The CCI3* leader after dressage, Stuart Tinney is going to be hard to beat!
After the first day of dressage at the Baxter Boots NSW State Eventing Championships, Stuart Tinney is, as predicted, leading the CCI3*. Although this is often the case with the Olympic gold medallist, on this occasion it is even less surprising as he is the only one in the field. Today, his main concern was making sure he passed the first horse inspection and staying in the dressage arena otherwise he would have felt ‘pretty silly’. As it turned out he did both with ease riding John and Jane Pittard’s Annapurna to score 54.60 with the young mare that is half sister to Stuart’s WEG mount, Pluto Mio
The other classes that completed dressage today were the CCI2*, led by Tallara Barwick riding Copabella Verdi (51.10) just ahead of Christine Bates on Dougal O’Reilly (51.30) and Murray Lamperd on Don Skipcello (53.40)
In the CCI1* Shane Rose leads on Purbeck Diesel (42.50) ahead of Katie Roots on Friday Street (45.3) and Shane’s wife, Niki in third on Glenorchy South Park (45.9)
With only part of the class completed in the CIC2* Megan Jones is on a roll with Kirby Park Impress, the recent winner at Canberra, in the lead on 43.60. Eleanor Osborne and Soigne Jackson are currently in second and third places with more combinations to ride in the morning along with the dressage phase for the rest of the classes
Niki Rose and the lovely Wisteria Lane will be competing in the EvA105 this weekend
We’ve only had a chance for a very quick look around the courses at Goulburn but the going looks fantastic and course designer Neil Kennedy has filled us in on a few changes made this year
Neil Kennedy, President Lynton Horse Trials and cross country course designer
Neil has been hard at work slashing lush green grass and the going is much better this year
The new Rossiville Bridge (above) and pier landing (below)
The CIC3* and CCI3* will be playing with the platypus
Baxter Boots has sponsored the event for 24 years (guess what boots everyone is wearing)
There is some quintessential Aussie eventing coming up this weekend ............
