Please do not feed the bear. Photo via CrossCountry App.
Well ENers, here we find ourselves, on the cusp of the final 5* cross country day of 2025 and it’s going to be a big one. There’s a hefty entry list for Les 5 Étoiles de Pau as eventers from nine different nations head to France for one last spin around the top level before the horses are let loose to grow their winter woolleys before it all starts again next season.
The field is filled to brimming with 5* stalwarts and first-timers alike, including five podium finishers tallying a total of 14 top placings between them: previous Pau winners Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera are back for another go at the crown; Oliver Townend will be hoping to add yet another accolade to his exceptional four-time champion Ballaghmor Class’s record; last year’s 3rd placed Tom McKewen and Brookfield Quality will be trying for a step up, or two; David Doel will be after some redemption for Galileo Nieuwmoed, and hoping to finally clinch that win, and Yasmin Ingham brings her best buddy Rehy DJ for a shot at another excellent result. We’ve also got a bunch of door knockers to look forward to, the likes of last year’s 4th place finishers Alex Hua Tian and Chicko, Emily King and Valmy Biats, Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do and Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious have all been tantalisingly close to those podium placings at 5* and are all in it to win it this week, for sure – watch this space. Flying the Stars and Stripes alongside Cosby, who’s at Pau doublehanded, are Tiana Coudray, also with two rides, Jennifer Caras, Emily Hamel, Boyd Martin, and Grace Taylor.
Get up to speed with the facts and form for every single combination coming forward in EN’s classic form guide which you’ll find right here and see when your favorites will be going here.
Before we get carried away with all things cross country, here’s a look at how things stand on the leaderboard following the dressage phase:
1️⃣ 🇬🇧 Top of the class is Bubby Upton with her old pal Cannavaro, who produced the goods between the white boards and then some to sit on a score of 25.6, just 0.5 of a penalty ahead of the duo in second place – in cross country terms, that’s a single commenced second over the time.
2️⃣ 🇬🇧 Hot on their heels, in equal second, are last year’s podium placers Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality who were pretty much hoof perfect for a score of 26.1.
2️⃣ 🇬🇧 Sharing second spot is Oliver Townend with his superstar stalwart campaigner and multiple 5* winner Ballaghmor Class, who are also on 26.1.
4️⃣ 🇳🇿 Doing it for the Kiwis are Tim Price and Jarillo, who are just one second of cross country time behind on a score of 26.5.
You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.
If you want to read how all that came about, you’re in need of our jam-packed dressage report: click here for all the dressage deets.
There’ll be “allez, allez, allezs” all around the track today as the French fans go wild with their eventing spirit. Take a look at what’s in store on the course today here and, as ever, we’ve wrangled the riders for their insights into the track – read their reactions here.
Kicking us off is Jonelle Price and previous Pau winner Grappa Nera. They’re due to leave the startbox at Midday CEST / 6am ET.
While we await the first countdown of the day, feast your eyes on all of EN’s Pau content here and mosey on along to our IG account for even more @goeventing.
Before get down to the serious business of eventing, a little ‘refresher’ on the no. 1 rule of following EN’s classic live blog: refresh, refresh, refresh – and all will be revealed.
If you’re catching up with this later and are the type to like things in order, scroll ⬇️ and read ⬆️. If going backwards is more your jam, have at it.
For the last time this season, let’s go 5* eventing!
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EN is proud to welcome Horsepal onboard as the sponsor of our Pau coverage! Horsepal is a newly-launched heart rate monitor brought to you by Tom MacGuinness, founder of Horseware and an FEI eventer and endurance rider, who’s brought his decades of knowledge to practice in the design of Horsepal. You can now purchase Horsepal directly to the UK and Europe — learn more here.
Les 5 Etoiles de Pau (France): [Website] [Schedule] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [Support Our Sponsor: Horsepal]
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6:29am
🇮🇪 NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: PADRAIG MCCARTHY AND MGH MR MESSACK
Dressage Score: 37
Place: 46th
🐴 5* Form: EL Burghley 25
We see Padraig through the water complex at 8 and he’s really brave, attacking that stride through there and hunting on through.
Cosby checks her watch as she gallops along toward the laurel hedge at 17. They get in a little close there but all’s good. She opts for an alternative route at 19 and then fly the ditch and brush at 20. They’re smooth through the big water at 21. She’s really riding forward and attacking this course.
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6:24am
🇺🇲 NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: COSBY GREEN AND JOS UFO DE QUIDAM
Dressage Score: 34.5
Place: 37th
🐴 5* Form: 8th Luhmühlen 25
We catch up with Cosby as they fly the big brush oxer at 11 and make their way toward the racecourse. They’re looking confident and quick thus far.
Emily is nearing home now as she comes to the big combination at 27. Ah, they come to a stop at the the middle element. Just the horse being a little tired and having had to take in a lot. She comes round and takes an alternative route and then nurses this young horse home. 20 penalties there for them but a first 5* completion for the horse. They have 25.2 time penalties.
