Appalling weather spoiled what is usually the best and busiest day for Blenheim Horse Trials, but in true eventer fashion, the show went on despite the pouring rain.
The CCI3* competitors rode across country during the downpours. Bettina Hoy kept her lead on Seigneur Medicott, adding 8.4 time faults to be on 41.3pen. The big mover was Andrew Nicholson on Teseo, who came up from 23rd after dressage to fifth, after the fastest cross-country round of the day, with just 0.4 time faults added to his total. He now sits on 48.9.
The amazing @MTEventing protected by @GatehouseHats at #BPIHT tweets powered by @HorseHour pic.twitter.com/yvKJ5rSp4p
— Events Through aLens (@eventslens) September 10, 2016
The other New Zealanders in the competition all jumped clear but with time faults. Sir Mark Todd on Obos Columbus is in 14th place with 14.8 time.
Caroline Powell on Sinatra Frank Baby had 15.6, sitting now in 20th place, and Lizzie Green on Havanna Van’t Castanaehof had 27.2 time faults and is 31st.
Event Rider Masters
There are Kiwis throughout the leaderboard after the dressage phase of the ERM competition, with some horses coping better than others with the appalling conditions in the grass (aka mud) arena. While under-40 scores were expected, the conditions put paid to that; no rider managed it.
In joint 2nd after dressage is @NZEventing Jonelle Price can she win @BlenheimHorse again & the #ERMeventing series pic.twitter.com/v053b0rGVB
— Event Rider Masters (@EventRiderMstrs) September 10, 2016
Jonelle Price has set herself up in a good position to make the push for winning the series. Riding Cloud Dancer, she is second equal after dressage on 41.7. Silver medallist from Rio, Astier Nicolas, is leading on Molakai with 41.3, and Jonelle is joined in her score of 41.7 by another Frenchman, Thomas Carlile on his stallion Upsilon.
4th place is @JockPaget and Clifton Signature on 41.9 after day 1 of #ERMeventing Finale @BlenheimHorse pic.twitter.com/dvOcbYH6SG
— Event Rider Masters (@EventRiderMstrs) September 10, 2016
Jock Paget is fourth on Clifton Signature, with Sig’s personal best score of 41.9. Sir Mark is in 16th place after Leonidas received 46.7 penalties for his dressage. Jesse Campbell is 17th on Kaapachino, (47), Blyth Tait on Xanthus is in 22nd (48.9). Further down the leaderboard is Tim Price on Xavier Faer on 51.1 in 30th. Dan Jocelyn on Phoenix L scored 56.3 (36th) and Caroline Powell is in 39th on 59.2. Zara Tindall on the New Zealand horse Watkins really didn’t like the conditions and scored 60.1 to be at the end of the field.
On 43.6 and joint 5th after dressage from the #ERMeventing Finale @BlenheimHorse is @Shane_M_Rose and CP Qualified pic.twitter.com/6kgFRVzDJx
— Event Rider Masters (@EventRiderMstrs) September 10, 2016
The show jumping is on tomorrow morning for this class, followed by the cross-country, so fingers crossed the weather improves!
CIC3* 8 & 9 Year Olds
Competitors have had their show jumping and Jonelle has added three time faults to her score, taking it to 37.6 and dropping her to second place behind Tom McEwan on Toledo De Kerser who sits on 36.6.
Andrew Nicholson has both Swallow Springs and Urma BK in this class, and is 14th on Swallow Springs after four faults, and 42nd after 16 faults on Urma BK.
Sir Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody are 17th on 46.3 after three faults in the jumping, and Tim Price and Danturano K added 12 to be in 33rd place.
Jock Paget had two down on Angus Blue and is 35th after the two phases.
The cross-country is on tomorrow morning, running in reverse order.
Good luck to the Kiwis, especially Jonelle who is poised for a great payday!
