Prue Barrett and Sandhills Special
The Sydney International Equestrian Centre is certainly lush, green and tropical looking after a warm, damp summer. As they finished their dressage tests today, sticky jackets and hats were hurriedly pulled off the riders and the horses looked happy to meander quietly back to the stables after a bit of dressage exertion.
The wide open stable blocks, built for Sydney 2000, are currently hosting many top Australian eventing horses that have been camped at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre for about a week. Riders from around Australia have attended an Equestrian Australia eventing squad camp early in the week and followed it up with the Mid-Week competition here. However it isn’t one of Australia’s squad members that leads the The Randwick Equine Clinic Sydney Eventing Weekend CNC3* at the end of today but the EA National High Performance Manager, Prue Barrett.
Adelaide Hill strutted his stuff in the arena then helped his friend Legal Star (Jess Manson) who thought that the arena was going to eat him ....
Prue and Sandhills Special lead on a score of 41.40 thanks to a lovely test that was beautifully executed, making the ride look very easy and flowing. Christine Bates’ Adelaide Hill in second place on 43.10 is a more extravagant mover but their two penalties for an error of course in the walk work just gave the lead to Prue while Tim Boland and Napoleon, who won the Mid-Week CNC2*, and Stuart Tinney on Carlchen share third place on 44.30.
Megan Jones and History lead the CNC2*
In the Mitavite CNC2* another grey horse is one of the leaders after the dressage with Megan Jones riding Sadie Michell’s History. The Warmblood/Andalusian cross doesn’t look like a typical eventer but certainly has presence in the dressage arena and Megan thinks very highly of the horse that has only recently started his life eventing career after a career as a successful show hunter. They are in equal first place on a score of 46.70 with Andrew Barnett riding Bradgate Park Fonzie (and my apologies to Andrew for confusing him with Gordon Bishop today!)
Gemma Tinney takes Annapurna for a stroll before her test
Augusta Clarke and Prospect Lodge Jaguar are in third place (49.40) and the latest addition to the Tinney Eventing team (well, hardly an addition as she has been there for a long time but just started her career as a professional rider), Gemma Tinney is in fourth place riding Annapurna (50.60). Gemma and Anna seem to have formed a nice partnership already as they did their test today
Two riders are also tied for first place in the Bounce Back Fencing CNC1*. Jessica Green riding TS Fantasia, a 12 year old mare ridden by Shaun Dillon until late last year, and Sam Lyle on Silent Destiny is in equal first place on 47.90, ahead of Libby Lowery riding HV Falcon (48.30). The CNC1* combinations also show jumped today but results are not yet available, just to keep us all on tenterhooks
In the lower levels, the EvA80 and EvA60 classes concluded today. Sandi Palmer riding QL Gunsmokin Spinifex led from start to finish in the ThinLine EvA80 A but again, we’ll have to wait a little while for the winners in all other sections, as we wait for final results
The three sections of EvA95 complete tomorrow as do the EvA105 classes - interim results here
Kim Leibowitz and Widgee Total Tribute - 4th in the EvA105B
