BEIJING Olympian Matt Williams began his London Olympic campaign on a high note in the US late last week.
The Tonimbuk rider won the $8000 1.45m Classic at the International Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, riding Bolero Van't Heike.
The festival has an amazing 12 weeks of competition, with more than $6 million in prizemoney on offer.
Luc Musette, from Belgium, was the course designer for the international classes, during which the 26 starters produced seven clear rounds.
Williams claimed victory in a time of 67.081 seconds, ahead of Columbian Daniel Bluman in 67.381 seconds and Irish champion Cian O'Connor third in 67.843 seconds.
Riding Bolero Van't Heike, Williams also competed in the 1.50m grand prix qualifier, finishing on 16 penalties after dropping four rails. In Saturday's 1.55m grand prix, he had two rails down for eight penalties, to finish 23rd from 50 starters.
Australian Thaisa Erwin, from Newcastle in NSW, also competed in the grand prix, riding Matilda. She had 17 penalties and finished 42nd.
Edwina takes second
AUSTRALIA'S Edwina Tops-Alexander scored a second placing at the Leipzig International Five-Star Show in Germany at the weekend.
The event was the 1.45m Table A2, in which Tops-Alexander rode the young mare Mel D'Argences. She was 26th in the 1.45m Table C.
The Australian-owned CP Aprilla, ridden by German Daniel Deusser, was third in the Table A2. The 2010 Australian champion mare, usually ridden by George Sanna, from Glossodia, is being campaigned in Europe to be sold.
Riding the black stallion Vleut, Tops-Alexander was 18th in the 1.45m Table C and 46th in the 1.50m champions grand prix, incurring 19 penalties.
Aboard her new grand prix horse, Titus, the former mount of English rider Guy Williams, she was 48th in the 1.45m Table A, on nine penalties. She jumped a clear round in the 1.50m Table A, to place 16th.
In Sunday's World Cup qualifier, she incurred nine penalties for two rails down and a time penalty, to go to 33rd from the 37 starters.
The World Cup qualifier was won by defending champion, Germany's Christian Ahlmann, riding Taloubet Z. Host-nation competitors filled the top three places, with Katrin Eckermann second and Marcus Ehning third.
Swedish rider and world No.1, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, heads the European world cup leader board on 74 points, from Irish rider Denis Lynch, on 54, and France's Kevin Staut, on 53.
Australia's leading female rider, Tops-Alexander, is 36th on 15 points.
