WEG: Official Horse Deals Coverage Week 1

Australian Individual Christopher Burton stylishly jumps one of the beautiful fences riding Jade and Jean Findlay', 'Holstein Park Leilani' during the final phase of the WEG Eventing Championship. They had one fence down and five time penalties to finish in 48th place.

Japanese Team member, Yoshiaki Oiwa jumps a lovely fence riding 'Khanjer Black' during the final phase of the WEG Eventing Championship. They finished in 38th place with 89.80 penalties. The Japanese Team finished in ninth place.

Twenty three year old Clarke Johnstone, the only New Zealand Team member not based in England finished his first WEG in 39th place riding 'Orient Express' and collected a Team Bronze medal. Not bad for a first up appearance.

The temperature has dropped from 71 yesterday to 51 today, very cold. That's about 10 degrees celsius.

Kyle Carter and 'Madison Park' were members of the Silver Medal Canadian Eventing Team. The Canadians obviously like Lexington as they took the Gold Medal here at the World Championships in 1978. It has been a long time between drinks for the Canadians as this is their first medal since. The Canadians are benefiting from the training given them by their National Coach, David O'Connor from the US and Sydney Olympic Individual Gold Medalist.

On their debut appearance for Australia Peter Atkins jumped an impressive clear round riding his super and typey Argentinean Thoroughbred, 'Henry Jota Hampton'. They finished in 24th place.

Austrain rider, Harald Ambros finished the WEG Eventing Championship in 28th place riding his Belgian Warmblood, 'Quick 2' by the Thoroughbred, First Mate.

Canadian Individual, Rebecca Howard finished in 23rd place riding Caroline Bazley's 'Riddle Master'.

Caroline Powell jumped a solid Team round for four penalties riding 'Mac Donald'. They finished with a score of 61.20 for 22nd place and of course a Bronze Medal.

Riding for the Irish Army that has a long and distinguished equestrian tradition, Geoff Curran rode 'The Jump Jet' by Cavalier Royale to finish in 31st place. The Irish Team finished in seventh place.

One of the loveliest horses ever to event. Italy's Steffano Brecciaroli only added cross country time penalties to his dressage score riding the sensational ,'Apollo van de Wendi Kurt Hoeve'. This showjumping shot says it all. They finished the competition in 14th place with 51.10 penalties.

Canada's Selena O'Hanlon jumped a clear round riding the Swedish Warmblood, 'Colombo' by the Thoroughbred Eighty Eight Keys to finish in 12th place on 50.80 penalties and help the Canadian Team take and historic Bronze medal.

The Swedish Team, third after the dressage phase had no luck across country. (Not the only ones). The Team finished in tenth place and Niklas Jonsson riding the Swedish Warmblood, 'First Lady' finished in 25th place.

Mark Todd jumped a good clear riding his own and the New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd's 'Grass Valley' by Legal Pressure to finish in 11th place with 50.10 penalties. Todd was back on the podium eight years after retiring.

Boyd Martin and 'Neville Bardos' did their best, jumping clear and taking individual 10th place with 49.50 penalties, but the USA slipped from medal contention during the final jumping phase to finish in fourth place..

Phillip Dutton lowered just one fence riding the lovely New Zealand Thoroughbred, 'Woodburn' during the final phase of the WEG Eventing Championships. They finished in 18th place with 52.20 penalties.

Stuart Tinney jumped a beautiful clear final phase riding Kathy Ward's 'Vettori'. The good jumping performance saw them finish in eighth place with 47.60 penalties.

New Zealand Individual, Jonathan Paget put in an impressive performance to add just 2.4 cross country time penalties his dressage score to finish the competition in seventh place on 46.40 riding the New Zealand Thoroughbred, 'Clifton Promise' by Engagement.

Mary King is a veteran of five Olympic Games and she rode her , Imperial Cavalier' by Cavalier Royale to add nothing to her dressage score, 46.20 and finish the in sixth place. Mary was a member of the 2008 European Championship Team and is now part of the 2010 World Championship Team. Great Britain last won an Eventing World Championship Gold Medal in The Hague in 1994.

Unfortunately for the experienced Karen O'Connor, things did not go according to plan. A stop, a rail down and the consequent time penalties saw her add 12 penalties in the final phase of the WEG Eventing Championship riding the Irish Sport Horse, Mandiba'. They finished in 19th place with 57.60 penalties.

Karen Donckers is understandably delighted with her wonderful, 'Gazelle de la Brasserie' that jumped a super clear round in the final phase of the WEG Eventing Championship. They finished in fourth place, broken wrist and all, with 44.40 penalties.

Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch added just four jumping penalties in the final phase to her dressage scoer riding the Thoroughbred, 'Port Authority'. They finished in ninth place with 48.20 penalties and helped the Canadian Team take the Bronze Medal.

New Zealand Team member, Andrew Nicholson made history of his own by riding Deborah Sellar's Spanish bred, 'Nereo' to finish on their dressage score to claim the Bronze medal with 43.50 penalties. Andrew has been a regular New Zealand Team member for many years and this is his first individual medal, although he has often been close.

German Team member, Ingrid Klimke slipped from possible medal contention riding her Beijing Team Gold Medal partner, 'FRO Butts Abraxxas' by Heraldik when two rails hit the deck and tey slipped from fourth to 13th on 50.90.

William Fox-Pitt also made history when he took out his first World Championship individual medal. William rode 'Cool Mountain' to finish on his dressage score, 42.00 to take out the Individual Silver and Team Gold Medal.

German combination, Michael Jung and 'La Biosthetique Sam' earned an individual Bronze medal at Fontainbleau in 2008 and today they were declared Individual World Champions. It was nothing short of a sensational performance from the talented pair adding nothing to their winning dressage score of 33 penalties. Jung has had the talented ten year old for five years and hopes that he will hold his form for the London Olympics. Some performances at this WEG have seriously raised the Eventing bar.

The delighted SIlver Medal Canadian Team. Kyle Carter, Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch, Selena O'Hanlon, Hawley Bennett-Awad.

European Champions and Now World Champions. The British Team L-R Nicole Wilson, Kristina Cook, William Fox -Pitt and and Mary King.

Thankfully the Australian Eventing Team Coach, Wayne Roycroft and still smile. Wane made the Bronze Medal presentation to the New Zealand Team.

We were very sad this morning to see that Ringwould Jaguar was not on the start list for the Eventing Showjumping phase. Apparently he sustained a puncture would that went through a boot, and although all was thought to be OK, the wound prevented him from having one last run in front of an international crowd. Jag is now officially retired and the eventing world will be all the poorer for the absence of Jaguar and Sonja Johnson. There enormous success was due to great heart and a wonderful partnership between horse and rider, the sort of relationship that is very rare. We will miss them greatly, but of course we will see Sonja in future competition, but it will not quite be the same. The question is how will the super little horse, owned by Dan and Phoebe Johnson and Jim and Gusie Saunders take to retirement? WE will miss him.