Lewis Robertson-Carrier best of Brits at halfway stage of London freestyle: ‘Diego’s still giving me more and more’

Lewis Robertson-Carrier is best of the Brits in third in the London Horse Show dressage freestyle to music at the halfway point this evening in the ExCeL arena.

The home side rider scored  76.31% with his own and his parents Andrew and Helen Carrier’s Diego V, who is now 16 years old. Riding to pop-themed, upbeat music, including Will Smith’s It Takes Two – a new track for this pair – he showed off a good open frame and an interesting floor plan which mixed up the paces. There was a slight glitch towards the end of their one-time changes, but Lewis put in a fist pump after his final halt and was clearly pleased with his effort.

“I just wanted to give the crowd a good time and have a good time,” said national champion Lewis Robertson-Carrier. “He still feels like he’s on an upward trajectory, giving me more and more.”

Lewis put together the new soundtrack in an evening with Tony Hobden at Equidance and said it brings out a “fun and energetic side” of him and Diego.

He has also upped the difficulty of his floorplan: “Over the two years, with the music that we’ve had, we played it a little bit more safe. The difficulty was like 8.2 and this time we upped it to just over nine. So it wasn’t overly difficult, but it was difficult enough to try and compete against all of these big guns. Diego just loves it. All I have to do is turn across the diagonal and he takes me across, which is what us riders want. His half passes felt amazing in there, sometimes they’re a little bit of weakness for us. But he went in there, lifted up and gave me it all.

“Honestly, I feel like next year might be his best year, but I keep saying that. We had a personal best yesterday. We got a similar score today in the freestyle as we did last year, which is great with new music which we haven’t done before, but I can’t wait till next year. He started his grand prix career later than most horses and we learned together. So I think over the next couple of years we’ll hit our peak and he’s not there yet.”

Two tidy, compact chestnuts lead the rankings at this stage in the FEI Dressage World Cup freestyle, presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound.

The judges were in agreement that Dinja van Liere’s polished performance on Jan Pieter Dalsem’s 12-year-old Hartsuijker deserved the lead and the Dutch pair scored 80.225%. Their test started with tidy, rhythmic trotwork and Dinja nailed her two- and one-time changes, showing a high degree of difficulty in her floorplan. They were also unanimous in second at the break for Spain’s Borja Carrascosa, who piloted his own and Sportpferde Hofmann Gbr’s 11-year-old Sir Hubert NRW to 77.465%.

Tomlinson sits fourth in London Horse Show dressage

Britain’s Laura Tomlinson was the first rider into the arena today again and the 10-year-old Soegaards Bon Royal showed his greenness at times, including in the halts and piaffe, but she pulled off clean changes and rode this inexperienced horse in a pleasing open frame. She scored 73.46% with the gelding owned by his rider and her mother, Ursula Bechtolsheimer.

Laura said: “I was really pleased – it’s a really big ask for a horse in there and he’s never seen anything like it. So parts I was really pleased with and he didn’t actually make any mistakes, but for parts of it he still looks a little bit like Bambi on ice, but I think that’s a strength and confidence thing. But he really tries super hard.

“His downfall is when he throws his legs too much in some parts and sort of swings around a bit. But I think the more I can temper that, the better he’ll be. He’s a young, inexperienced 10-year-old, so I feel like this this is a big thing to have under his belt now. He does it all with a smile on his face and his ears pricked and he’s so willing, which is what makes me feel I can piece it all together, with bit more finesse. There’s a lot, lot more to come from him.”

Speaking about going first, Laura said: “It is a challenge, because it’s still a bit bit unruly in there and you know you’re slight cannon fodder to warm the judges up. But at this stage in where he’s at, it doesn’t actually matter too much. And now I get to go and enjoy the rest of the evening with my family. We’ve got a box, I’ve got three of my kids here, my husband and a few of my kids’ friends and my friends are here. So we’re going to go and enjoy the rest of the evening with them – and hopefully stop sweating!”

Fellow Brit Richard White, making his London debut at 63 years old, clearly enjoyed his test with his own and Lynda Cameron’s Heroi Do Seixo, pulling in a mark of 71.325%. His highlights included the entry in collected walk and halt and some rhythmic trot-work with delicate, well-fitting music.

The best pairs, including Britain’s Becky Moody, yesterday’s winner, and her Paris Olympic team-mate Lottie Fry, are still to come in the second half of this class.

End of class update: Lottie won the class, Becky was fourth, Lewis ninth, Laura 11th and Richard 13th. 

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