It’s a Christmas Cracker at Puhinui Int'l Three Day Event

Media Release

December 7th 2016

It’s a Christmas Cracker at Puhinui International Three Day Event

On December 9, 10 and 11, Auckland’s Puhinui Reserve will become the temporary home for over 170 horses from all over New Zealand as they compete in the Puhinui International Three Day Event. This hotly contested event is one of only three held in New Zealand at the Olympic level of equestrian eventing.

The premiere class offers some stiff competition, with the 2015 winner Virginia Thompson returning in an attempt to reclaim the Honda New Zealand CCI3* title. Challenging Thompson will be 11 other riders, including the 2016 One Day Champion Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata) with her crowd favourite, Mr Hokey Pokey, and the 2016 National Three Day Champion Amanda Pottinger (Hawkes Bay).

Thompson is hoping her preparation has been good enough to hold onto the Honda CCI3* title, despite a set back earlier in the season which meant she could not compete at the Australian CCI4* event in Adelaide as planned.

“Unfortunately Paige (as she is known at home) missed a month of work from a stone bruise too close to the event. I couldn’t compete with the lost fitness so Puhinui became our new goal,” said Thompson. “Paige is feeling great. She had a super run at the One Day Champs in late October, where we placed third, so she is feeling on track.”

Having returned from the Olympics placing sixth individually for team New Zealand, Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation will not be fronting up in the CCI3* to reclaim their 2014 title. However, Johnstone’s protégée and young rider Jackson Bovill will be hoping to push the main players as he tackles his first CCI3*.

Bovill, at just 19, is not fazed at being one of the youngest riders in the premiere class and says his mount Visionnaire is feeling fit and enthusiastic in her final preparations.

“She has had an awesome couple of lead up runs at the One Day Championship (where the pair placed 2nd) and Rotorua Horse Trials so I am excited for the pinnacle event of the spring season,” says Bovill.

Two South Islanders will compete in the Honda NZ CCI3* having braved a difficult journey north from Canterbury. Both Brent Jury and Kirsty Sharapoff are on talented horses new to this 3* level but come in with excellent form.

Samantha Felton, having just returned home from campaigning in Australia, will be a strong contender in the iSpyHorses CCI2* class. Competing for the same title will be the season favourite Madison Crowe aboard her new mount Waitangi Pinterest. Crowe has had brilliant results this spring placing 2nd in the CIC2* at the One Day Champs and winning the CIC2* at Rotorua Horse Trials.

“I’m very excited to be heading back to Puhinui this year and a podium finish would certainly top off this spring season. Puhinui can be very testing so fingers crossed,” says Crowe.

2016 sees the return of Olympian Andrew Bennie to Puhinui. Bennie is a two-time Olympian, winning team bronze at the Seoul Olympics. He is now an international FEI judge and was one of the three Ground Jury members at the Rio Olympics.

“Andrew Bennie will be ensuring our lower level riders are on the right track as he judges the Horse and Pony CCN105. Margs Carline, one of Andrew’s team mates from the bronze medal winning team in Seoul, joins judges from the UK and Ireland to form the Ground Jury for the Honda NZ CCI3*” says Susan O’Brien long time Event Secretary, herself an FEI Technical Delegate.

The Dressage phase kicks off on Friday 9th December with what promises to be an action packed cross-country on Saturday December 10th. The picturesque course is in brilliant condition.

“While the flow of the course is similar to previous years, there are a number of new combination questions for every level” says FEI course designer Titch Massey.

The all important show jumping will decide the winners on Sunday December 11th.

There will be many trade stalls there for everything from horse gear to Christmas presents and a number of different types of food and drinks vendors. This year sees a Rider Central base for competitors and their teams to keep an eye on the action.

The event will be livestreamed on www.equestrianlive.co.nz for those not able to attend in person.

Ends

More information can be found on the event’s website www.3dayevent.co.nz or the Facebook page, Puhinui International Three Day Event New Zealand

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