If William Fox-Pitt he had had 0.30 points more he would not have been victorious.
 

Like the day before for the cross country test, the public arrived early at the Isle-Briand Estate to watch the final test for show jumping that would determine which horse would be crowned the 2008 World Champion for young 6-year-old eventing horses.

The spectators were in admiration of these "babies" which had delighted them with their performances the day before on the cross country. They were in a hurry to fill up the stands. Some of them preferred to see these athletes close up and admire the show provided by the competitors in the warm-up paddock while following what was happening on the course on the giant screen installed at the edge of the arena. A lot of these young horses were tired after the considerable effort the day before and the clear rounds (9 pairs of riders and horses out of 31 who were still in the competition) and they received well-deserved applause from the public.

When it was time to see the last candidates in the line-up compete, the atmosphere became tenser.

Lucinda Fredericks and R Lillibet who were 5th in the provisional line-up achieved a wonderful clear round and when she left the arena, the Olympic Vice –Champion in the team event constantly congratulated her mare with many affectionate strokes.

Sara Algotsson and Solozzo were next to go. They also had a clear round and the Swedish rider and her horse remained in 4th place.

0.30 points behind

Pippa Funnell, 3rd with her attractive horse Billy Landretti, put pressure on the first two riders of the provisional line-up by finishing with a wonderful clear round. She was delighted by the behaviour of her chestnut Irish Sport horse throughout the Championships and she was still stroking him when Kai Rüder and Charlie Weld left the arena and had notched up four faults. This cost them dearly and the German rider and his horse slipped back from 2nd to 3rd place.

William Fox-Pitt and Oslo were the last competitors to enter the arena and were only four faults ahead of Pippa and Billy Landretti. And Oslo, who was a bit unsettled by all of the spectators, knocked down an obstacle and notched up four faults. But he was clear on the rest of the round and the Selle Français horse, which was born in Orne, in Normandy at Philippe Brivois’ stables was crowned World Champion in the competition which he had dominated from the beginning to the end.

It is an understatement to say that this victory was applauded and enjoyed by the 18 owners of the bay horse who were present at the Championships. Meanwhile, Pippa was slightly disappointed when she realised that the difference between her result and William's was 0.30 points… “If only I had performed better in the dressage test, Billy Landretti and I could have won the competition!”