Wins for Izzy Taylor and Astier Nicolas at Mondial du Lion 2017

After the horse inspection, where the Danish Peter Flarup did not present Fascination and where Cooley Cosmopolitan Diamond, the Irish Sarah Ennis’ horse, was refused by the jury, 39 pairs were on the start list for the show jumping of the 6 year old horses.

In this decisive phase, the British Izzy Taylor did not tremble with Monkeying Around. The pair, in the lead from the dressage test, came out of the ring without any penalty and holding on to the title of Word champion of the eventing 6 year old young horses.
"I came here hoping to do well in this championship, but with a 6 year old horse, you never know ", Izzy Taylor said at the end of the championship. "Obviously I am very happy about this victory, because I have great hopes with this horse. The target is to come back next year and I hope to keep him under my saddle. But I have a family and stables to run, so maybe I will have a difficult choice to make in the future : keep him or sell him"
The Australian Paul Tapner kept his second position with his grey horse Bob Chaplin after clearing the show jumping phase. "I am more than pleased with Bob who has been perfect during the whole competition. If I had not done this mistake in the dressage test, we would have been in the lead… Congrats to Izzy on her win : I will come back with Bob next year and we will win, because it is impossible for Bob not to win ! "
Third after the cross-country, the Irish Elizabeth Power and DSL The Entertainer had a rail down on the jumping course, a fault that benefited the French Thomas Carlile, based in Le Lion d’Angers, and Birmane, French champion of the 6 year old category, who cleared the jumping course. "My mare was a bit tense during the dressage, because she was surprised to see so many people and excitement in an environment she is familiar with, but is much more quiet ususally. It was not necessarily an advantage to compete on home ground. But on the cross-country, she was as good as she can be, and behaved well, like in the jumping phase. She is a promising mare for the future, and the Mondial des 7 ans is already planned in her program for 2018, but the real target with her is Paris 2024".


Astier Nicolas and Alertamalib’or crowned in the 7 year old

In the 7 year old World championship, 45 pairs were on the start list after the horse inspection were three horses were not presented : Santa Fee (Luca Bartolamei, ITA), Moonshine (Michal Hycki, POL) and A Best Friend (Jörg Kurbel, GER).
With less than four points between the first eight horses and the leading trio in the same second, for sure the show jumping would be exciting to follow, and it was the case !
Third after the cross-country, the Australian Christopher Burton moved backwards to the 11th position with two rails down and three time penalty points with Lawtown Boy. The British Mary King was 2nd on the provisional ranking with King Robert and finally places 21st with 16 points ont the fences and 3 time penalty points. The leading pair from the dressage, the New Zealander James Avery and Vitali finished 6th after two rails down and one time penalty point.
The New Zealander champion Andrew Nicholson, winner of the CCI 4* of Badminton last May, and Yacabo BK finished the competition in a fantastic way : 14th after the dressage, then 10th after the cross-country, they dominated the jumping phase and came out of the ring without any penalty with the 3rd position. « I was hoping to be in the Top ten with Yacabo, but with the young horses, you never know… This 3rd place is a great reward for him. He is good in the three phases, and I think he has the level to compete in four star competitions in the future. »
The Bristish Izzy Taylor cleared the course as well, and finally places 2nd of the Mondial du Lion of the 7 year old with Direct Cassino, while she was 9th from the dressage test.
In ambush from the dressage (6th), and in the cross-country (4th), the Olympic champion Astier Nicolas (FRA) rode a perfect course and beautifully won the 7 year old eventing World Championship with Alertamalib’or. « I was a little frustrated after the dressage because I think he deserved a beter score. On the cross-counry, he showed serenity. He was even a bit cold at the beginning. On the show jumping course, he did his job perfectly, and deserves this title, I adore this horse ! »