‘It is what it is’: top Brit’s frustration over ‘disappointing’ Luhmühlen dressage score

Tom McEwen has shared his “disappointment” over his Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage score with Paris hopeful JL Dublin.

Tom and the 13-year-old gelding, owned by Jo and James Lambert and Deidre Johnston, scored 28.4 to sit in overnight 10th ahead of the cross-country phase tomorrow (15 June).

“I was shocked when I came out with a 28 if I’m honest,” said Tom. “I’m super disappointed, it was poor by [the judges].

“He was balanced, soft, and set up in every corner. I think maybe they’re looking for you to go 10 to the dozen and flat out round it – I’ve got absolutely no idea. But it is what it is.”

Tom scored mostly sevens throughout, with one judge scoring him a five for one of his flying changes.

“I think they’re set within their marks and I’m not very sure what they’re looking for,” said a frustrated Tom, who added that JL Dublin “felt amazing”.

This season Tom and JL Dublin were runners-up at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in April, where they scored 24.6 in the dressage. They won the Kronenberg CCI4*-S in March, where they had a 20.9 dressage.

“In comparison to other tests he’s done, Kronenberg was incredible but to be honest not that far different from today. Kronenberg probably showed a little bit more power,” said Tom.

“For me today was a much better test than Kentucky. The positives, Kentucky was a little bit quick but this was really together, so I’m delighted with him.”

Tom is now looking ahead to the cross-country phase tomorrow.

“There’s plenty of questions and plenty of lines. It’s like an Olympics in Germany with the course, so for me it’s a perfect set up,” he said.

“There’s areas of intensity, areas where you can flow – the areas where you can flow you’re flying through the woods, it’s going to be quite tough.”

Germany’s Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH hold the lead following the conclusion of the the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S dressage, on a score of 22.9. Laura Collett and London 52 are second on 24.8, and Anna Lena Schaaf and Fairytale 39 are currently third on 26. Yasmin Ingham, the only other British rider in the CCI4*-S, is in provisional seventh with Banzai Du Loir.

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