Photos left, right and below: The Marxmen, complete with flag wavers put on a fabulous display as the lead in to the Grand Prix event.

Left: Course Designer David Cole, left his "Killer Cole" hat at home for todays course and instead donned his "bridesmaid" outfit as he carried the bouquet to adorn the dreaded bike fence which took the most casualties in this class.

Left: Aussie visitor, Becky Allen who came to Towerlands with the touring Aussie Young Rider team, and managed to pick up a couple of rides herself caught up with UK based Aussie, Rowan Willis who came to Towerlands to start in the main class of the show - the Grand Prix.

The Aussie Young Riders certainly gave Rowan a rousing cheer when he entered the arena and no doubt made him feel like he was "back home"!

Left: The "face" of Equestrian Elite walks the course with Vicky Young.

Right: The "back" of the Equestrian Elite team. Equestrian Elite saddlery suport showjumpers Mark and Chris.

Left: The "puppy" of the Elite Equestrian team, Hattie doesn't like to walk and much prefers to travel in the "helmet"!

Below left: The riders wait patiently to walk the track and see what fate awaits them!

Left: Tim Stockdale, distinctive in his Fresh Direct sponsored jacket looks very serious as he walks this course which is going to be tough enough to win.

The startlist showed 53 entries for this class and it is to be a a jump off class with the Round one course is set at 1.45m and looks, from the stands to be an encouraging course but it is only when the jumping starts that we will get a real look at what "questions" Course Designer, David Cole has set today. David's tracks all week have caused everyone to ask the question "what will he do in the Grand Prix"?

To keep the Aussie flavour it was great to catch up with Rowan Willis who is starting in this class riding Mr and Mrs. Welch's Grandira.

Prior to the class a special presentation was made to Ben Maher who won GBP1,000 Winter League final - presented by the BSJA.

Then it was finally time for the first horse, Scott Smith riding MJ Dawson's Amanda Lear the big moving chestnut mare who negotiated their way around the track, going clear until the dastardly bike fence gave them their first fence of two down and finished with 8 jumping faults and 5 time faults so time could be an issue.

Second out was William Funnell and Buddy Bunn so approrpiately named as this gelding is owned by Douglas Bunn - they jumped a super clear round and this clear was quickly followed by fellow Olympic shortlist rider, Britain's Michael Whittaker who also jumped clear on Sandy.

Ireland's Peter Charles and Pershing collected a couple of rails in their way around and also picked up a time fault while British rider Jenny Cassan and Hello Tosh, new to this level together rode a good round but collected 12 jumping and 2 time faults.

Sarah Lynch and Fleuron St Gil jumped a great round finishing with just 8 faults but they did manage to mess up the dreaded bike fence which did need a quick repair job done on it - sadly for the riders, it was jumpable still!

Richard RobInson and Mike Dawson's Jalisco II didn't have a great trip around the track and finished with 16 faults. South African rider, Charles Luyckx and his own High Five decided to retire after dropping several fences and Tim Stockdale and Headly Stud's Cloudy Night finished round one with 12 faults.

Portia Howard, still a young rider and one who is tipped to be on traveling British teams this season and although she had 12 faults with Oscar IX she jumped a super round. Robert Maguire and Two Mills Showtime had two down but collected 15 time faults along the way.

Next out was a rider the Aussie crew are thrilled to see "one of them", Paul Crago riding mother Judy Crago's Katlain and he certainly rode his round with a distinctive Aussie style - meaning perhaps not the most graceful round but brave and accurate and they finished with 8 faults.

Vicky Young, one of Britiain's top National riders gave us the third clear round with her own Corleone so she will defintely be back for round two of this big and very exciting class.

Perry Colgate and Mark Samuel's Rebel Rex put a couple of fences on the floor and finished with 8 faults and South African, based at Towerlands, Gary Werth and his own Panama Avoca decided to retire just before the final fence after having a few on the floor and getting lost a couple of times on course. Graham Lovegrove and Connectix Ltd's gorgeous chestnut stallion Galant des Plains jumped super clear and neat in the first half of the course but unfortunately the horse became unsettled at the double in front of the Judges box and after dropping two further fences decided to retire before the last fence.

James Davenport and the dark mare Lynne jumped a great round finishing with 8 faults and Lara Abraham and Braveheart were another combination who decided to retire before finishing the course.

Charlotte Platt and her tiny 14.3hh gelding Pauldary's Tiger Flight jumped the most fabulous round of the class - they finished with just two fences down but the crowd went wild for them as they seriously flew over the fences and skipped around between them - this is an exceptional combination and proves without a doubt "you don't have to be big to jump a big track"!!!

Lisa Ashe and DWL Home Improvements bay mare Lulu jumped well and had two rails finishing with 8 faults.

When chatting to David Cole prior to the class he said he would hope to have 8 clear rounds and at roughly the half way mark we still have just three clear rounds. Ryan Prater and Salenka van't Herstveld had a difficult round and finished with four fences down but collected a swag of time penalties along the way.

Laura Newman and her lovely gelding Opus van't Eikhof looked super over many fences and her result of 20 penalties is not indicative of how this super horse went today - he is back from a long spell and is one to watch this season. Jenny Cassan and Andrew West's Woodlands Millvale were another combination opting for retirement before crossing the finishing flags.

