Equestrianism: All to ride for after dressage

GERMANY'S Bettina Overesch held the lead after the dressage phase of the Brittany Ferries three-day event was completed here yesterday, writes Genevieve Murphy from le Lion d'Angers. Her seven-year-old mount, Green Cotten Blueberry, won the German cross-country championship at Mannheim this year and his good form should continue when he tackles today's 25 cross-country fences.

The Swiss vet, Jorg Bodenmuller, is lying second on the mare Fancy Hill, who had been due to contest the Boekelo three-day event earlier this month until it was cancelled. At 12, Fancy Hill, winner of the three-day event at Compeigne this year, is one of the most experienced horses here. Bodenmuller, like virtually all the riders in contention, relishes the idea of jumping the cross-country course.

Mary Thomson, the leader on Thursday night with King Basil, has slipped back to sixth and is the best of the 13 Britons. But the marks are close enough to give the best of them a chance to catch up on the leader today.

BRITTANY FERRIES THREE-DAY EVENT (le Lion d'Angers, Fra) Standings after dressage phase: 1 Green Cotten Blueberry (B Overesch, Ger) 44.0 pen; 2 Fancy Hill (J Bodenmuller, Switz) 47.6; =3 Rivtor de Landette (J-L Bigot, Fra), Adam's Peak (T Toenjes, Ger) 51.6. GB: 6 King Basil (M Thomson) 53.8; 9 Lovell Lass (L Murray) 56.2; =13 Young Lochinvar (F Stuart) 57.2; =19 Twelve Bore (J Johnson) 58.2; 22 Too Smart (K Dixon) 59.2.