First into the CCI2* arena - Emma King and DVZ Chevalier finish the day in second place
The first rider into the arena at any major event can always look forward with certainty to leading the class, however briefly that may be.
For Western Australia’s Emma King on DVZ Chevalier, the lead was not that brief, with their score of 47.70 keeping them in first place for much of the morning then Emma was back in the afternoon with her second horse, the chestnut Em and M Russell who finished the day in 15th place on 56.80 while DVZ Chevalier stayed close to the top to head into cross country in second place
We had a chat with Emma as she walked Em and M Russell back to the stable after their test
Emma King
Madeline Wilson and Aces High
Emma held the lead until Queensland’s Madeline Wilson on her off the track thoroughbred Aces High moved just ahead with their score of 46.40. It was a test that all three judges enjoyed, which isn’t bad for a horse ‘brought along for the ride’
“He’s probably not quite ready to be here this year. I was bringing I’m Bruce for the 4* so I thought I’d bring Aces High along so I’d have another one to take my mind off things!”
The eight year old thoroughbred Aces High is by Another Warrior, also the sire of Shane Rose’s Shanghai Joe and other promising progeny that Shane has bred, is a fairly new ride for Madeline as he was previously ridden to PreNovice level by another Queenslander, Eleanor Osborne
Western Australia was soon back in the spotlight however with Tegan Lush and the 10 year old Touchstone Felix looking the goods as they warmed up and then delivering a very good performance in the arena with just a couple of errors for a score of 48.30.
Tegan Lush and Touchstone Felix
“I’m extremely happy and gutted at the same time” admitted Tegan “We made a couple of errors, picking up the wrong lead after the simple change, which is something he’s normally very good at and he moved his quarters in the final halt with the rain coming straight into him. But they’re fixable things and I’m just really happy to have him back here again”
The pair has had some very good 2* results in Western Australia leading up to this event, winning at Wooroloo in August and second at Pinjarra in September and they now head into the cross country phase in 3rd place
“It’s a nice course” says Tegan “It’s challenging enough and nothing trappy but of course you’ve always got the added element of the crowds which most horses at this level aren’t really used to and wondering if they’ll be distracted by it”
With four Western Australian riders in the top 10, they would be doing well in the usual State Teams competition but it appears that this isn’t happening this year
“They must have cancelled it because they knew Western Australia would do so well!” laughed Tegan
Cindy Lyall and GI Joe
Cindy Lyall and another off the track thoroughbred, GI Joe continued to fly the WA flag on a score of 49.10 for 4th place.
There may not have been many spectators today with the cold wind and showery conditions making it a tad cool to sit in the stands but those present were vocal in their support, and the very attractive 14 year old GI Joe, owned by Cindy and her family, always pulls in the cheers
Molly Barry and Shinu Kuma
Young Victorian rider Molly Barry is well known for her work with off the track thoroughbreds and her ‘quirky’ ex-racehorse Shina Kuma top the Young Rider leader board with a score of 52.20 in equal 7th place with Tess Sharman riding King’s Basil Brush, yet another Western Australian rider.
Molly is looking forward to even better dressage from this 10 year old horse in the future who sounds like quite a character
The Bates Australian Young Rider Championship which is run as part of the overall CCI2* class is one worth winning for these young riders, not just for the prestige but also to take home the $5,000 saddle voucher from Bates Saddles as the leading Young Rider. If they also won the class outright, they would be taking two $5,000 saddles home!
Jordyn Faint was the first of the riders in the Bates Australian Young Rider Championship on her bay warmblood Double S & Evergreen Jackpot to finish the day in 18th place
One down, two more to go for Andrew Cooper
A few of the riders copped some of the intermittent showers; Emma Mason’s Warrego Marco Polo and Andrew Cooper’s Darwin Park Echo looked a little tense at the start of their tests in the rain but their experienced and patient riders pulled the marks back for 5th and 12th places
Andrew is also riding Tasman Park Ovation in the CCI4* and Lagoes Choice in the CIC3*, both horses owned and previously competed by his partner Izzy O’Loughlin. Izzy certainly does her bit for the sport as Chelsea Priestly says in our interview; Chelsea was riding the third of Izzy’s horses at Adelaide in the CCI2* today and the impressive 18 year old grey warmblood Skansen Purist put his best foot forward for 6th place on 51.20
Chelsea Priestley and Skansen Purist
Interim scores and results here
