Great Britain Steps to Fore in Team Event

Great Britain led the equestrian three-day team event after a sweltering first round of dressage tests.

Ian Stark, riding Stanwick Ghost, scored 35.2 penalty points, ahead of Karen O’Connor of The Plains, Va., on Biko with 39.6 penalties. Therese Washtock of Canada, on Aristotle, had 40.0 penalties.

The riders looked hotter than their mounts because they all opted to keep on their wool tail coats.

Quipped Stark, a former European champion: “We were all being frightfully British and very against not wearing the jackets.”

Sixteen teams are entered, with four riders on each team.

The three-day event consists of a dressage test, a cross-country endurance test and a stadium round.

The endurance test will be held Tuesday morning and the stadium jumping test to determine the team medals will be held Wednesday.

The individual three-day event begins with dressage Tuesday.