on point today.”

Mike Etherington Smith’s influential five-star course saw Canter’s countrymen Tom McEwen and Laura Collett fall out of the top three. But Britain continues to dominate, taking up six spots in the top 10 on the overnight leaderboard. (Full results here.)

Moving into second on 35.5 penalties is Ireland’s Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes, one of only four horse-rider combinations to finish without time-faults.

“My horse is just great. I’ve had her for six years and we’ve worked our way up the levels. She’s just the best horse I could ever wish for, she’s just amazing!”

Just 0.1 penalties behind (35.6), Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier added four time penalties to her dressage score to work her way up the leaderboard into third place.

“I’m totally overwhelmed! Hooney d’Arville is now a five-star horse. She is such a fighter, I’m so happy!”

Canter has two rails and change in hand heading into Sunday’s final show jumping round and a perfect show jumping record weighing in their favor. In 18 show jumping rounds at international events, they’ve never pulled a rail.