LONDON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany took the lead after the cross country competition at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, third leg of the FEI Classics, on Saturday.
Jung is again in pole position on FischerRocana FST, despite finishing four seconds (1.6 time penalties) over the optimum time of 11 minutes 17 seconds and surviving a precarious moment when the brave little mare made an enormous leap into the lake.
Jung, currently third in the FEI Classics having led the series last year, has a fence in hand to win a record third successive Kentucky on the same horse. His nearest challenger is Frenchman Maxime Livio, current leader of the FEI Classics after his win in Pau, who rode a masterful round to finish exactly on the optimum time on Qalao Des Mers to rise from eighth place after dressage to second.
"Today was not our best ride, but we have a true partnership and kept fighting," said Jung. "FischerRocana looks very well after the finish - she is a tough girl."
Britain's Zara Tindall on High Kingdom propelled her from 16th to third place. Matthew Brown, previously 19th after dressage, has leapt to fourth place on Super Socks BCF and is the highest placed American rider.
