Sam Jeffree in his distinctive orange colours on Jaybee Calypso
Over 40 competitors started in the Pakenham Produce & Saddlery CIC1* at Tonimbuk Horse Trials but one rider – Sam Jeffree – managed to take home the two top spots on offer. 19 year old Sam not only won the Open 1* but also the Noble Spirit Award for the best performed Under 21 Rider.
Sam started in the lead on board one of his three mounts in this class with Jaybee Calypso in first place after the dressage on 27.70, Northern Isaac in third and Koyuna Tactician in seventh but four faults from each of the horses during the evening show jumping saw them move to second, fifth and seventh.
Megan Jones moved into the lead after show jumping on her new ride Impeccable. This is the lovely off the track thoroughbred that won the CCI1* at Puhinui International in New Zealand in December 2017 when his rider Emily Cammock told us ‘I would really love to keep him, he’s such a superstar but I’ve got to sell him to buy a new truck!’. Emily was hoping that whoever she sold him to would take him further and there is no doubt that Megan will do that, however Megan took it steadily on cross country at Tonimbuk for their first competition run.
They clocked up ten time penalties, dropping them to eighth place while Sam put in two double clear rounds on Jaybee Calypso and the seven year old Koyuna Tactician for first (31.7) and fifth (35.10) places. Northern Isaac had a run out at Fence 15 (‘Then jumped it beautifully the second time’ says Sam ruefully) but it was the next fence, the Harcourt’s Splash that was introduced last year at Fence 16 that caused the most problems with a few riders picking up penalties or ending their ride here
The new part of the 1* course designed by Mick Pineo rode well and opens the course up more at the back of the property, although a few fence judges had to search hard to find their new fences! The trees have been thinned in this area and Mick made good use of the space and the timber with two big logs creating a Trakehener-type fence (big log over ditch) at Fence 8 and a nice big log fence coming out of the wooded area at Fence 6. After a long run down from 6 the riders needed to set their horses back up for Fence 7ab, two logs on a slightly curving line which came off a roll-back and Sam Jeffree opted for different lines for his horses here
Sam Jeffree
Brooke Howarthe and Summer Delago
The next three riders all moved up considerably from their dressage result with Brooke Howarthe and Summer Delago taking second place, adding just 0.8 time penalties on cross country and third placed Simon Tainsh riding Mount Anakie Crescendo finishing on their dressage score of 34.20.
Simon Tainsh and Vengeance in the CIC3*
That may have been something to cheer up Simon who had been a bit frustrated in the CIC3* dressage with a very fresh Vengeance, back in competition after some time off. It certainly wasn’t their best test with Vengeance adding in flying changes and seeing gremlins everywhere but they were ‘back with a vengeance’ during the 3* cross country
Leesa Clausing and Willtony Garnett (4th place) over the new big log and ditch
Sam Jeffree gallops into 5th place on Koyuna Tactician
Charlotte Curwen and LP Janvier finished in 6th place
