2004 Olympic Games - Eventing

French Touzaint In the Lead After Eventing Dressage

Photos copyrighted: Cealy Tetley - Tetleyphoto.com

A fireworks of 90's and 10's on the scoring board shot the French 24 years old Nicolas Touzaint in the lead after the dressage competition of Eventing. With a total of 29.4 points for Galan de Sauvagere, the European Champion and his grey Selle Francais awed the spectators at Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre. He received a 10 from all three judges for his extend trot. "he was simply irreproachable," said Touzaint at the press conference following the competition. "Galan de Sauvagere is a very tempered horse, very concentrated."

In runner-up position, Pippa Funnel (GBR) the Grand Slam winner and multi-medallist scored 31.4 with Primmore's Pride. "I am delighted with Primmore's Pride performance" she commented. "He did his best test ever."

Bettina Hoy (GER) who was leading the competition after Day 1 is now third, with a score of 32 points with Ringwood Cockatoo.

The British Team is in the lead after Dressage with 113.2 points, for the best three of five riders, closely followed by the French World Champion Team with a total of 113.4. Germany lies third with 114.4.

Expectations are high on the French side; as the Eventing Team gold medal is the only Olympic title that they could never take hold of. Jean-Jacques Guyon indeed won the Individual gold in Eventing in 1968 with Pitou, and Bernard Chevalier in 1948 with Aiglonne. In Dressage, France earned the Team title in 1948 and the individual one in 1932 with Xavier Lesage on Taine. In Jumping, Pierre Durand was the third French rider to earn the gold for France with legendary little Jappeloup in 1998, after Pierre Jonquères d'Oriola and Ali Baba in 1952 and Jean Cariou and Mignon in 1912.

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