A light breeze rippled through around the course at Lakes and Craters which provided some relief from yesterday’s still and sultry conditions. Luckily the temperature of 37 degrees forecast earlier in the week never eventuated and, although it was still pretty warm day to ride a hilly cross country course or show jump, a cool change came through in the afternoon bringing a cooler breeze but more gusty conditions
With Barry Roycroft you can be sure of some entertaining and knowledgable commentary
The Preliminary EA95 riders were the first to go cross country today and one of the joys of the cross country here is the commentary. Barry Roycroft’s commentary is at times insightful (“The problems being experienced at Fence 4, a simple small ditch, shows that riders are simply not schooling over this most basic type of obstacle. It also makes you wonder why other venues are not including them in their courses so that the lower level riders can practise them”) and at times plain funny (“I told Troy Best last year that he was riding the ugliest horse on the course. I have an apology to make to Troy; this year there is another horse here uglier than his”)
Troy happens to be a good friend of Barry’s as well as a competitor at and organiser of this event, along with his lovely wife, Jen. In his spare time he is also the event’s farrier; you would imagine him to be a very stressed man but he is always amazingly relaxed and smiling, even about Barry’s comments.
Troy Best, his wife Jen and daughter Britt run a great event - and Troy competes here too
At times other commentators take the microphone helping to share the load and provide various levels of commentary for the crowd which tends to gather around the water fence. Ideally located close to the central hub of the event and with plenty of large trees for shade, it becomes a real focal point of the event by the time the CCI classes start.
As always there were plenty of stories being told by the morning’s competitors about their often exciting and sometimes disappointing cross country round. Some riders struggled at the water with their less experienced horses (‘I can see a lot of people wanting to school at the water later’ was another of Barry’s comments as a few lower level riders failed to jump the little log on the hump before the water, adding encouragingly ‘School your horse later today through it with an instructor, then ride it at our April competition and you’ll be amazed how easily it will ride’) while others were clearly relishing the fun of riding ponies and horses that really know their job at this level and make it look easy.
Emily Daley and Bridget home safe over the last fence in the Prelim
Preliminary riders who had a successful day were Cassie Lowe who won both the Section A and C riding Toy Story and Koko Pop (listen to our interview with Cassie after dressage HERE), Edith Kane winning the Section B riding ESB Golden Zone and Jasmine Dennison winning the Junior Preliminary on Bubble and Squeak. The event is planned so that the Prelim riders can head home after finishing their competition on Saturday although obviously many competitors have horses in the higher levels too. Those leaving on the Saturday are encouraged to take home one of the many ornamental pine trees used as decoration on the course; $20 gets you a perfect little Christmas tree and helps raise money for the event.
After the large Preliminary classes, the CCI classes were a little disappointing in both numbers and the number of riders successfully negotiating the course. 28 riders started the CCI 1* with 23 completing and Amanda Ross maintained her lead on Loxley
Amanda is just ahead of Megan Jones riding Kirby Park Irish Empress, one of the horses being offered as part of a syndicate by Megan (more about this opportunity later)
Many hands make light work - fixing the fence
Just before the start of the CCI 2*, the ever vigilant and very experienced jump judge Lyn Roycroft pointed out to her husband a small hole which was leaking water on the exit side of the CCI 2* water complex. The crash crew was summoned, problem fixed and it was on with the show.
The CCI 2*second placed ESB Irish Patience ridden by Rebekah McDougall appeared to slip over on the flat, putting Lucy Yoemans and RSB Bluejay into second place behind Katie Roots riding Tevalgar II (above)
Sadly the CCI 3* and CIC 3* classes were over all too soon. With only Will Enzinger in the CCI 3* riding Ruban Son and TS Jamaimo, he went first, was followed by the CIC class, then Will went again around the CCI course on his second horse.Ruban Son was simply not on form today but TS Jamaimo (above) handled it with ease and has now qualified for next year’s CCI 4* in Adelaide, much to Will’s delight as he explains in this interview straight after the cross country.
Interview with Will Enzinger
In the CIC 3* the course proved a bit tricky and only one rider of four completed. Young Benjamin Leahy, on his way back to Western Australia after competing in his first 4* in Adelaide, was the only completion riding Le Directeur albeit with quite a few penalties; Jayne Hansen and Brookfield Sabre and Makayla Wood (also on her way home to WA) riding Just Corona decided to walk home while the overnight dressage leader Juana Andreou had a fall on Sunvalley Donnerhe.
The distinctive colours of Wendy Schaeffer, seen here riding Smokin Sun
The PreNovice classes (EA105) started just as the cooler wind started to really whip up. Wendy Schaeffer dropped the lead in the Section 2 to Linda Williams and Grande Farnese but took it in Section 1 riding Smokin Sun. In the Junior Pre-Novice Charlie King riding Charlton Veeza leads after the cross country.
While some of the Preliminary riders may be heading home tonight with their Christmas trees loaded on top the float, the rest of the classes will be turning up tomorrow for the final day of competition – who will be leading tomorrow night?
For the cross country photo gallery Click Here
