Showjumpers Skelton and Maher go clear

Great Britain's showjumpers gave another strong account of themselves on Sunday as the team competition got under way at Greenwich Park.

After Saturday's first individual qualifying event, the action went up a notch in pursuit of team and individual medals.

Individually, the top 35 riders by Monday evening will progress into Wednesday's final, when the slate is wiped clean and everyone starts on nil faults.

British team member Peter Charles bowed out of the individual medal race on Saturday, but Nick Skelton, Ben Maher and Scott Brash remain well placed.

And in the team competition, Britain were in second spot halfway through the day behind Saudi Arabia on a score of four faults.

Skelton (Big Star) and Maher (Tripple X III) both jumped superb clear rounds, while Brash was desperately unlucky to have the 13th and final fence down on Hello Sanctos.

Charles, who is still involved in the team competition, improved on Saturday's showing with Vindicat, but still had two fences down.

In Sunday's afternoon session, team medal contenders such as Holland, Germany, France, Sweden and the United States were all hoping to press their claims.

Skelton was thrilled with his round on the nine-year-old stallion Big Star, saying: "He felt amazing, he looked amazing, but he is amazing. It was a nice course, and he is jumping unbelievably at the moment. He's got everything, and is in great condition."

Maher added: "We wanted, in theory, to get two strong horses out with clear rounds at the start, and it couldn't have gone any better. This is a tough competition. There are a number of rounds day on day, and the course was testing enough today."