FRANCE (by Jean Llewellyn) The 2017 eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses traditionally takes place in Le Lion d’Angers, France, and this year the event celebrated the 32nd edition of the Mondial du Lion. In total, there were 47 six-year-old and 58 seven-year-old entries, with the individual results also converting to a hotly contested studbook classification. On this occasion, the gold medals in the two age-groups went, respectively to a Hanoverian and an Anglo Arab, while Irish Sport Horses maintained their excellent record in this event to finish ahead of Deutsches Sportpferd (DSP).
At the end of the first day’s dressage test, presided over by British judge, Jane Tolley (6yo) and Denmark’s Anne- Mette Binder (7yo), Britain’s Izzy Taylor and her six-year- old Hanoverian gelding, Monkeying Around (Bertoli - Donée x Donnerhall), held an early lead (37.6) with a very solid test in which their half circles earned the best marks.
Australia’s Paul Tapner claimed second place riding Bob Chaplin (Cashell - Maypool Silver Seal x Silver Jasper), a German Sport Horse stallion. Rewarded with nines for working trot was sufficient to take the lead, but a two-point penalty increased their score to 38.1 points.
