Australia Maintains Medal Pace in Team Eventing

Aussie eventers held firm on day two of dressage, finishing in second place behind defending champions Germany.

Husband and wife WAIS duo Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks continued the team’s good run, scoring 40.4 and 40.0 respectively.

Consistency paid off for the Australian outfit who managed to keep favourites Great Britain and New Zealand at bay.

Germany narrowly stole the lead on 119.10 to Australia’s 122.10 while Great Britain rounded out the minor placings on 127.0. Clayton admitted it could be a good sign for the Aussies.

“The good omen is we were in the reserve position with the Germans in Hong Kong (Beijing Olympics). The Aussies led the dressage and ended up with the silver – let’s hope this time with them leading after the dressage they end up with the silver and we end up with the gold,” he said.

The strong start has certainly lifted the team who had lost two riders prior to competition due to horse injuries.

But the competition is far from over with Lucinda admitting day three’s cross country course will be tough.

“Tomorrow is a tough test in terms of its twists and turns and I’m really going to be cracking on there. In some ways having made that one mistake in the dressage test today I’m probably better riding when I’ve got a bit of fire in me – it’s a different sort of pressure to that of when you’re leading,” she said.

Day three will feature the cross country phase with Olympic debutant Chris Burton first on course for the Aussies.