'The right three people finished on top of the podium’ L-R: Stuart Tinney (3rd), Clarke Johnstone (1st), Megan Jones (3rd)
It certainly came down to the wire in the CCI4* at the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event but the question for most of the day was not what order would they finish in but what order would they start in
The experienced international Ground Jury of Christian Landolt, Sue Baxter and Gretchen Butts deliberated for much of the day over incidents that had taken place on cross country on Saturday resulting in a few changes on the final run sheet for the afternoon
Megan Jones, originally in second place at the end of cross country, had 50 penalties imposed late on Saturday which were reviewed and removed today to put her back into second place on 58.40, 3.7 time penalties behind the leader Clarke Johnstone.
Stuart Tinney’s 50 penalties allocated during his ride were removed on Saturday night but there was much discussion on social media overnight and the situation was under official review for most of the day.
However, after much deliberation and some additional images being made available, Stuart and War Hawk started the final phase in fourth place on 61 penalties, just 0.3 behind Sonja Johnson and Misty Isle Valentino, moving Andrew Cooper and Tasman Park Ovation into fifth on 61.70
Hazel Shannon and Willinga Park Clifford jump an impressive clear round
To add to the melee, Hazel Shannon appealed her 50 penalties on Willinga Park Clifford but this was not changed and the Ground Jury upheld their original decision, leaving Hazel in 13th place
This may not have been the ideal preparation for the riders and it certainly kept the media on their toes, trying to work who would be jumping and when as the run sheets kept changing but, as Jock Paget later said ‘the right three people finished on top of the podium’
Hazel Shannon put her disappointment of losing the appeal behind her and jumped a beautiful early clear round on Willinga Park Clifford to finish in 11th place but it was a while before the packed stands could celebrate another clear round. When one came, it brought the house down (or at least the Heritage Grandstand) as it was their local hero, Megan Jones on her home bred Kirby Park Impress
Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation
This put the pressure on Clarke Johnstone, who didn’t have any penalties in hand and needed to jump a clear round to win the 4* he had so long dreamed of. But he and Balmoral Sensation pulled it off to become the CCI4* winners of the 2017 Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event and drive away in a new Mitsubishi car
Clarke Johnstone
Megan Jones and Kirby Park Impress
Second place for Megan is a huge achievement on her young home bred mare that now has moved up a notch in her development and into a different league
“Leading up to this event it’s been hard to believe that a horse can improve daily as you ride them but she’s done that. She’s changed shape weekly again and again as her muscles develop and she’s at that peak right now which is great”
Stuart Tinney and War Hawk
Stuart Tinney and War Hawk added eight jumping penalties to their final score but this still put them into third place, moving up from 15th after the dressage thanks to the only clear jumping round under time on cross country, which also earned Stuart the Eurilla Jubilee Trophy for the closest to optimum time
Andrew Cooper and the big mare Tasman Park Ovation also picked up eight penalties which is unusual for the past show jumper but still earned them fourth place while Sonja Johnson was also a bit disappointed with her 12 penalties on Misty Isle Valentino (‘He’s been jumping 1m 40!’) but still pleased with the overall performance of the young horse
Rob Palm and Koko Story rounded out the top six and also took the Thoroughbred Racing SA Prize for the best off the track racehorse
Following the death of Event Director Gill Rolton on Saturday it was, not surprisingly, an emotional day with tributes flowing and flags at half mast for Gill who was no doubt looking down from above with interest
There will be much discussion about the number of 50 penalties awarded at this event and how/why the subsequent decisions were made and this may be a very good thing for the sport.
The Ground Jury members made the time to talk to the press at the end of the competition and we’ll have more about their feedback and comments in the near future but for now let’s celebrate Clarke Johnstone’s win and another successful event in Adelaide created by Gill Rolton and implemented by her team
