The 2004 Olympic partnership of Wexford's Niall Griffin and Lorgaine produced a solid performance in the dressage arena this afternoon at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, to earn a penalty score of 57.4, slotting them into provisional 12th place of the 29 tests performed so far.
Dressage trainer Sandy Phillips was positive in her de-brief that the test had, on the whole, gone well, but the rider was disappointed at Lorgaine's failure to perform the flying change movements to his usual standard.
'He's usually good at the changes and they should have gone better,' said Griffin immediately after his test.
But the rider is now focusing on the Cross Country challenge ahead, where he considers the track to be substantially challenging.
Lorgaine tensed as he entered the atmosphere of the main arena, but Niall managed to keep his cool throughout, and recorded consistent scores of 168, 164 and 168 from the three judges.
Megan Jones and Kirby Park Irish Jester currently lead for
Australia in the dressage phase on 44.1 penalties, ahead of Germany's Frank Ostholt and Air Jordan with 46.9, with New Zealander Heelan Tompkins and Glengarrick in third place on 49.8.
