Kiwis are loving Ireland!

Is it the Guiness? Maybe not, but the New Zealanders are enjoying good results at Tattersalls in Ireland.

The New Zealanders competing on Irish soil are performing very well; perhaps a couple of pints of Guiness may have helped? Whatever it was, the Kiwis are well placed.

In the CCI2*, Jonelle Price on Ascona M is in second, behind William Fox-Pitt on Secret Night with Dan Jocelyn not far behind on High Light. There is still more dressage to come in this class, however.

The dressage is all done in the CCI1*, and Jock Paget is now second on Zazu after leading on the first day, having been pipped by 0.8 by Dannie Evans. Jock’s other horse, Optimus Prime, is currently fifth. The chestnut gelding was known in New Zealand as Brentwood Tradition and was produced by Janine Hayde. Tim Price is in 7th place on 44.6, riding Koh I Noor, with James Avery putting in two good performances to be 13th on Cadillac, and 20th on Visual Impact.

Jonelle held on to her lead (with a score of 34.9) in the 6- and 7-year-old class riding Obos Impressive, this time keeping William Fox-Pitt in second place on 35.6, with husband Tim right there too, lying third with Kincooley Cruising on a score of 36.5. Alice Montgomery is in 18th place in that class.

Teenager Hannah Francis, who is battling bone cancer, put in another inspiring performance doing the guinea pig test for the 2* event, and nailing it!

The sun has continued to shine on County Meath.  Australia’s Samantha Birch produced a spectacular dressage test with her horse Hunter Valley II to take the lead in The Irish Field CCI3* class on a score of 43.90. Best of the Irish was Padraig McCarthy, currently lying second with Mr Chunky, just 0.8 adrift of the leader on 44.70, followed by Great Britain’s Oliver Townend riding Dunbeau and finishing on a dressage score of 45.40. Zara Tindall, riding the New Zealand thoroughbred Watkins, scored 62.6 to be in 23rd position. There are no New Zealanders in this class.

There’s more dressage tomorrow, but the first of three days of cross-country also starts, and there’s a bit of show jumping as well! It’s a busy event, and both grooms and riders have to be super-organised to get everyone and everything in the right place at the right time!  Photographers too…

 

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