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Stuart Tinney wins Adelaide CCI4*
A superb show jump round secured the win for Stuart and Vettori. Megan 2nd on KP Allofasudden and 3rd on KP Irish Jester. Aussies win Trans-Tasman Challenge. Sunday, 15 November Stuart Tinney bagged the most coveted Eventing prize in the Southern Hemisphere last weekend at the Australian International Three-Day Event, Adelaide. The 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist is no stranger to success but has never before won the CCI 4-star class at Adelaide, one of only six events in the world held annually at this degree of difficulty. Tinney, who lives in Maraylya NSW, has been runner-up on three occasions.
“I am relieved,” replied Tinney when asked how the win made him feel, “I did not want to finish second again.”
Stuart piloted 13-year-old grey gelding Vettori, owned by Kathy Ward and Peter O’Connell, to victory against a star-studded field. “Kathy and Pete are over the moon. They just love the horse and have been great supporters throughout his career,” said Tinney.
Tinney’s win follows a hotly contested competition with less than one time penalty separating the top two riders, Tinney and Jones, at the close of yesterday’s cross country event.
Local hero 2008 Silver medalist Megan Jones finished second on Kirby Park Allofasudden and third on her Olympic partner Kirby Park Irish Jester. 2000 Olympian Amanda Howell finished 4th on Koyuna Tora Bora. In total there were 31 competitors in the 4-star which was hailed as one of the toughest in the event’s history. 16 horse and rider combinations completed the event.
The Australian Team, including Tinney, Jones, and fellow Olympic medalists Sonja Johnson and Wendy Schaeffer won the Trans-Tasman Trophy back from the Kiwis who had prevailed at the previous contest in Taupo (NZL) 2007.
The New Zealand Team failed to post the necessary three scores after Helaan Tompkins’ horse was disqualified in the Dressage and Clarke Johnstone was eliminated on the difficult cross-country course. Remaining team members Jenna Mahoney and Blair Richardson finished strongly for 8th and 9th position respectively. Clarke Johnstone had more luck on his second (non-team) horse Orient Express claiming 6th place.
With his first individual 4-star victory under his belt Tinney plans to mount a strong campaign for team selection for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, to be held in Kentucky (USA).
In the CCI* 2-star competition, Emma Scott from New South Wales took out first place by less than one penalty point on her horse Jenbern Monyana whilst 17-year-old Andrew Heseltine (Vic) was the dark horse in the CIC 2-star, jumping a clear round on Warrego Winchester to steal the winner's trophy from overnight leader Olympian Shane Rose on Statford Novalis who had two rails for 2nd place.
Pictures courtesy of www.inmotionphotography.ifp3.com check their web site for more pictures
Saturday, 14 November
A day of surprises in AdelaideStuart Tinney in the lead after cross-country. NZL Team out of the Trans -Tasman challenge whilst many Aussie stars fall victim to Wayne Copping's difficult course. What a day – never before has XC day at Adelaide been so unpredictable. Jumping penalties for Kirby Park Irish Jester and Ringwould Jaguar, All Luck retired on course and jumping faults for Wendy Schaeffer on all 3 horses including elimination on Koyuna Sun Shine - WHAT!!! 7 clear rounds of 31 starters - this course had the highest attrition rate ever seen at Adelaide.
Let’s start with the positives, Stuart Tinney and Vettori have taken the lead after a world class round. “He was great out there today,” said Stuart about the experienced grey gelding. “I knew the placings would turn around a lot after today, time was always going to be difficult to get.” Vettori was the second fastest horse with 11.6 time faults.
“They had to jump off 'reaction' with no time to assess the fences. It is SO twisty and turney, there are a lot of trees. The horses turn a corner and there is the fence and they have to react, that is hard on them,” added Stuart.
Megan Jones and her younger horse Kirby Park Allofasudden are sitting in exactly the same place as they were this time last year, second by 0.3 penalties. “I took a pull before the last fence, that is enough to have put me into 2nd place,” commented Megan who finished clear with 18.8 time faults.
Most improved on the scoreboard was Luke Jones who moved up 23 places to 3rd position with the fastest round of the day. “I am amazed that I have risen up so much, but I am not amazed that I had a good day,” remarked Luke who has now ridden the four-star track three times on his reliable gelding Soul. “He is very experienced, I have been riding him for a long time.”
