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The CCI4* leader after dressage, Megan Jones and Kirby Park Allofasudden perform in front of the Adelaide City Council Heritage Grandstand
The top three place placegetters after the CCI4* dressage phase at the Australian International 3 Day all agree that the cross country course they will be heading out on tomorrow looks ‘tough’. However it may not be as tough as the judge’s marking of today’s tests, another thing they all agreed on at the press conference held at the end of the day.
“I think it’s just disappointing that this event will be compared with overseas 4* events and people may look at these marks and draw some conclusions that shouldn’t be drawn” says second placed Seumas Marwood while Megan Jones says that, although she certainly wasn’t expecting a score in the 30’s she was hoping for around the 44 mark.
At the end of the day however she led the class with a score of 51.50 riding Kirby Park Allofasudden and, despite the score, was very happy with her horse that has only recently come back into top level competition. She also has two horses in the top five of the CCI2* making it a good start to the big event
Whereas Megan has competed here many times including a win here in 2005, Belinda Isbister riding her off the track racehorse Holy Bruce is having her first start at a CCI4* and naturally the Western Australian rider is very pleased with her current second place.
Belinda was very happy with Holy Bruce but 'there's more there yet to come'
The chestnut gelding has had a varied career including being a show hack and ‘was obese when I first got him!’ Since then however he has proved himself as a top class eventer with top 10 finishes at Sydney CCI3* and Melbourne CCI3* in the past two years plus consistent placings at 3* level throughout 2014.
“I guess you never know if you’re ready to tackle a 4* until you do it” says Belinda “But he’s very well established at 3* level so hopefully we’re ready to tackle tomorrow’s course”
Seumas and Wild Oats
Third placed Seumas Marwood has been busy competing in various countries this year with overseas starts at Badminton and Luhmuhlen and now back on home turf. His mare Wild Oats has been out of quarantine for nearly 10 weeks and, although she lost weight during her travelling stint, she is looking good now and feeling great. Last year this pair was half way through their 4* test when a mini tornado came whirling through Victoria Park, creating a dust storm and bringing down the signage so Seumas was relieved to get through his test without incident this year. Indeed it was a good enough test from the pair to put them in the lead for most of the afternoon, albeit on a score of 58
Seumas Marwood
While Seumas is probably the oldest competitor in the field (and the only male), Isabel English is one of the youngest. The Queensland based rider started to ride the Connemara/Thoroughbred cross Feldale Mouse when she was 13 years old but as ‘Mouse’ was a bit of a naughty character he was sent to Kevin McNab for a little while. Standing patiently while Isabel was chatting to us he looked as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth but Isabel assured us he could still have his moments however none of those moments happened during their dressage test and Isabel’s beaming smile said it all as she left the arena ‘tickled pink’
With a score of 58.30 the 19 year old rider and her 12 year old horse are heading in to the cross country which Isabel thinks looks a ‘bit tougher’ than last year when she rode her first ever CCI4*. The course provides plenty of challenges including angles, ditches and brushes but offers lots of options for those less experienced combinations in the field. A lot of ongoing work has gone into the footing and this year the competitors do not have to leave the prepared surface thanks to the inclusion of the Southern Sports field. This does mean however that the CCI4* course is longer (6498m) with more emphasis placed on open galloping lines early on
"I have tried to create more distance between fences with less intensity for certain areas in the parks and more obstacles in unobstructed areas with better balance of technical tests and lines on course' says course designer Wayne Copping. While there are questions all around the course, many of the spectators will be gathered around the water complex which provides the perfect spot for watching the action unfold (and a few dunkings no doubt), picnicking and rubbing shoulders with the eventing elite if you happen to have VIP access to the Rymill Park Lake island
The dressage is done and dusted, here comes the cross country ....................
View all fences on the CCI4* cross country course here
