Christine Bates and Adelaide Hill into the Olympic water complex
An Eventful Life filmed all competitors on cross country at the Sydney Eventing Summer Classic – find out more here
The 3* competitors were the second class out on course at the Randwick Equine Centre Sydney Eventing Summer Classic and, like the early birds of the CIC1* (in fact a few surprised early birds as the start time had been brought forward 30 minutes which caught some unawares!), they enjoyed the cooler conditions of the day at SIEC.
The popular event ran CIC classes across the board this year so there were competitors in both the national CNC3* and international CIC3*, tackling the course designed by Stuart Tinney. Stuart was lying in fourth place in the CIC3* on War Hawk after dressage and show jumping but opted not to run on cross country, pointing at War Hawk’s portly tummy
“As you can see, he’s not really fit for a 3* - we just brought him along as Annapurna (Gemma Tinney’s horse) had to be scratched as Gemma has a sprained ankle”
Other competitors were probably relieved as Stuart cleaned up in the other CIC classes with a win on another catch ride, Gemma’s Diabolo in the CIC1* and his and Elisabeth Brinton’s Celebration – more about those classes coming up
None of the riders in the CIC3* made the time on cross country but the leader after dressage and show jumping, Christine Bates on Adelaide Hill added just 6.4 time penalties to lead from go to whoa and finish on a score of 35.10 then she blitzed around again on board Ned O’Reilly for the third fastest time of the day and third place on 41.80
Christine Bates
Tim Boland and GV Billy Elliott were the fastest combination of the day
Tim Boland desperately tried to make up the two penalties he incurred in yesterday’s dressage when he lost his way and he almost made it with the fastest round of the day on GV Billy Elliott, incurring just 5.2 time penalties to finish on a score of 36.70 in second place. Oh that dratted ‘senior moment’ Tim!
Jade Findlay and Oaks Cordelia incurred the same 7.2 time penalties as Christine on Ned O'Reilly to take fourth place on 46.10
Olivia Barton and APH Bertie Bad
In the CNC3* young Olivia Barton, who was just named on the Equestrian Australia Generation Next squad, took the win on board APH Bertie Bad. Olivia and her homebred horse produced a good test for 36.30 and they seemed to easily handle the 3* course, coming home with just 6.4 time penalties.
They had a little blip in the show jumping, racking up 20 penalties but this seemed to be the ‘bogey’ phase for this class with experienced competitors Emma Mason and Bols Armstrong picking up 12 and eight faults respectively for second and third places
