Edith Kane enjoys a good day with ESB Irish Justice to finish 5th in the Pakenham Produce CIC3*
The weather stayed fine and the riders at Tonimbuk enjoyed a day of mixed fortunes. The cross country courses caused enough problems but those who rode them sensibly and with some experience made the tracks across the grades look like a walk in the park.
It was no surprise to anyone to see Megan finishing first and second in the Pakenham Produce CIC3*. Both Kirby Park Irish Jester (pictured above) and Kirby Park Allofasudden are highly experienced horses although the dressage mark of 52.7 which Jester received yesterday didn’t exactly reflect how Megan or the rest of the spectators had felt about the test … However Megan rode two impeccable cross country rounds today and Allofasudden was the only horse to have a clear round, with his stable companion Jester taking one rail down. Third place went to Robert Palm riding Cassie Lowe’s talented gelding Koko Black (pictured below). This was a great result for a talented combination, which I’m sure we will see more of at three star level this year.
With 14 combinations starting Wayne Copping’s three star cross country track, nearly half the field managed to go clear with a few having the odd problem and went clear and three being either eliminated or retiring. Time proved impossible to make with all the riders expect Murray Lampard picking up time penalties in double figures. Murray,, riding Under the Clocks flew round the course with only 7.2 time penalties and this performance helped him finish in fourth place overall. Former Australian head of eventing selectors, Seumas Marwood, was pleased with his mare, Wild Oats, despite picking up 20 penalties. “She just jumped too big through the line in the bush and we weren’t on the right line for the keyhole fence, so she didn’t do anything wrong and felt great all the way round.”
In the Pakenham Produce CIC2* it was almost a case of the Will Enzinger show with this popular local rider finishing first on Ruban Son (above), third on TS Jamaimo and fourth on Wyuna Clear Image. There is little to choose between all of Will’s three horses and by the smile he was wearing on his face all weekend he must be pretty excited about the future. “I’ve had a great weekend and I’m pleased with all my horses. I’ve been to some clinics run for the National Futures squads and I think they have helped a lot.” Chris Height was the person to break up what could have been the trifecta for Will. Riding Blackhall Park Dartagnan Chris was lying ninth after dressage and enjoyed clear cross country and showjumping rounds. However Chris was still not totally happy with his performance. “I just didn’t ride the showjumping course as well as I should have done, so I’m a bit cross about that. But he’s a great horse and helped me out when I needed it. He is the only horse I have at this level at the moment and I don’t want to over jump him at home but after today’s round I think it’s me that needs the practice not him.”
Dressage rider come eventer, Adam Benson, took out the Pakenham Produce CIC* riding the experienced dressage horse, Brookwood Park Feuergress (pictured above). Leading from the start the pair went clear cross country with 13.6 time penalties, which was one of the fastest times of the day and rounded up the day with one rail and one time penalty in the showjumping phase. “He’s a great horse. After spending such a lot of time on his flat work he is finding the jumping side of things quite easy because he is so balanced. I know I’ve got a long way to go with him but I think he could really turn out to be something special in both disciplines.
Second to Adam was once again Will Enzinger, this time riding another talented horse, Wenlock Aquifer. Will was actually faster than Adam on cross country but two rails down showjumping meant they had to be content with second place. Chelsea Priestley riding Blameitonthebear remained in their third dressage placing from start to finish. The show jumping proved to be a tough track for the one star riders with only two finishing clear on jumping and time penalties.
The all important finishers - who have been helping at Tonimbuk Horse Trials for more years than they care to remember!
As the riders and spectators headed for home the hard working committee got to work doing all the behind the scenes jobs that have to be done long after the last truck has left the property. Secretary, Helen Reid, admitted that although it is a lot of work there must be something good about being on the Tonimbuk committee because she has been involved since it began 13 years ago. “We don’t really see much of each other for nine months of the year and then everything starts getting underway and it’s full steam towards another event. Quite a few of our committee have been with us from the start so we all obviously get something out of it!”