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6:19am
🇺🇲 NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: TIANA COUDRAY AND CANCARAS GIRL
Dressage Score: 31.1
Place: 20th
🐴 5* Form: 44th Badminton 25, RET Maryland 24, 25th Badminton 24, EL Burghley 23
Tiana does a great job through the water at 8 and then, oh, we see them fall on the flat. The camera’s behind a mound so we couldn’t really see what happened, it just looked like the horse slipped in front and they went down. That’s so disappointing. We see the pair of them up and walking off course.
Tim steadies through the combination at 27 and makes a clean job through there before heading to the main arena and home. He crosses the line with 6.4 time penalties added. A great start to his day.
Emily meanwhile comes really bravely off the big drop at 22A and then makes the line to the skinny for the B element well. This horse does look a little green at times but Emily’s building his confidence and helping him out and giving him a good experience on his debut at the level.
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6:15am
🇬🇧 NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: EMILY KING AND JACKPOT
Dressage Score: 33
Place: 30th
🐴 5* Form: Making his 5* debut
Emily has set out with her 5* rookie and from what we’ve seen, she’s having a nice confidence-building round. She’s showing as clear through to the racecourse – fences 13-15.
Oh no. We catch up with Bubby as she comes off at 27D. Cola had been running off the bridle a little and they just don’t get it right through the combination and Bubby’s ejected out of the side door. That’s a real shame. Hopefully Bubby’s up and will be back with her other rides, I’ll let you know if we get any info.
We see Tim through the big water complex at 21ABCD. He comes through there with such balance, really making these tricky combinations look so easy. He’s focused and quick and looks to be having a great round.
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6:11am
🇳🇿 THIRD COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: TIM PRICE AND GLOBAL QUEST
Dressage Score: 34.9
Place: 39th=
🐴 5* Form: Making his 5* debut
We catch up with Tim as he takes the big brush oxer at 11 in his stride and heads on out to the racecourse.
As her husband starts, Jonelle and Grappa Nera have crossed the finish line after having a peach of a round. Clear jumping with 7.6 time penalties added. A great trailblazing round.
Bubby and Cola continue going well as we watch them through the water at 23, they’re super quick and smooth through there. This looks like it’s going to be a quick round. What a start we’re having to the cross country.
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6:06am
🇬🇧 SECOND COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: BUBBY UPTON AND COLA
Dressage Score: 30.3
Place: 12th=
🐴 5* Form: 8th Badminton 25, 5th Maryland 24, 10th Badminton 24, 8th Badminton 23, 14th Burghley 22, 36th Badminton 22, 12th Pau 21
Bubby set off with her serious game face on and straight away takes a stride out at the first combination at 4, going on two through there. Bubby means business. She’s in the lead on her other horse, Cannavaro. She takes out a stride again at the combination at 6. She’s motoring along with her experienced, long-time partner. Bubby goes up and down the mounds at the double of log piles at 16, really confident and quick through there.
Meanwhile Jonelle navigates the tricky combination at 19 really easily, that’ll have given the riders watching confidence. They’re excellent through the water at 21ABCD, smooth and on the perfect line. Another fence that had the riders scratching their heads which has proved to jump really well for our pathfinder. They waste no time over the big drop at 22A, she’s pitched forward but she’s back upright immediately for the skinny at B. She goes inside the tree at the water at 23ABC, saving every second. This is looking to be a fabulous round thus far.
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6am
🇳🇿 FIRST COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: JONELLE PRICE AND GRAPPA NERA
Dressage Score: 34.3
Place: 36
🐴 5* Form: 22nd Badminton 25, EL Burghley 25, 6th Badminton 24, 1st Pau 22, 28th Kentucky 21
And we’re off! Jonelle and ‘Grape’ have left the start box and Pau cross country day is a go!
They get a great start over the wheelbarrow at 1 and then gallop on past the massive train stationed by the table at 2. They waste no time going up the mound and over the house at 3 and then Jonelle steadies for the first combination at 4. They go over the log down the drop and get a clean three strides to the angled brush for the B element. Grape’s got her ears pricked and is traveling along nicely at the start of the course. They take the flag at the corner at 6B but looked to be OK. They come into the first water at 8 and loop round a little on an arc to get the four strides through that combination. All looking very neat and tidy so far. They come back to the water for the treble combination at 10 and fly over the swans. They’re looking to be quick and confident so far.
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EN is proud to welcome Horsepal onboard as the sponsor of our Pau coverage! Horsepal is a newly-launched heart rate monitor brought to you by Tom MacGuinness, founder of Horseware and an FEI eventer and endurance rider, who’s brought his decades of knowledge to practice in the design of Horsepal. You can now purchase Horsepal directly to the UK and Europe — learn more here.
Les 5 Etoiles de Pau (France): [Website] [Schedule] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [Support Our Sponsor: Horsepal]