Chris Sadler and Cavalier didn't have the greatest round especially when they overshot the bike fence collecting time penalties and finishing with 12 jumping and 14 time penalties. Scott Smith and Mike Dawson's Landwind was another combination taking the retirement option prior to the final fence after lowering three fences and at the halfway mark now we still only have our three clear rounds - will David Cole get his 8 horse jump off??

Keith Doyle and Jane Robertson's Just Josh was yet another combination taking retirement after dropping a big oxer and the bike fence - saving this horse for another day - this track was definitely taking its toll today and no doubt at this point David Cole is sweating just a little!

Ben Maher and Mecurius, recipients of the BSJA check and award prior to the class lowered several fences on their way around the course but were no doubt pleased to negotiate their way from start to finish.

Peter Charles and the seriously handsome chestnut gelding Rock Star with the very expressive back end, especially over these tall, wide oxers jumped superbly through this very difficult track only tapping one rail and received a huge cheer from the crowd as he came through clear making it four through to the jump off now.

Michaela Russell and GW International's Zerro got round with just the 8 faults and would have pleased with that result. Tim Stockdale and Colin Garrett's Fresh Direct Landed Gentry were another combination who fell victim to this track with difficult lines and approaches plus some distances which were not quite straight forward and they too decided to retire before coming through the finish flags. Robert Maguire and his own Retreats Oakie Dokie was pure class over the bike fence and in fact throughout the whole course and he became clear round number 5. Robert Bevis and the big jumping grey Qui Vive jumped superbly until the double under the judges box fell and this unsettled the horse and he finished with 12 faults.

Australian Rowan Willis got a rousing cheer of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi Oi Oi" as he rode into the arena on board Grandira and the scream went up loud and clear when he came through the finish flags with no jumping and no time faults to go through to the jump off making six through. The 23 year old Aussie has been in the UK for 5 years now based at the Welch's stud in Basingstoke and is certainly riding well - and that is naturally an unbiased comment from your Aussie reporter!

William Funnell and Cortaflex Vechta had one of those rounds they would ratehr forget when this very handsome and talented International stallion did that "stallion thing" and refused twice at a big oxer. Lisa Ashe and Cosmic Lady decided to join the huge list of retirees in this class after having a couple down, realising that there was no way she would be in the money today.

Di Lampard and the big grey William Spirit had a very unlucky rail at the first part of the combination on the spectator wall and the oxer in front of the judges box tumbled as well so this combination left with 8 faults. This lovely grey gelding was bred by Diana Friend and is now owned in partnership by Diana and Di Lampard - watch for the story on this horse in the coming weeks.

Rebecca Walker and Flibuster du Val had two refusals at seperate fences and sadly left the arena with elimination at the final fence. Scott Smith was back in the arena, this time riding ike Dawson's super International stallion, Cabri d'Elle and they were going great guns but unfortunately had 8 faults which would keep them out of today's jump off. This handsome stallion is on the British short list for Athens so no doubt we will see him in the big classes lineups. James Davenport and Flaire du Val were another combination who left with what was becoming the "common 8 faults".

Paul Crago returned for his second trip around the track, this time on Bobs Diamond and they looked strong and confident through the first half of that track but the wheels fell off a little in the second half and they finished with 8 faults also. Graham Lovegrove and Histoire Vesquorie joined those retiring after things didn't go quite according to plan. Charles Luuyckx on his second trip around the track, this time riding Cavallo looked super confident as they negotiated their way around the track until the last third of the course which left them with 12 faults.

With 8 to go we were sitting steady with 6 clear rounds - can we get to the Course Designers "wish" of 8 to the jump off?

Ben Maher and Alfredo were the next combination making their bid for the jump of in this A&B Grade Grand Prix but the bike fence put paid to this plan but they finished with a very respectable 4 faults. Peter Charles was now back in for his second ride in this class on the Olympic hopeful horse, Lady Harris's It's Magic Max and the tall bay gelding was given a super ride by Peter who is a master in the saddle. Sadly the bike fence also put paid to their idea of returning for the jump off and they left the arena with just the four faults. Tim Gredley and the "pretty" bay gelding Omelli came unstuck at the water fence when the horse slid to a standstill and said "no way am I go over this" and so the bell rang for the fence to be rebuilt - and on second approach Omelli said "no" again and sadly this talented combination left the arena with an elimination. Another of the Young Riders, Lee Williams entered the arena for his chance to get through tot he jump off with his own Lacanda but this was not to be their day as the horse was a bit busy looking at the spectators as he came to the first part of the double along the spectators wall and took out the vertical which is the first part of this combination - the bike fence also claimed another victim with Lacanda pulling it down - they finished with 12 jumping and 1 time penalty.

Robert Maguire, already clear with Retreats Oakie Dokie came in with his third ride for the class, Mr Cawley and Robert was giving this horse and excellent ride and was totally unprepared for this horse to refuse at the tall airy oxer which jumped straight into the hospitality area but on their second appraoch the horse jumped superbly and finished with just the four faults. Andy Austin and his horse Go decided to stop and retire after having a difficult start to the round. Last out was Eve Staveley and her own Ranome jumped a really sweet round finishing with a totally respectable 8 faults and so at the end of the class Course Designer did not get his wish of 8 in his jump off - but with a six horse jump off we were looking at a great jump off!