Equestrianism: Hunt impresses on day of British mixed fortunes

The British eventing team made a disappointing, but not disastrous, start to the dressage phase of the World Equestrian Games here yesterday, when Mary King seemed harshly marked for her polished test on Call Again Cavalier and Daisy Dick had early problems with Spring Along. Australia held the advantage over Germany and the United States, with Britain sixth.

Sharon Hunt, the leading Briton, is riding as an individual and is in sixth place on Tankers Town going into today's second dressage day. "He gets better and better," Hunt said of the 12-year-old she acquired in 1998. She is 6.5 penalties behind Germany's individual rider Andreas Dibowski, who leads on FRH Serve Well. King is 13th and Dick 29th.

Dick had a rotten start. Spring Along had been working brilliantly outside and looked superb as they trotted along the centre line, but after the halt the horse repeatedly broke into canter. Mistakes at this stage are costly. "Straight away the judges think you're a muppet," Dick said. Normally in the forties after this test, Spring Along has a score of 63.70 penalties.