The fourth leg of 2019's Event Rider Masters series takes us to Paris where a red-hot field is about to illuminate the City of Light.
Join us on the 13th and 14th of July for two jam-packed days of action from Haras de Jardy. The first half of the season has seen a fast and furious game of leapfrog on the leaderboard, but with just three legs remaining, every point gained or lost is crucial. Consider this the turning point of the year.
Just a stone's throw from Paris and the opulent Palace of Versailles, Haras de Jardy is a historical gem in its own right. Based on the site of an ancient priory, the distinctive green facade houses well over a century of equestrian culture, and it's all led up to this - a consummate challenge for horse and rider that wends its way through one of the sport's most beautiful settings.
The stage is set for an epic showdown of guts and gumption. But the first phase of the competition? Making it through #ERMtheCut, in which our field of entrants is whittled down to the final thirty. Thirty of the biggest stars in the sport of eventing. Thirty riders, and thirty horses, who are determined to put on a show you'll never forget. Here's what to expect.
As we head into the second half of the 2019 Event Rider Masters series, the competition is reaching a critical juncture. With essential series points adding up, the hunt is on for that coveted spot at the top of the podium. But to get there, our competitors will need to run the toughest gauntlet yet.
Last year’s series champion currently sits atop the 2019 leaderboard – but Aussie Chris Burton won’t be able to rest on his laurels this week. He’ll need to aim for another podium place with Lawtown Chloe to fend off his nearest rival, the fast-paced and fierce Kiwi Jonelle Price. She rides Grovine de Reve, the rising star who recorded a top-ten finish at Wiesbaden. They'll be closely pursued by ERM stalwarts Sarah Cohen and Treason, currently third on the leaderboard and just four points behind Jonelle.
Last year's Jardy winner is back, but this time, crowd favourite Alex Bragg rides newcomer Alcatraz. Will he step up to the plate and keep the title for Team Bragg, or can fellow British phenom Laura Collett usurp him for the throne with Dacapo?
World Number One - and last month's Luhmühlen CCI5* and Arville winner - Tim Price will be one of the riders to beat. He pilots Falco in the ten-year-old gelding's ERM debut, but don't let that put you off. German lynchpin Michael Jung, our Wiesbaden winner, also brings forward a debutante in Creevagh Cooley. Two inexperienced horses partnered with two of the best riders in the world - anything could happen on the Jardy battlefield.
The home side is ably represented, with some of France's most experienced combinations joining the fight for glory at Jardy. Pau winner Maxime Livio rides Opium de Verrieres, who hasn't finished outside the top ten at this level since 2011. Camille Lejeune and Tahina des Isles burst into the spotlight when they finished in the top twenty their five-star debut at Burghley last season, and they'll be hoping to dazzle once again in their first ERM. Stalwart Nicolas Touzaint is the only Frenchman ever to win Badminton - but he hasn't stopped there. He'll bring Vendee Globe'Jac HDC forward at Jardy, with his eyes firmly on the top prize.
With eight leg-winning riders and multiple Olympic combinations heading to Paris to battle it out for their share of the £50,000 prize pot, leg four of the 2019 Event Rider Masters series promises to be action-packed from start to finish. Join us as we venture into the heart of the season, where the only thing you can expect is the unexpected.
Supplied by ERM
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