View our full First Horse Inspection photo gallery here
Ground jury member Christian Landolt knows how to dress for the heat
Sometimes the first horse inspection at a major event can be a little dull, it is after all the prelude to the main action with everyone hot to trot and wanting to get the competition underway. Today it was far from dull but it was certainly hot to trot with the temperature hovering around 33 degrees (but feeling much hotter even when you weren’t running alongside a horse). Ground jury member Christian Landolt wore his customary shorts which look very elegant with a jacket and tie – Christian is one of the few who can carry off this look and the dress code was definitely for high summer.
The casualties started well before the actual inspection itself. One of the hot favourites in the CCI4*, last year’s second placed Sonja Johnson, withdrew Belfast Mojito in the past few days due to a small injury to the horse but apparently Sonja too has had a problem with a dislocated shoulder. Sonja has had a really unlucky year, having to withdraw Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison from the Australian squad heading to Normandy and now missing Australia’s only 4*. However, true to form she is busy at home on the farm in Western Australia and fighting bushfires, wryly commenting that, by comparison, ‘Adelaide would be restful’
It seems that the lead up to the Australian International 3 Day Event is also a very unlucky time for Will Enzinger. Will broke his leg at Colac Horse Trials only days before this event last year and only two weeks ago took a tumble at Tooradin Horse Trials, landing on the same leg which has plates holding it together, causing further damage. Last year Will’s horse TS Jamaimo became a catch ride for Chris Burton and the rest became history with the new combination going on to win the 4*. This year Will may be well and truly strapped up but he is still able to ride, even if he couldn’t trot his CCI2* horse Paihia Wilhelm this afternoon. His wife Emily, who is also competing in the 2* on Glenwood Park Cooper Street, did the honours then Andrew Cooper stepped in when the Ground Jury sent Paihia Wilhelm to the holding box but was accepted on re-presenting.
Several of the CCI2* horses were sent to the holding box but eventually all were passed while Mattea Davidson’s Fairbanks Elle did not present for the first inspection so 55 combinations will start the event with their dressage phase tomorrow.
Wendy Schaeffer and Sun Showers presented for both the 2* and 4*
The 4* horses had an easier time of it with all horses passing with flying colours the first time around. In addition to the withdrawal of Sonja’s Belfast Mojito two other riders on the original entry list did not present, Rohan Luxmoore with Bells ‘N Whistles and Joe Waldron with Springvale All Black but there was an unusual addition. Wendy Schaeffer, who presented Sun Showers for the CCI2* also came forward for the CCI4* inspection. It seems that Wendy decided to enter the 4* only recently but is still waiting for clarification from the FEI as to whether the horse has the appropriate qualifications due to some ambiguities in the current qualification criteria. Wendy, who won her Olympic gold medal in Atlanta only weeks after breaking her leg, most certainly does not lack determination and therefore decided to present at both inspections to cover all bases. No doubt we will discover in the next day or so how this all plays out.
Anthony Thomas and Jaimie Stitchel are two other riders carrying injuries into the event but bravely carrying on (maybe there should be a trot up just for the riders) and even one of the coaches Stuart Tinney, who luckily was not scheduled to ride here but is coaching several of the Western Australians, is in quite some discomfort. Stuart fractured part of his back in a jumping accident at home recently and is another of the walking wounded at Adelaide.
Despite the heat Seumas Marwood went for the formal look
However despite all this, the show goes on and today part of the show was definitely the trot up outfits. There were lots of lovely outfits, plenty of shorts, some very smart guys in varying types of outfits ranging from Seumas Marwood’s very formal suit (surely the kilt would have been cooler today Seumas?) to Rob Palm’s more casual look but minus his normal hat. However our AEL awards today went to Soigne Jackson in the CCI4* and Alex Townsend in the CCI2* who both looked stunning. The leggy Soigne’s cream and blue dress behaved well as she ran thanks to the contoured skirt at the back and stylish cut while Alex’s hot pink dress certainly caught the eye for its colour and elegance.
You’ll be able to see almost every outfit on the runway today, along with the prancing horses of course, in our first photo gallery coming up soon from Adelaide
Soigne Jackson (above) and Alex Townsend (below) won our votes
