What a difference a year makes. Last year's Australian Three Day Event (held in 40 degree plus temperatures), was not a happy one for Wendy Schaeffer. Since then she has not competed a great deal in Australia as she has spent a season on the European showjumping circuit with her showjumping mare Koyuna Sun Set. But at this year’s event, she proved that she is still one of the best eventing riders in the world with a wonderful display of skill throughout on two horses. Following the dressage she was in a strong position; 4th on Koyuna Sun Dancer and 7th on Koyuna Sun Shine which she followed with a clear cross country run on both horses with only 0.4 and 4 time faults respectively. It was always going to be tough for Emma Mason going into the showjumping in the lead with riders such as Wendy, Stuart Tinney and Heath breathing down her neck and indeed, Wendy showed all of her talent as a showjumping rider and jumped clear on both horses. As the rails started to drop for Emma and F1 Pharinelli - who had done such a great job to this point - Wendy became the winner on Koyuna Sun Dancer and took 3rd place on Koyuna Sun Shine. It was a popular win for the local Hahndorf based rider who admitted it was very nice to be back home and riding top level eventing again.
Stuart Tinney also had a great start on Watermark Grayson - 3rd after the dressage and clear under time on the cross country - but 3 rails in the showjumping dropped him down to 5th place. However, Stuart was in limelight as the winner of the Peppermint Grove Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding Event horse of the year with Vettori, his WEG mount and last year's winner of the Australian 3DE, owned by Peter O’Connell and Kathy Ward. Stuart also won the Anna Savage Memorial Award - awarded to the Best and Fairest Eventing Rider for the year and made a gracious speech to accept both awards prior to the start of the Four Star jumping. It certainly is a well deserved award as Stuart is not only an outstanding rider but an excellent ambassador for Australian eventing. Chris Burton on the 2008 winner Newsprint moved up to second place with a lovely clear round (which pleased all of the young girls in the stands!) and the 2010 Australian Dressage Champion, Heath Ryan dropped one rail to move him into 5th position. Emma Mason and F1 Pharinelli finished in 6th place.
It has been another great weekend at the Australian International Three Day event in Adelaide. Despite a slightly damp start and fears of heavy rain, the weather improved and it was lovely to sit out under the umbrellas in the new Renniks Pavilion on showjumping day. This new addition to the ticket options was a very good idea and, as always, the Equity Partners VIP Marquee on cross country day was great fun with excellent food and wine. The organisers of this event certainly do a good job, this year they were joined by overseas based Aussie eventer Paul Tapner who did an excellent job of the commentary and course walks.
In addition to the Two and Four Star classes, the Bates Australia National Young Rider Championship was up for grabs and Tegan Lush on Tempus Fugit was the individual winner with the WA Team taking the team championship. An Eventful Life featured rider Sonja Johnson, who was busy on the farm near Albany in WA and could not attend this event, will be happy about that! They certainly breed them tough in WA - Sophie Warren had a bad fall from her horse Let's Impress during the Four Star cross country and looked out for the count but within a short time was up and walking about, much to everyone's relief. Two other riders - Emily Anker and Andrea Dumbrell - managed to collide with a tree (only the riders, the horses were smart enough to get out of the way!) but thanks to their sturdy helmets, both riders were fine.
It was also an excellent event for sales of our book An Eventful Life. Bonnet's Saddlery was selling the book for us (and it is now available in-store if you didn't get a copy there) and the wonderful Megan Jones, who was at the event every day despite the fact she was not riding, was kept busy signing books and chatting to her fans. Three of the other riders featured in the book - Wendy Schaeffer, Stuart Tinney and Shane Rose - obviously had a successful and busy weekend (Shane won the CIC** on his beautiful six year old black stallion Statford Neo) so it was a great weekend for An Eventful Life!
The equestrian bandwagon now rolls onto the big extravaganza of Equitana in Melbourne from 18th - 21st November. An Eventful Life will be on sale at the CopRice stand in the Epsom Pavilion (Stand No. 364) and also in the NutiRice Grand Pavilion on Thursday afternoon during the Eventing clinic with William Fox-Pitt. The riders will be joining us for book signings at various times which I'll post in the next couple of days on this site and the Eventful Life Facebook page (just click on the Facebook icon on our home page to access if you're not already a Facebook friend - there are also lots more photos from this event on the Facebook Photo Album) . The book will also be available on the Saddleworld stand in the Epsom Pavilion (stand no. 252). We're really looking forward to meeting you so come along, say hello and stock up on copies of An Eventful Life as Chrissie presents! As always, thanks to Toni-anne Collins for the great photos she takes for An Eventful Life - enjoy!
