Challenging Cross Country Courses Sort Fields at NRM3DE
Challenging Cross Country Courses Sort Fields at NRM3DE
Amanda Pottinger’s best laid plans went out the
window today and she looks on track to successfully defend
her NRM CCI3* Open National Championship title at the
National Three Day Event Champs in Taupo.
The 25-year-old
from Havelock North had intended to take the careful route
around the cross country today at the Fiber Fresh National
Equestrian Centre, but that all changed after she rode two
other horses in earlier pre-novice rounds.
She was “so
over the moon with the ground” that she came out firing
and at the end of a big day sits on 53.9 penalty points,
less than a rail ahead of Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata)
aboard DSE Mr Hokey Pokey. Edwards-Smith is also in third
spot aboard DSE Tangolooma on 60.6.
Pottinger said she
backed off in the trees where the going was slippery, but
stepped it up as soon as she was through the
splash.
“The track suited my horse well,” she said.
“It did keep coming at you though, with combination after
combination but we were lucky the going was so great. He
just couldn’t have gone any better today.”
However,
it didn’t all go her way.
“I gave everyone a bit of a
scare at one of the easiest fences out
there.”
Pottinger admits to being more than a little
nervous heading into the showjumping tomorrow – especially
with Edwards-Smith breathing down her neck, but she’s
hopeful the solid six months rebuilding phase she and her
horse have done will stand them in good stead.
Two of the
12-strong field were eliminated today, with one
retiring.
Jock Paget (Taupo) and Angus Blue have
more than 13 penalty points in hand heading into
tomorrow’s showjumping after going clear but picking up
two time faults in the NRM CIC3* cross country today.
The
former Olympian was very pleased with the efforts of the
horse he brought with him from the United Kingdom when he
moved home.
“He was a bit rusty but I am very pleased
with him,” said Paget, “especially when you consider he
hasn’t been out much in nine months.”
In the
Bates CCI2* Championship Madison Crowe (Hamilton) and
Waitangi Pinterest held on to their overnight lead but hold
the most slender of leads over Edwards-Smith aboard DSE
Cluny.
Crowe picked up 3.2 time penalties to finish on
43.9 penalty points. Edwards-Smith was clear and inside the
time to stay on her 44.5 dressage score.
Crowe was very
pleased.
“She (Waitangi Pinterest) was super out
there,” she said. “It was very challenging and
everything just kept coming at you. The combinations were
particularly tough but it was rideable out there.”
They
had a ‘moment’ at the water when Waitangi Pinterest
jumped in strangely and Crowe ended up on her neck.
“It
was a tough day but a good one.”
The 21-strong two-star
field saw three eliminations and three retirements.
Rio Olympian Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) leads the Fiber
Fresh CCI1* Championship aboard the rather promising In
Disguise. They were sitting in third place coming into the
cross country but came home clear and inside time to stay on
their dressage score of 43.4.
Overnight leader Dannie
Lodder and Eye Spy retired on course.
Johnstone admits
the course was more difficult than he had
expected.
“When I walked it I thought it was straight
forward but to ride it was more of a challenge,” he said.
“The ground was a lot more slippery than I thought it
would be. It was no walk in the park out there and caused a
lot more trouble than predicted.”
The horse has pulled
up nicely and while he is a solid showjumper, Johnstone has
Samantha Felton (Matangi) aboard Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ
right on his heels, just .6 of a penalty point behind.
Chanel Campbell (Auckland) and Astek Guardsman are a further
.8 back.
Overnight Success saved Dannie Lodder’s
challenging day that saw her eliminated and retired on two
of her three mounts. Lodder and the six-year-old horse held
on to their overnight lead in the Wairakei Resort CCN105
Championship with a lovely clear round inside
time.
“The ground out there was way better than I
thought it would be (after yesterday’s torrential
rain),” said the mother of two from Auckland. “He’s
still pretty green but he just skipped around.”
Lodder
started the horse last year but felt he needed to develop
more, so handed the ride to her nine-year-old daughter Scout
who took the horse to Pony Club rallies.
“He is a real
angel horse,” said Lodder.
She bought him off a woman
who had rescued the horse from the abattoirs.
“He’s a
horse that just keeps getting better and better. His
technique is improving all the time and he just loves what
he does. He is such a fun ride.”
Tomorrow is the final day of the National Three Day Event Championships with the showjumping the final test for combinations vying for titles.
Results (after dressage and cross
country tests) –
NRM CCI3* Open National Championship: Amanda Pottinger (Havelock North) Just Kidding 53.9 penalty points 1, Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata) DSE Mr Hokey Pokey 57. 2 2, Emily Cammock (Christchurch) Shaw Lee 58.3 3, Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata) DSE Tangolooma 60.6 4, Ashleigh McKinstry (Owhango) Pioneer Brass Monkey 72.3 5, Campbell Draper (Putururu) Mr Mancini 73.3 6.
NRM CIC3*: Jock Paget (Taupo) Angus Blue 42.5 1, Andy Daines (Kumeu) Spring Panorama 60.4 2, Samantha Felton (Matangi) Ricker Ridge Pico Boo 65.4 3, Jessica Woods (Ohaupo) Just de Manzana 65.5 4, Renee Faulkner (Papakura) Rubinstar HH 65.8 5, Samantha Felton (Matangi) Ricker Ridge Escada 71.8 6.
Bates CCI2* Championship: Madison Crowe (Hamilton) Waitangi Pinterest 43.9 1, Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata) DSE Cluny 44.5 2, Stephanie Vervoort (Hamilton) X Factor 50.2 3, Matthew Grayling (Taranaki) NRM Trudeau 51.4 4, Brooke Campbell (Auckland) Freddy Dash 53.7 5, Louise Mullholland (Taumarunui) Mr McTaggart 55.1 6.
Fiber Fresh CCI1* Championship: Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) In Disguise 43.4 1, Samantha Felton (Matangi) Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ 44 2, Chanel Campbell (Auckland) Astek Guardsman 44.8 3, Angela Lloyd (Hunua) Lyrical 45.6 4, Alex Anderson (Taupo) Gina VT Bloemenhof 47 5, Vicky Browne-Cole (Waiuku) Eli 48.2 6.
AMS Saddlery CCI1* Open: Jordie Watson (Auckland) Meersbrook Viva La Vida 42.1 1, Jackson Bovill (Hamilton) Visionnaire 42.3 2, Megan Finlayson (Kerikeri) Greensleeves 43.5 3, Charlotte Edwards (Pukerua Bay) Façade 48.2 4, Elise Power (Auckland) Arctic Cielo 49.4 5, Kelsey Leahy (Cambridge) Showcause 51.6 6.
Wairakei Resort CCN105 Championship: Dannie Lodder (Auckland) Overnight Success 27.1 1, Bryar Kirkeby (Taupo) HNS Chrialka Gienah 31.2 2, Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata) DSE Sunset Pass 31.5 3, Emily Cammock (Canterbury) Impeccable 31.6 4, Amanda Pottinger (Havelock North) Good Timing 32.6 5, Ashleigh McKinstry (Ohaupo) Pioneer Techtonic Shuffle 33.2 6.
Equissage CCN105 Open: Eloise King (Kerikeri) Shevchenko 25.1 1, Jeffrey Amon (Murupara) RM Limbo 25.6 2, Jeffrey Amon (Murupara) My Silver Lining 28.9 3, Amanda Wards (Howick) Diamond Trade 30.2 4, Anna Robertson (Christchurch) Valkyrie II 30.4 5, Ingrid Herdson (Auckland) Mr Tambourine Man and Scout Lodder (Auckland) Pioneer Makokomiko 31.2 =6.
ends