The conditions couldn't have been more perfect for a day of brilliant cross-country action, and the riders and horses didn't disappoint. Defending champion Michael Jung of Germany and Fisherrocana FST showed the depth of their partnership to take over the top spot after adding only 0.4 penalties to his dressage score to lead with 27.5.
Breathing down his neck is Australia's Chris Burton and Nobilis 18 (27.9) and Oliver Townend of Great Britain on Cooley Master Class (28.7). Townend is also tied for fourth aboard MHS King Joules (31.3) with Lynn Symansky and Donner (31.3). Less than a rail separates all of them as they head into the Sunday's show jumping finale.
Symansky and Donner, as the highest-placed Americans, are currently leading the Land Rover/USEF CCI**** National Championship. Overnight leader Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous added 8 time penalties to drop to sixth overall, and second in the national championship.
While Jung's performance was brilliant, it wasn't perfect, as the pair survived a scary moment at the big brush corner at 18B in the Land Rover Head of the Lake. After getting the striding wrong, the mare twisted badly, and was hung up for a moment on the corner, before extracting herself and carrying on. Though the 13-year-old German-bred mare jumped clean, and despite an incredible effort to catch back up on her time, they finished one second slow.
"On jump 18 in the water, I would have liked to do four (strides) and I missed it in the end," said Jung, 35, Horb, Germany. "She tried to keep straight in front of the fence, and she tried not to jump but just to go over.
Burton, 36, the two-time Olympian from Godalming, Surrey, England, had nothing but praise for his horse, and for the course and conditions. "Because there were such good conditions, I was able to enjoy it. My horse has gotten a bit stiff as he's gotten older and it's taken a lot of work to get him here. I'm delighted he came home as well as he did. He looked through the flags really nicely and had a great time out there," he said of the 13-year-old Hanoverian. "It's easy to be happy when you've had a good run, but there wouldn't be anyone who didn't think it was a great day of sport. The (course) designer has a great feel and it was a great track and the footing and course were great."
Townend, 35, Dudleston Heath, Ellesmere, Shropshire, England, had two tremendous rides today, even though he says his two horses are quite different. "It was an unbelievable track. Derek (di Grazia) is one of the best designers in the world," he said. "The ground and the track were both fantastic, with a great deal of feel and empathy for the horses.