Great Britain’s Mary King is the one to beat in tomorrow’s final jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™. The Devon-based rider holds the lead aboard Kings Temptress while the Portuguese-bred Fernhill Urco is two penalties behind in second.

“I never dreamed that I would be in this position when I left England,” said King. “They are two very different horses. Kings Temptress is very experienced at this level and was fluent all the way round. Fernhill Urco has no experience at this level and he was a bit green at the first water but he improved the further he went.”

A clear jumping round for 2.8 time penalties sees Australia’s Clayton Fredericks in third with Be My Guest, a rise of seven places through the scoreboard following the Dressage.

“The first time I walked the course this week it was under water but today I thought it was perfect going,” said Fredericks. “After watching Mary spin round inside the time I thought the ground was going to be fast but actually it did take its toll, particularly later in the day.”

America’s hopes rest with Sinead Halpin, whose inexperience at this level did not show as she steered Manoir De Carneville home clear to move into fourth place.

“I was excited when I walked the course because I thought it would really suit my horse,” said Halpin. “I felt he was well prepared coming here as we went to Boekelo last fall and he coped with the heavy ground and large crowds.”

Final statistics showed that just three of the 41 starters — Kings Temptress, Hannah Sue Burnett’s St Barths (fifth) and Jessica Phoenix’s Exponential (eighth) — completed within the 11min 11secs optimum time while eight combinations were eliminated and three horses were retired. There were several falls, including Dressage leader Tiana Coudray (Ringwood Magister), third-placed Allison Springer (Arthur) and William Coleman (Twizzel) who was well placed in fifth.

Questions were spread throughout Derek Di Grazia’s 28-fence track and 12 of the finishers did so with jumping faults to add. Notable riders to be penalised included Badminton champion Mark Todd when Grass Valley ran past the first of two offset brushes three from home while Great Britain’s James Alliston incurred 20 penalties in the final water when Jumbo’s Jake refused. Todd is currently lying in 18th place.

Course-designer Derek Di Grazia commented that the final figures “look fine to me. There was a lot to do out there and riders had to concentrate from the first fence all the way to the end”.

Results

1 Kings Temptress/Mary King (GBR) 47.7 + 0 = 47.7; 2 Fernhill Urco/Mary King (GBR) 41.7 + 8 = 49.7; 3 Be My Guest/Clayton Fredericks (AUS) 50.2 + 2.8 = 53; 4 Manoir De Carneville/Sinead Halpin (USA) 48.7 + 4.4 = 53.1; 5 St Barths/Hannah Sue Burnett (USA) 53.3 + 0 = 53.3; 6 Neuf Des Coeurs/William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 53.2 + 0.8 = 54; 7 ODT Sonas Rovatio/Oliver Townend (GBR) 55.8 + 2.4 = 58.2; 8 Exponential/Jessica Phoenix (CAN) 60 + 0 = 60; 9 Remington XXV/Boyd Martin (USA) 49 + 12.4 = 61.4; 10 Tipperary Liadhnan/Kim Severson (USA) 48.5 + 14 = 62.5.

Photographs: Free high-resolution photographs for editorial use only will be available at: www.feiphotos.org

HSBC FEI Classics™ Calendar of Events in 2011
1. 21-25 April - Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR)
2. 28 April-1 May - Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (USA) 
3. 16-19 June - Luhmühlen presented by E.ON Avacon (GER)
4. 1-4 September - Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR)
5. 13-16 October - Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA) 

HSBC FEI Classics™ Leaderboard in 2011 (after 1 out of 5 events)
1 Mark Todd (NZL) 15 points
2 Piggy French (GBR) 12 points
3 Mary King (GBR) 10 points
4 Sam Griffiths (AUS) 8 points
5 Niklas Lindback (SWE) 6 points
6 Caroline Powell (NZL) 5 points
7 Nicola Wilson (GBR) 4 points
8 Laura Collett (GBR) 3 points
9 Marina Köhncke (GER) 2 points
10 Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 1 point

HSBC Training Bursary:
HSBC, the platinum partner of FEI and global sponsor of Eventing, has supported the HSBC FEI Classics™ since 2008 and is the title sponsor.

At the centre of this sponsorship is a commitment to the development of the sport of Eventing at every level.

HSBC has introduced a Training Bursary, which is a unique award presented to the highest placed rider at each HSBC FEI Classics™ leg who completes a 4* event for the very first time.

The winning rider receives a training voucher to the value of $1,000, which is spent on sessions with a trainer of the athletes’ choice approved by the FEI and National Federation.

Notes to editors:

HSBC FEI Classics™ prize money
Over the next three years, HSBC will be contributing US$1 million in prize money, which represents the biggest prize fund on offer in Eventing on an annual basis.

At the end of the season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected among the five HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011 events are awarded their share of a total prize pot of US$333,000, split as follows:

1st US$150,000 (Series Champion)
2nd US$75,000
3rd US$50,000
4th US$33,000
5th US$25,000

The HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 season will begin at Les Etoiles de Pau CCI 4* (FRA) on 12-16 October 2011. This is also the location for the final leg of the 2011 season. Competitors therefore have the unique opportunity to secure points for both the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011 and 2012 seasons by competing at Les Etoiles de Pau.

1.    Les Etoiles de Pau CCI 4* (FRA) - 12-16 October 2011
2.    Australian International 3 Day Event (AUS) - 18-20 November 2011
3.    Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA) -  26-29 April 2012
4.    Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) - 4-7 May 2012
5.    Luhmühlen CCI 4* presented by E.ON (GER) - 14-17 June 2012
6.    The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) - 30 August-2 September 2012

HSBC FEI Classics™ Final Standings for 2010
1 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 39 points - US$ 150,000 (Series champion)
2 Andreas Dibowski (GER) 37 - $75,000
3 Caroline Powell (NZL) 21 - $ 50,000
4 Mary King (GBR) 18 - $33,000
5 Paul Tapner (AUS) 15 - $25,000
(Full standings on www.fei.org)

Photo caption: Mary King (GBR) is lying in both first and second position after the Cross-Country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™. © Amy Dragoo/FEI