There were plenty of experienced horses in the class – namely three members of our 2008 Olympic Team - who did not fare so well. Overnight leader Megan Jones incurred 20 penalties on Jester when he ran out at the second of two ducks, which were one stride apart on an extremely acute angle. “I thought I had it right, but I was wrong,” said Megan who has not had a single cross-country fault on Jester since 2006.
“I have not had a run on him since May so he was very cold coming into this event, maybe I should have done more in the lead-up, I can learn from this,” added a philosophical Megan. The pair is still placed 5th after 20 penalties and 28.8 time faults.
Ringwould Jaguar also “ducked” off the second element of this fence, shocking the spectators that two of our champs had fallen victim to a fence that many horses jumped very well. Then adding to everyone’s’ amazement he ran off at an apex as well. 40 penalties and 20.4 time – but still in 12th place!
So why was the attrition rate so high? “It was seriously tough,” said Megan. “It was a sneaky course, sneaky run-outs all over the course. It was so intense there are lots of trees there are braches in your face all the time and it is hard to ride. The horses did not focus well.”
One of the controversies of the day was an “unjumpable” Normandy Bank. The bank was 1.20m high with a garden in front of it creating a large ground line. The horses were to jump up and then bounce over a cylindrical rail on the top. The first horse on course was NZL Team horse Oakley Vision ridden by Clarke Johnstone. Oakley Vision jumped up the bank but stoppped before the rail. Horse number two was Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Shine who didn't made it up the bank – in fact she and the horse fell off it backwards and were eliminated. Third horse on course was first-time four-star rider Tallara Barwick riding the very experienced and capable Chief Justice. They got up the bank with legs everywhere and skidded straight into the rail, which broke and became dislodged at one end. Tallara and Chief Justice were still on top of the bank and after quite some time and much confusion the officials cleared the rail out of the way and Tallara continued on her way. The rail was removed from the fence for the rest of the class.
The Ground Jury acted quickly when they saw that the fence was not working as planned and they rightly altered the fence.
“It was a great move to take it out, they jumped up the bank flat and I am glad I didn’t have to jump it,” commented Megan.
“In hindsight the ground line may have been too far away, maybe the colour of the sand, it is a difficult type of fence with horses focusing on the bounce” said Course Designer Wayne Copping. “Horses didn’t read it well, but beforehand everyone was happy with it, the riders the TD were all happy with it. We learnt something and the fence will be back in next year but in a different way. Maybe with a ramp on to it.”
Asked whether it was it one of the toughest courses that he had ever ridden Stuart Tinney, who had a stop on his second horse Ari De Gwahir at the ducks and a run-out at an arrowhead coming out of a sunken road on Panamera, replied “Oh yeah way up there for sure.”
Last year's winner Christopher Burton, who was in 5th place after the Dressage on Holstein Park Leilani, unfortunatley had a fall at the second part of the sunken road and therefore was eliminated.
The Kiwi team was unable to put a score on the board. After the elimination of Heelan yesterday all three of the remaining team members needed to complete the event. Clarke Johnstone and Oakley Vision were unfortunately eliminated for 3 stops and there goes the Kiwi team.
Jenna Mahoney and Santos jumped clear to move into 6th place and Clarke Johnstone enjoyed a clear round on his second horse Orient Express to move into 8th place.
Tomorrow will be a fight to the end between Megan and Stuart on two very good jumping horses. Luke Jones is 7.9 points behind, “I don’t think I am the best show jumper in the world but I’ll be doing my best!” says Luke. Amanda Howell and Koyuna Tora Bora are currently fourth place after a great cross-country round.
It was a testing day in extreme heat but it seems all horses have finished well. We wish everyone luck for tomorrow's trot up.
Friday, 13 November
Aussies take strong lead in the Trans-Tasman ChallengeMegan and Kirby Park Irish Jester scored 34.70. Heath Ryan on Mystery Whisper 2nd on 43.20 Shane Rose on All Luck and Sonja Johnson on Ringwould Jaguar tied for 3rd 44.70 Team score of 133.6 puts Australia 43.7 points ahead of the Kiwis (177.3) at this early stage of the competition. Finishing nearly 10 points ahead of the field Megan Jones really was in a class of her own today. She and Kirby Park Irish Jester achieved the best Dressage score for a CCI4* test anywhere in the world this year.
