Quirindi turns on the beautiful weather

Emma Mason and Poker Face, image by John Lechner | ESJ Photo

This weekend in country NSW the Quirindi International Three Day Event was held. Quirindi is just 70 kilometres south of Country Music Capital, Tamworth and this was my first visit to this picturesque country town. This is the heart of the Liverpool Plains and is known for it's rich farming land and the spectacular sunflower fields. This weekend however the focus at the showgrounds and racecourse was the Eventing.

Every large town has a showground which is often the heart of all rural pursuits and the Quirindi showground is no different, the rodeo ring off to the side of the main ring is a sure sign that we are in the country.

While the Quirindi Three Day is not the biggest event on the calendar with only 44 starters in the four FEI classes on offer (plus nearly 200 in the National classes) it is a quintessential Aussie event and while many of us were keeping a close eye on the results from Aachen and Chris 'Burto' Burton beating the world's best we were revelling in the sun, blue skies and dust. I personally haven't seen any dust at my place in over 6 months as our ground at home tends to be perpetually wet.

Stuart Tinney & Sydney in the CIC2*, image by John Lechner | ESJ Photo

It was great to see Emma Mason and Stuart Tinney in action and in good spirits after what can only have been a very disappointing couple of weeks for each of them personally. Emma shone on her young horse Poker Face, they looked awesome on cross country yesterday and led from start to finish in the CCI2* class following a classy dressage test on Friday, adding just 2 time penalites yesterday on the Wayne Copping designed track. Unfortunately the jumping story wasn't quite so good with all of the top three picking up 3 or four rails. Emma won with Jennifer Kinsella on Jimmy O'Reilly in second and Susan Burnheim with Go Gecko in third.

In the CIC2* class the smiling assassin John Twomey missed his lunch date yesterday (ask John next time you see him) to run a clear cross country round adding just 4.8 times to his dressage score of 46.0 on his experienced mount Highly Recommended. After XC he was well clear of his nearest rival Kirsty Douglas with a buffer of 16.6 goiing into the jumping round. In the jumping John extended his lead with a double clear while Kirsty picked up a rail to stay in second just in front of Stuart Tinney on Sydney.

John Twomey & Highly Recommended, image by John Lechner | ESJ Photo

The CCI1* won by local(ish) Sharmayne Spencer on Aurelia De Gwaihir finishing on her dressage score of 51.2, followed closely by Sandy Lucas with Diamond Affair on her dressage score of 52.5 and in third Coonabarrabran local and junior rider Anna Moxham also on her dressage score of 54.8.

Jennifer Kinsella & Jimmy O'Reilly, image by John Lechner | ESJ Photo

Stuart Tinney was in fine form in the CIC1* class on the young horse Gosh with the only double clear in both jumping phases of the weekend. Stuart held off Gundy girl Ali Foye who had a great weekend on her Gundy Park Leica Luvid picking up just 1.2 time on XC to add to her dressage score. In third place was Aaron Moyes and Tiger Moth who picked up a rail today dropping them from the overnight lead.

Kirsty Douglas & Cushavon Crackerjack, image by John Lechner | ESJ Photo

The final three day class was the CCN PreNovice (EvA105) which was won by Sandy Lucas on Diamond Snugglepuss again on her dressage score of 46.2. Andrew Haddad on Nickleback came in second with a score of 52.4 and junior rider Hillary Blackman on K Reflection with a score of 54.6.

The Kiwi Crew - Course Designer Titch Massey, Ground Juror Helen Christie and Katie Christie. (I am going to get in BIG TROUBLE for this)

There were many more classes and the full scores can be found HERE. It was a fantastic event run by an experienced and familiar crew, Quirindi is the home event for Eventing power couple Vicki and Darryl Burgess. I will definitely be back in the future.

Yours in Eventing

ESJ