View our full photo gallery from Goulburn here
Libby Lowery and KL Kismet - NSW CIC3* Eventing State Champions 2014
At the Canberra International Horse Trials recently, young rider Teegan Ashby won her first 3* start and this weekend another rider enjoyed their first win at this level when Elizabeth (Libby) Lowery and KL Kismet won the CIC3* at the Baxter Boots NSW State Championships
“I’m very surprised but very happy about it” says Libby who hadn’t even got around to checking the results when she discovered that she was indeed the winner after a very good cross country ride.
Libby Lowery
Libby's full winning cross country round will be uploaded soon as will the videos of all other winners. Videos of other cross country rounds can be viewed or purchased here
Will Enzinger’s Wenlock Aquifer went into the final phase of the CIC3*, the cross country, in the lead but 16.4 time penalties dropped him down into eighth place in a class where no-one made the time. Shane Rose riding Shanghai Joe was closest to the optimum time of seven minutes around the 30 fence course, moving him up to seventh but Libby’s clear show jumping round and only four time penalties on cross country saw her pick up the shiny trophies. One of these is the Limitless Trophy in honour of Tim Boland’s horse Limitless who competed with such success here over the years – normally Tim is here to present the trophy himself but is currently overseas competing.
Cassandra Webb and Dutch Determination would also have been delighted to beat some of the sport’s big names by taking second place while one of those big names, Stuart Tinney on his and the Huskinson family’s War Hawk (above), were in third. Visiting British 4* rider Nick Gauntlett has had two starts for two fourth placings during his short time in Australia and he was really impressed today by his new ride El Grado, recently bought from Nat Davies
In an interview that we’ll bring to you soon Nick says that “I turned up about 10 days ago and had a canter around a Novice course last weekend then came here not knowing quite what to expect, walked the course and thought ‘Oh god, it’s quite big!’. But he was fantastic, he made it feel like a pony club course”
CIC2* winners Nikki Richardson and Rudolf
The CIC2* class that preceded them on cross country had a few problems at two of the early fences – two brush fences on a downhill slope at Fence 6 and 7. The leader Soigne Jackson took a tumble off Warrego Collateral Damage here and there were several run-outs. Many took the option of circling between the two but Nikki Richardson, the eventual winner riding Rudolf took the direct option as did Megan Jones on Kirby Park Impress, the dressage leader, to finish in sixth place overall. It probably wasn’t Megan’s most elegant jump but she took the straight option on bothof her horses in this class and showed how to get the job done. Sheridan Sullivan and Talent Thyme, who sadly retired later in the course, show how the option rode in the second video
Second placed Emily McQueen may have said in our recent article that she needed some help with her thoroughbred King’s Sun in the dressage phase but they certainly needed no help on the cross country today, finishing with the fastest time of only 1.2 time penalties (again on-one made the optimum time). Nat Davies finished in third place with two time penalties on show jumping possibly costing her a win on Chatswood Captivate.
In the CIC1* Rob Palm led from start to finish on Halcyons Dark Secret, a very talented young horse that Rob hopes to hang onto!
Another one who led from beginning to end was Shane Rose riding Purbeck Diesel to win the CCI1*. Having ridden the cross country phase yesterday, the CCI classes completed with show jumping in the afternoon today and Purbeck Diesel added a clear show jumping round to his clear cross country phase. Shane’s wife Niki was in second place on Glenorchy South Park – her plan now is to make sure that Shane is entered in different classes to her and has already organised him out of the way for their next event at Wallaby Hill!
Christine Bates on one of her O’Reilly horses, Ned O’Reilly finished third and also got a big mention from CIC3* winner Libby Lowery in the presentation as “without Christine coaching me I probably wouldn’t be winning here today”
Murray Lamperd and Don Skipcello on Saturday's CCI2* cross country
Murray Lamperd continues his strong form with a win on the little black horse Don Skipcello in the CCI2*. Sam Lyle had a fast time on cross country yesterday but two rails in the show jumping dropped him to second place while Murray and Don Skipcello jumped clear. They now head to take part in the Grand Final of the Exhibition Eventing thanks to a Wild Card and Murray is hoping to pick up some prize money at this lucrative exhibition event at Equitana
And, last but not least, the CCI3* was won by the one and only (literally as he was the only competitor in the class) Stuart Tinney on Annapurna finishing in style with a clear show jumping round.
We’ll bring you more photos and interviews from the national level classes, the EvA105 and EvA95 classes soon!
Stuart Tinney and Annapurna - winners CCI3*
