The very handsome Poker Face, who is leading the CCI2*
With day one of the Melbourne International Three Day Event at an end some riders have now completed their dressage tests while others have to wait for tomorrow to strut their stuff in front of the judges.
The CCI2* took place in the indoor arena with the Melbourne committee getting their money’s worth out of the ground jury (Martin Plewa, Gillian Rolton and Barry Roycroft) who will also be kept busy tomorrow judging the CCI3* and the CNC3*. The best test in the CCI2* didn’t come until late in the day when Emma Mason and the stunning looking Poker Face entered the arena to produce a test which saw them earn a score of 45.2. “He’s still pretty green,” said Emma “but he tried really hard. This is the first time he has done a test in an indoor so I was really pleased with him. Now we have to concentrate on the cross country and I have to say I think it’s a pretty big course out there … I’m quite nervous.”
The leader so far in the CCI* - Adam Benson and Brookwood Park Feuergrass
A couple of marks behind Emma is Robert Palm and Koko Black, who have produced some good consistent performance in the run up to Melbourne. In third place is Mattea Davidson riding the homebred Fairbanks Cargo, who is by the show jumping stallion Fairbanks Catargo.
With less than ten marks between first and tenth and, with several riders thinking the 2* track is a tough test, this class is not going to be a dressage competition that’s for sure. With dressage now over for this class the 2* riders can spend plenty of time looking at the course on their XC app or getting out to walk all their lines again and again…..
In the CCI* Adam Benson is the overnight leader with about a third of the field to do their dressage tomorrow. Adam’s horse, Brookwood Park Feuergress, showed off his paces to the judges before they started the test by producing a few steps heading towards half pass. But then this horse has reached a high level in straight dressage so we were all expecting a good test and weren’t disappointed. The test went on to be accurate, obedient with plenty of lift and spring, which are not often seen at this level. Adam finished on a score of 42.7 over eight marks ahead of second placed Cooper Oborn riding He’s Patrick, who is by Kirby Park Irish Jordon. Keeping the Kirby Park theme Megan Jones filled the third spot riding the chestnut mare Kirby Park Irish Empress scoring 51.3. “She has been really consistent this year and this is actually her worst score of the year. I was really pleased with her test but that’s the mark we got so you have to live with that and move on to the next phase.”
The judges and pencillers from the CCI* take a break but will be back tomorrow
Tomorrow will see the remainder of the CCI* class as well as the CCIJ* taking place outdoors while the two 3* classes (CCI3* and CNC3*) will be in the indoor arena.
A decision has now been made on the track that the CNC3* riders will take and essentially they will follow the CCI2* track, while missing out a couple of loops. The course will start just before the second 2* fence and continue round to fence nine (Equitak Billabong) where they will then cut across to fence 14c the Bates Hollow. Following the course again on to fence 16 (Escarpment Brush) where again they cut across to fence 21 (Werribee Park Managers Cottage). They will ten head for home continuing on the 2* course to the finish. The optimum time for the CNC3* is just under seven minutes so the shadow squad riders should have a nice run for their horses as part of their Olympic programme.
Tim Boland, Emma Mason, Natalie Blundell and Craig Barrett would all like to aboard the bus to London ... well the plane anyway!
Action tomorrow starts at 8am for the CCI* with the CCI3* riders getting a lie in and not starting till 9am. Tomorrow evening, starting at 7pm, eventers will turn into polo players with ‘Celebrity Chukkas’ taking place in the indoor arena. Megan Jones (pictured below) took some time out to get in a little bit of polo practise.
