Just three Kiwi eventers head to France this week for the penultimate round of the Event Rider Masters Series.

Sir Mark Todd will compete in the CIC3* ERM at Haras de Jardy aboard his highly-rated McClaren, Jonelle Price aboard Cooley Showtime, and perhaps the one many have been dying to see back at top level, Tim Price on Wesko.

Wesko, who was Tim’s 2014 WEG mount, has been out since late 2015, but had a CIC2* start late last month. The 15-year-old Dutch-bred bay gelding has been a star for his rider, winning Luhmuhlen CCI4* in 2014, placing second in Kentucky CCI4* in 2015 and third at Pau in 2015.

Tim Price is New Zealand’s highest ranked in the ERM ratings, sitting in fourth spot on 53 points. Chris Burton (AUS) leads the charge on 75 points, with Laura Collett (GBR) second on 70.

Eleven-year-old McClaren has been with Todd since 2017, doing their first CIC2* start in May of that year and sky-rocketing through the grades since.

Cooley Showtime is a nine-year-old Dutch-bred gelding who has been ridden by both Tim and Jonelle.

But the Kiwi trio are up against some of the best combinations in the world at Jardy including the top ranked Oliver Townend, superstar Michael Jung (GER) and so many others in the 40-strong field who could lay claim to a victory.

The cash-rich class starts on Saturday with the dressage, followed by the fast-format showjumping and cross country on Sunday (FRA time). Pierre Michelet (FRA) is the cross country designer. The series winds up at Blair Castle in late August.

WHAT: Haras de Jardy – Jardy International Eventing Show Event Rider Masters
WHERE: Paris, France
WHEN: July 14-15, 2018
RESULTS: rechenstelle.de
MORE INFO: http://www.harasdejardy.com/
LIVESTREAMING: http://www.eventridermasters.tv/


The horse details:

McClaren – owned by David and Katherine Thomson
Wesko – owned by Tim Price and the late Christina Kundsen
Cooley Showtime – owned by Suzanne Houchin, Lucy and Ben Sangster and Sir Peter Vela

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
11th June 2018