Big Weekend Ahead for Top Kiwi Competitors

Big Weekend Ahead for Top Kiwi Competitors

New Zealand’s best eventers and dressage riders are in action on both sides of the globe this weekend.
Julie Brougham (Palmerston North) on Vom Feinsten and Penny Castle (Ashhurst) on Magnus Spero will compete this afternoon in the opening day of competition in the very tough Sydney CDI 3* competition.
Brougham, who won the Dressage Horse of the Year crown at the Farmlands Horse of the Year Show, is being closely watched by other top combinations and commentators, on the back of Vom Feinsten’s Australasian record for the Grand Prix Kur at HOY, when they notched 76.025%, and a New Zealand record with their 69.941% in the Grand Prix Special. Castle was also in fine form at HOY, where she and Magnus cracked the all illusive 70% mark in the Grand Prix.

Both combinations have been spending time training with top Australian dressage rider Brett Parbery in preparation for the Sydney event.

Castle says her horse is feeling and looking great.

“Our preparation has been good and I am so excited to be here. Our first class will be all about just going out and showing where we are at,” she said.

Brougham is also on a high.

“Vom Feinsten was a little anxious in the ride yesterday but is feeling good,” she said. “I am hoping for lots of energy in our opening test.”

Also competing in the Grand Prix is John Thompson aboard Bates Antonello.

Today’s Shadow Trailers Grand Prix has attracted the who’s who of Australian Olympians and World Equestrian Games representatives, including Heath Ryan, Rachel Downs, Mary Hanna, Brett Parbery, Maree Tomkinson, and New Zealand’s best in Castle and Brougham.

Twenty-five are on the card, with just the best 15 to compete in the Grand Prix Special on Friday.
Saturday will be the biggest day of the event, with a record crowd expected to watch the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Jacqui Winspear and JW Darjeeling will also compete today in the Jilli Cobcroft Prix St Georges.
The CDI 3*, Australia’s most prestigious international dressage event, has attracted record entries across the 27 classes. As well as the riders, there is another New Zealand connection to the event, with Sue Hobson and Helen Hughes-Keen judging.

The event will be live streamed on the web, and for more information, head to www.sydneycdi.com .

Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, all the New Zealand combinations competing at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials successfully passed the horse inspection. Tonight sees the start of two days of dressage. Interestingly, many of the top combinations will compete on the first day of dressage, going against the usual practice.

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise (owned by Frances Stead) is the first Kiwi combination out at fourth in the draw, followed by Jonelle Price and Classic Moet (owned by Trisha Rickards), Sir Mark Todd on Leonidas II (owned by Diane Brunsden and Peter Cattell), Andrew Nicholson on Nereo (owned by Libby Sellar), Craig Nicolai on Just Ironic (owned by Nicolai and his parents Anne and Hedde Nicolai).

Caroline Powell and Onwards and Upwards (owned by Cameron and Mary Crawford and Powell) open the second day of dressage for New Zealand, followed by Lucy Jackson on Willy Do (owned by Gillian Greenlees and Jackson), Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy (owned by Selwood.com), Jonelle Price on The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster, Tim and Jan Morice and Selwood.com), Nicholson on his own Calico Joe, Paget on Clifton Lush (owned by Lucy Allison and Frances Stead) and Todd, the last to go in the 81-strong field, on Oloa (owned by Diane Brunsden, Peter Cattell and Pip McCarroll).

The weather looks a little challenging for the coming days, with gusty wind cooling down proceedings at the horse inspection.

ENDS

© Scoop Media