Hong Kong's Charlotte Morse has moved up another level after finishing 10th in yesterday's Power & Grace Trophy, beating former Grand Prix winners Alison Firestone, Margie Engels and Olympic rider Juan Carlos Garcia.
However, the world's top-ranked rider and winner of Thursday's FEI World Cup Jumping Final I, Marcus Ehning, clinched the trophy.
This is Morse's first experience of competing at one of the most senior levels in international showjumping and she was put under additional pressure by being the first rider. 'I was nervous,' she said. 'This is the biggest class I have ever ridden in.'
The course incorporated obstacles of up to 1.55 metres, only a few centimetres shorter than 18-year-old Morse herself. Designer Frank Rothenberger struck a fine balance between being creative and challenging the riders. The combination of good distances allowing a build up of speed and the tall elements meant that less than half the riders produced clear rounds.
Morse's first horse, Lanceretto, showed himself to be a lot more settled than on Thursday. 'I knew that the course would suit him,' Morse said. 'He's a new horse and we are still getting used to each other.'
At eight years old, he was the youngest horse in the class but didn't disgrace himself on eight penalties. Her second and more familiar horse, O'Jasper, rode beautifully with only one obstacle down and in a time that was faster than over half the other riders.