What a day! What a show! The 20,000 spectators who came to watch the cross-country test, the flagship event of the 5 Etoiles de Pau, were treated to a spectacular show. Bubby Upton (GBR) was overtaken by her compatriot Sarah Bullimore, who is now in the lead, Tim Price (NZL) entered the top 3, and two French riders finished just off the podium. This is the result of a totally incredible scenario that puts the top ten riders within less than four points of each other tonight, the equivalent of one bar down tomorrow in the show jumping. Suffice to say that the suspense will be intense right up to the end!
2 out of 3. These were the falls by Britain’s Bubby Upton, which were not serious for her or her horses, on the cross-country course designed by Pierre Michelet. What’s more, they were on the same obstacle! Fortunately, she crossed the finish line a few seconds behind with her best horse Cannavaro, just enough to lose her first place to another of His Majesty’s riders, Sarah Bullimore. Eleventh after the dressage, the fifty-year-old was one of six to complete the course without any penalties. She took the lead by 0.4 points riding Corimiro, the youngest horse in the competition (9 years old). ‘My stopwatch stopped at around 5’30’. When I looked at it, it was still at 5’30‘. He has such a big stride and jumps so high that I finished within the time without even realising it. He’s phenomenal!’ The chestnut is also a son of her former international mare Lilly Corinne, who competed in the 5-star event in Pau in 2017 (finishing 14th). If the pair were to win the 2025 edition tomorrow evening, it would be nothing short of extraordinary!
Bubby Upton, meanwhile, had a mixed day. Starting in second place with her first horse, Cola, she fell at the fourth element of obstacle 27, the Maisons du Crédit Agricole Pyrénées Gascogne (Cola had finished 12th in 2021). Barely an hour later, she was back in the saddle on Cannavaro. At 18 years old, the stallion has nothing left to prove and knows Pau well, where he finished 6th last year. Needless to say, his rider was under pressure. The outcome was happier than with Cola, and the pair finished twelve seconds behind the ideal time (11’18’“ for 11’06”’ allowed). ‘It’s a two-thirds, one-third day,’ she said. “I’m very happy with Cannavaro, who hadn’t competed at this level for over two and a half years. He’s only 20% thoroughbred, so cross-country requires him to make an effort and push himself. At 18, he’s happy to continue doing so. Her third horse, Its Cooley Time, did not fare so well. ‘It’s partly my fault,’ admits Bubby Upton. “I rode him like Cannavaro. I should have trusted his energy more and not asked him to change stride as he approached the obstacle. I’m disappointed for him because he could have won.” So she has only one chance left to hope for her first ever 5-star victory.
However, there will be ten riders competing for the title. First among them is New Zealander Tim Price, the most loyal rider to the Pau 5-Star event (12 appearances). The world number six had three horses at the start, and it was ultimately the highest-ranked, the handsome Jarillo, who delivered the best performance, finishing eleven seconds behind and just 0.9 points off the lead. ‘It was his third 5-star event,’ explains Tim. “It’s the fastest course I’ve ever done with him and I’m proud. On previous occasions, he had slowed down a little earlier. In future, I will be able to let him gallop more and take longer strides over the obstacles to save time. ‘ The course designed by Pierre Michelet therefore posed many challenges for the riders. ’It was a little less galloping than usual. Before, at the training centre, there were areas where you could make up almost thirty seconds. That wasn’t the case this year. There were questions everywhere, with approaches that forced you to slow down. It was a matter of advancing over the early obstacles. Sometimes you get the impression that Pau is less difficult than the other 5-star events. But it’s a real 5-star event, because there’s always the challenge of time and the technicality of the course.”
On the French side, it was a 50/50 result tonight. Two out of four riders – Benjamin Massié and Astier Nicolas – finished the cross-country brilliantly within the time allowed. Florian Ganneval had to withdraw after his horse Erebor de Fleyres refused twice at obstacle no. 6 B. As for Sébastien Cavaillon, he was unable to avoid a fall on the third element of no. 21, which meant elimination. ‘This year, I’m lucky to have a good team of horses,’ said Benjamin Massié, now in 4th place. “Yesterday, Filao did pretty well in the dressage test. Since he was 5 years old, I’ve thought he had the potential for 5-star level. Last year, we were almost there. At the CCI5*-L in Luhmühlen (Germany), I had a slip-up at the very end of the course, falling victim to my slightly over-optimistic riding. Today, he showed that he has what it takes.” Thanks to a time closer to the ideal, Benjamin moved ahead of Astier Nicolas with an equal score.
The biggest climb in the provisional rankings was achieved by Sam Ecroyd (GBR) on Boleybawn Lecrae, who moved up from 37th place in dressage to 12th tonight. Second yesterday, Oliver Townend (GBR) missed the opportunity to achieve another feat with his faithful Ballaghmore Class (18 years old), penalised with 11 points for triggering a safety device on obstacle 21.
The outcome of this 35th edition will be decided tomorrow, Sunday 26 October, at 2.45 pm. The 43 horses still in the running will first have to undergo inspection at 11:45 a.m., which will be open to the public.
In the women’s horseball tournament, France beat Spain and Belgium beat Italy. France will therefore face Belgium in the final, while Italy and Spain will play for 3rd and 4th place.
