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Gemma Tinney crowned Australian Eventing Champion

Gemma Tinney, the teenage daughter of Olympic champion Stuart, has won the CIC3* at the 2017 Paul Pace Country National Eventing Championships, held at the weekend at Camden’s Bicentennial Park.

Riding the 12-year old mare Annapurna, Tinney sealed victory with a combined score of 61.50 penalties across the three phases of competition.

Runner-up combination Katja Weimann and BP Cosmopolitan scored 63.80 penalties and Beijing Olympian, Megan Jones rode Kirby Park Impress to third place and a score of 68 penalties.

It is the first time Tinney has competed at this level and the 19-year-old took the competition in her stride. “I was very nervous,” Tinney said. “Coming into this event I was hoping I would get around (the course) and get a qualifier. You always go into the event wanting that.

“But she (Annapurna) gave it 110 per cent all weekend.” The Sydney teenager cried tears of joy upon learning the result. “It didn’t sink in straight away,” she said. “I looked at the results and cried. I couldn’t believe that I got around (the cross country course) so well and I won.” Tinney says she and her mount ‘have a great partnership’. “I can’t thank her enough for getting me around that course,” she said.

As the daughter of dual Olympic Eventing medallist Stuart Tinney, Gemma has aspirations to follow in her father’s footsteps. “Definitely the agenda if I can get there,” Tinney said. “You can never dream too big. I’m just taking every day as it comes trying to ride the best I can.” she said.

Less than a penalty separated the leaders in the Equine International Air Freight CIC2*, with Andrew Barnett and APH Sparky securing the championship ahead of Olympian Heath Ryan. Barnett was ranked 11th after the dressage, but a clear cross country round round helped the 33-year old clinch victory with 55.10 penalties. Ryan and his horse Wimborne Constable finished a slender 0.2 penalties behind. Shenae Lowings and Venture Sky High were third with 59.40 penalties.

A further five senior national champions and three junior champions were crowned across the weekend. Congratulations to all 2017 National Eventing Champions.