Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation will be back in Adelaide
An Eventful Life will be filming all competitors on cross country at the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event - find out more here
It’s always exciting when you get that first peek at the entry list of a bigevent, especially when it’s a CCI4* and it’s in Adelaide
But of course the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event isn’t just a 4* event, it also has the RM Williams CIC3* and the Horseland CCI2* incorporating the Bates Saddles Young Rider Championship
But let’s start with the Mitsubishi Motors CCI4* and the first thing to say is that Michael Jung isn’t listed - Michael, where are you? We thought you might quickly tack it on to the end of your schedule after a quick last minute dash to Les Etoiles de Pau .............
However we do have quite a few internationals descending on Adelaide but from a slightly closer land – the Kiwis are coming! The 4* is packed with New Zealanders including one of the hot favourites, Clarke Johnstone on Balmoral Sensation who so nearly took the win in 2015.
There’s also Ginny Thompson on Star Nouveau and Sam Felton on Ricker Ridge Pico Boo who both impressed at Melbourne International 3 Day Event in June, Andy Daines on Spring Panorama who competed here in 2016 and Donna Edwards-Smith is bringing the gorgeous DSE Mr Hokey Pokey and DSE Tangalooma
Keep an eye out for Donna's crowd favourite DSE Mr Hokey Pokey
You may be wondering where is the Melbourne 3* winner, Jock Paget? Well, Jock is coming but Angus Blue won’t be making the trip this year as he is still acclimatising to the Southern Hemisphere “He’s trying to grow a winter coat at the moment” Jock told us. But Jock will be in Adelaide helping the NZ riders and we’ll be catching up with him throughout the event for a bit of special ‘Jock insight’ so stay tuned for more about that
The New Zealanders won’t have it all their way with four Australian Olympic medallists in the line up. Sonja Johnson will be giving it a real go on two horses, Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison and Misty Isle Valentino, Megan Jones will be out to impress on Kirby Park Impress, Stuart Tinney brings the New Zealand bred War Hawk and Wendy Schaeffer-Macdonald is home for a while and reunited with Sun Showers
Hazel Shannon returns to defend her title
Last year’s winners, Hazel Shannon and Clifford, are on cracking form again this year, emulating their lead up in 2016 by winning at both Tamworth and Goulburn and they are certainly another of our hot favourites. Katie Taliana and Trevalgar II were last here in 2015 but are returning on very good form this year, running second to Hazel at Goulburn, sixth at Tamworth and winning the CCI3* at Sydney in May. Marriage seems to suit Katie ......
Andrew Cooper finished third on Evergem Perfection last year but this year his ride will be on the mare Tasman Park Ovation. Last year Andrew was the only one to make time on cross country on Evergem Perfection and he managed to do the same on this mare at Melbourne which is quite a feat on such a big warmblood.
Andrew is being joined by fellow Victorians Rob Palm and Koko Story who had a great start to the season, the galloping vet Rohan Luxmoore on Bells ‘n Whistles who can pull rabbits out of hats when you least expect it and are on very good form leading into this, showjumper turned eventer James Lang on Mousetang and popular coach, Yona Lloyd on Seargent Crisp
Amateur eventer Rohan Luxmoore and the home bred Bells 'N Whistles were third after dressage in 2016
Sonja is not the only one making the trip from Western Australia as Emily Gray and Jocular Vision are back for another go at the 4* - they put in the fifth best performance on cross country last year and will no doubt be aiming to do better in the other phases this time
Another rider with a bit of a drive ahead is Madeleine Wilson from Queensland who will be riding I’m Bruce, winner of the CCI3* at Sydney and Tania Harding on the leggy and gorgeous Jirrima Yorkshire rounds out the 21 entries in this class
We’ll be back with more on the other classes soon and you can view all entries on the MMAus3DE website here
Mitsubishi Motors CCI4*
|
Andrew Cooper |
TASMAN PARK OVATION |
AUS |
|
Andy Daines |
SPRING PANORAMA |
NZ |
|
Donna Edwards-smith |
DSE TANGOLOOMA |
NZ |
|
Donna Edwards-smith |
DSE MR HOKEY POKEY |
NZ |
|
Samantha Felton |
RICKER RIDGE PICO BOO |
AUS |
|
Emily Gray |
JOCULAR VISION |
AUS |
|
Tania Harding |
JIRRIMA YORKSHIRE |
AUS |
|
Sonja Johnson |
PARKIARRUP ILLICIT LIAISON |
AUS |
|
Sonja Johnson |
MISTY ISLE VALENTINO |
AUS |
|
Clarke Johnstone |
BALMORAL SENSATION |
NZ |
|
Megan Jones |
KIRBY PARK IMPRESS |
AUS |
|
James Lang |
MOUSTANG |
AUS |
|
Yona Lloyd |
SEARGENT CRISP |
AUS |
|
Rohan Luxmoore |
BELLS N WHISTLES |
AUS |
|
Robert Palm |
KOKO STORY |
AUS |
|
Wendy Schaeffer-macdonald |
SUN SHOWERS |
AUS |
|
Hazel Shannon |
CLIFFORD |
AUS |
|
Katie Taliana |
TREVALGAR II |
AUS |
|
Ginny Thompson |
STAR NOUVEAU |
NZ |
|
Stuart Tinney |
WAR HAWK |
AUS |
|
Madeline Wilson |
IM BRUCE |
AUS |