Why is she so much better? “He is almost 16 now, so I have been able to work him for a long time. I have been very fortunate that he has been so sound,” said a modest Megan.
Heath Ryan is currently in 2nd place on Mystery Whisper, pulling off an impressive performance considering he had been practising the wrong test and only realised an hour before he was due to ride. “It was a bit of a shame really as I had been really conscientious with training this particular test for the past few weeks, only to realise at the last minute that everyone else was riding a different test!”
Shane Rose and Sonja Johnson are tied for 3rd, A halt in the wrong spot by Shane gave him a course error in an otherwise lovely test by All Luck.
“We are all good friends but there is a healthy rivalry, I hope to be sitting in Megan’s chair in two days time,” said Shane at the press conference after the Dressage; the riders were seated in order of placing.
The course has been shortened by 3 minutes due to the heat. A long galloping stretch towards the end of the track has been removed. It is a big reduction that will certainly favour the slower riders.
“It suits me the way it has panned out,” said Heath “Shane and Sonja are the speed kings so Megan and I don’t want them getting any open gallops,” he laughs.
This year course designer Wayne Copping has reversed the direction of the course. “If your horses turn well you will be happy,” commented Sonja. The course has a lot of questions that come up quickly, similar to the track in Hong Kong. “It will suit Jester,” said Megan,( personally I can’t think of a course that wouldn’t suit Jester!)
In a devastating blow for the Kiwis team member Heelan Tompkins was eliminated on Sugoi when the horse looked lame in the Dressage.
Jenna Mahoney, currently in 17th position (55.8) is the best placed of the Kiwi Team. Spend Up and Blair Richarson are in 20th, Clarke Johnstone and Oakley Vision are in 23rd place.
AI3DE Press Release: 11 November 2009
SHORTER BUT ACTION-PACKED COURSE With the potential for unseasonably hot weather over the weekend, organisers of the Australian International 3 Day Event have shortened Saturday’s cross country course, ordered extra ice and water trucks and installed water-spraying archways and sprinklers for horses.
While temperatures for Saturday are tipped to reach 34 degrees – a temperature still considered comfortable for both horses and riders in dry heat – the decision to alter the course was made in the event that temperatures climbed even higher.
“This is still an exciting and challenging course being tackled by some of horse riding’s biggest stars,” Chair Bob Gillen says. “Instead of taking about 11 minutes to complete the course, it will now take about eight minutes and there are some terrific vantage points both in Rymill Park and other sections of the parklands where shade is plentiful.”
The decision – which impacts on all event classes – was made this morning at a meeting of organisers and officials, including veterinarians and members of equestrian’s world body, the FEI.
The course still meets all FEI regulations and acts as a qualifier for world championships, including the 2012 Olympics. The decision was based on data collected at both the Atlanta and Beijing Olympics where horses had to face humidity as well as heat, considered more difficult to deal with than Adelaide’s dry temperatures which allow horses to sweat and then cool.
The Australian International 3 Day Event – the Southern Hemisphere’s most important equestrian event – is expected to attract up to 30,000 people with dressage beginning this Friday (13 November).
Olympic gold medallists Wendy Schaeffer and Stuart Tinney will battle it out against some of the biggest names in the equestrian world including silver medallists Shane Rose, Megan Jones and Sonja Johnson and defending champion in the Olympic level four star class, Christopher Burton. More than 110 riders have entered the event, up from 80 riders who competed last year.
The event will also play host to New Zealand’s finest horse and rider combinations competing against the Aussies for the hotly contested Adelaide Trans Tasman Challenge. Won by the Kiwis in New Zealand in 2007, the Australians will be out to snatch the title back.
With the Saturday of the event coinciding with the running of the much loved Credit Union Christmas Pageant on 14 November, organisers are theming the day as a “family day” encouraging families to enjoy the fabulous sights and sounds of the Pageant and then spend the afternoon relaxing in the parklands.
Spectacular showjumping, a challenging cross country course and tests of elegance and precision in the dressage arena are features of the Adelaide event, one of only six four-star events in the world.
For more information visit www.australian3de.com.au or www.venuetix.com.au
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Jodie van Deventer, Deventer PR & Communications, on 0427 408 588.
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