The cameras are coming to Adelaide
With the start of Australia’s International 3 Day Event less than a week away we thought it was time to catch up with some of the people who will be making the trip to Adelaide, South Australia.
As the start list stands there are 18 riders taking on the challenge of the CCI4*, the only 4* in the Southern Hemisphere. Since becoming part of the HSBC Classic Series in 2011 the event has grown in stature and is now seen by a world wide audience thanks to the official FEI live coverage – along with many other media outlets … including us!
The step up from CCI3* to CCI4* is a serious one and one which any rider contemplating running at Adelaide would be aware of. To get a horse (and rider) to 4* level is a huge achievement in itself and those who manage to complete the event will know they have accomplished what many others can only dream of.
Being part of an event like the Australian International 3 Day Event on whatever level is something special and there is no doubt that the venue of the event gives many riders, officials and volunteers alike a real buzz as the competition gets underway.
Before speaking to some riders we caught up with Vicki Burgess, the entries secretary of the Australian International 3 Day Event, to find out what the event means to her …
Vicki Burgess is well known as the woman with all the answers and who can do ten things at once
“Adelaide is special simply because it’s Adelaide. The beautiful parks, the Grandstand and being right in the middle of the City make it stand out from any other event I’ve been too. From my point of view the workload for this event is actually easier than a lot of others simply because there will always be less entries at a 3 Day Event than a one day events so on that side of things it’s not too much work. When I get to the event my role becomes the liaison person between the riders and the organising committee (OC). Basically I try to answer, or find out the answer to, any questions the riders might have which could range from ‘how do I get more ice’ to ‘where is the nearest supermarket?’ Once the event is underway and the first trot up is over I’m responsible for doing the timetables for the dressage, cross country and showjumping times which I then have to have approved by the officials and the Organising Committee before passing on to the riders. Gill Rolton, the event director, along with Geoff Sinclair (Vice Chairman), and the Technical Delgates Alec Lohore and Des Hughes are all so easy to work with and that makes my job so much easier.”
Obviously as Adelaide is a 4* event the High Performance officials will be keeping a close eye on who could be potential Australian teams members. However our Eventing Director Prue Barrett will be multi-tasking (something I’m sure she is very used to) as she not only wears her ‘official’ hat but also that of supportive wife to her husband Craig who has two horses entered in the CCI4*.
Prue will be wearing a few different hats at the Australian International 3 Day Event
“I guess Craig and I have been competing against each other for over 20 years so, we have developed a well rehearsed drill of being able to support each other whilst at competitions. The interesting development in the past six months is the pressure from our son Oliver on us being successful at competitions. When we were watching the video from Canberra there a few comments from Oliver such as ‘you’ll need to address that rein back’ and ‘would you like me to slow it down to see you pull the last rail in the showjumping’! Oliver isn’t able to come to Adelaide with us this year … and I think Craig is very relieved”
When Prue was riding full time she enjoyed great success at Adelaide, including a win with Wendela Jackamin in 1999 when the highest level of the event was a CCI3*, but I wondered if she still has a yearning to be back at Adelaide with a ride in the CCI4*.
“It’s hard not to want to ride at that level again although I don’t miss the practice it requires every day! If I had to choose a horse out of those entered this year I would have a soft spot for Wendela Jamie because I rode him for 12 months before taking on my role of Eventing Director. He is such a remarkable cross country horse and makes everything seem so effortless.”
Next week will see riders, officials, sponsors and horses arriving at Victoria Park. Prue will arrive on Wednesday, while others will have started their journey this week stopping in at EQUITANA, Melbourne, on the way – John Twomey is one such rider.
John Twomey is hoping to continue his run of success beyond Adelaide
“I thought that running Highly Recommended in the Exhibition Eventing at Equitana would be a great opportunity to expose him to a big atmosphere a week out from his biggest challenge to date,” said John, who tackled Adelaide back in 2010 riding Wade Equine Flaunt it. “On that occasion we did an average dressage test but jumped double clear and finished about 13th from memory. This year H.R. has been on great form, feels amazing and we have enjoyed some great results. I’m hoping to capitalize on that at Adelaide and we are certainly going to have a red hot poke at it! My wife Caroline will be coming along to keep an eye on me while one of our students, Caitlin Foulis, is grooming for us. I’m also delighted that Sarah Milne, who bred Highly Recommended, is making the journey over from New Zealand to be part of our team.”
While some riders in the 4* class have already made their debut at this level others will be taking on the challenge for the first time. We spoke to Tegan Lush who plans to make the long journey from her home in WA to have a crack at her first four star event.
Tegan Lush will be having her first attempt at 4* level
“From where I live the journey will take us two nights. We will leave on Sunday morning (18th) and travel about eight hours the first day, 12 hours the second and about eight hours on the last day. I am ‘car-pooling’ with fellow WA rider Antonia Hartley who is riding Due Heed in the CCI2*, which makes much more sense than doing a trip like this by yourself. I’m pretty excited and nervous about taking on the Australian International 3 Day Event. I’m really proud of the journey my horse, Tempus Fugit and I have taken to get to this level and am pretty confident in our ability and the partnership we share. I think for me the nerves will kick in on the day, rather than the lead up, but I still constantly remind myself that I have prepared as well as I can and worked very hard to get here. And my aim for the event … to finish … with a quality round!”
Christopher Burton is hoping to enjoy some time with friends at Adelaide
One rider, Christopher Burton, who has ridden round the testing Adelaide course several times winning the CCI4* title in 2008 will not be riding this year. For the past 18 months Chris has been based in England but is now escaping the British winter and has just touched down in Australia where he is bound for EQUITANA before moving on to Adelaide.
“I love Adelaide but when I turn up there this year I’ll be very sad that I’m not riding. I have now ridden at most of the Worlds big three day event and feel justified in saying that Adelaide hosts what I think is one of the best events. I certainly hope the event can remain part of the HSBC Classic Series because I dream of being able to ride a horse in each leg of the HSBC 4* in one season.”
While William Fox-Pitt will be kept busy doing course walks and Master Classes, Chris is hoping his time at the event will be a bit more leisurely. “It will be a great chance to catch up with friends who I haven’t seen for a while so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll certainly walk around the course but when you’re not riding you tend to look at the track differently, which makes it hard to compare with the other courses I’ve ridden at in recent years.”
Seen here at last year's Adelaide event Paul Tapner is hoping to take the bull by the horns this year!
We finish with a few words from Paul Tapner who arrived in Australia over a week ago and went straight to work teaching at a few clinics before heading to EQUITANA and then Adelaide. Although Paul isn’t riding in the 3 Day Event he tells us he is hoping to line up a horse for the show jumping competition and maybe even taking a ride on Billy the Bull!
To hear what Paul has to say CLICK HERE
