British rider Michael Eilberg and Woodlander Rockstar were well-placed at small tour at Arnhem CDI3*, the Netherlands (30 May – 2 Jun 2013).

Michael (pictured) rode Lynne Crowden’s Woodlander Rockstar (Rotspun x Sao Paulo) to score 70.02% for second place in the high-quality prix st georges which was won by the Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud and nine-year-old stallion Glock’s Ziesto (Lancet x Clavecimbel).

Michael’s sister, Maria, who normally partners Woodlander Rockstar, loaned him the ride on the 11-year-old stallion. “Maria kindly let me borrow him as my own small tour horse was unfit for the show,” said Michael, “and he needed an outing for fitness so we took him along. He did a fantastic job for me – I’m really pleased with him. I have competed him before, but not for a couple of years, so it shows what a stable, solid horse he is to perform with a different rider.”

Michael and Rockstar went on to gain third place in the inter I kür with 72.52%, riding a floor plan choreographed to a compilation of Dire Straits tracks. They were a hair’s breadth behind second placed Dutchman Geert Jan Raateland and the Jazz gelding Zorro (72.75%) in the class which was headed by Minderhoud and Glock’s Ziesto on a score of 79.65%.

Lynne Crowden, Woodlander Rockstar’s owner, was at the show in full support. “It was great for Lynne to let me ride him and that she had the confidence in me,” said Michael.

Michael also rode his father Ferdi’s 13-year-old Latvian gelding Marakov in the big tour. The established partnership scored an uncharacteristically low 62.21% in the grand prix which they turned round for a 69.55% ninth place in the following day’s freestyle.

“There was lively hospitality and we were competing in the evenings so there was a lot of noise to deal with, and we had a bad warm-up for the grand prix as there were carriages preparing for a half-time demo,” explained Michael. “Marakov found this a challenge to deal with so became spooky – once he gets the heebie-jeebies, he’ll spook at anything.”

Michael however wasn’t perturbed for the next day’s freestyle. Drawn first to go, they rode to their ‘Transformers’ music compiled by Tom Hunt. “I was feeling confident as Marakov is quite good at comebacks and I know him so well. He’d had more time to settle and did a really good test – it was back up to standard,” said Michael.

Also flying the flag for GB was Amy Stovold with her new grand prix ride Debonnet, Laura Swain’s 10-year-old Don Schufro gelding. The pair scored 64.25% in the grand prix and 70.77% for eighth place in the freestyle. Amy and Debonnet, who made their grand prix debut at Keysoe Premier League show at the end of April scoring 71%+, look to have a bright future ahead of them.

The big tour classes were dominated by the host nation’s Edward Gal riding the 11-year-old KWPN stallion Voice (De Niro x Rohdiamant). They posted 75.72% in the grand prix and 81.22% for their kür.