It’s a tightly-bunched field at the end of the dressage in the CCI4*-L class at the SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in the UK.

Tim Price and Falco are the best of the Kiwis in 24th equal spot on 29.2 penalty points, with Jesse Campbell aboard Amsterdam II in 26th on 29.6 – both well in touch with the leader Izzy Taylor (GBR) on Monkeying Around who sits on 22.7.

Andrew Nicholson is in 33rd equal on 31.3 aboard As Is and 36th equal with Andrea BT4 on 31.7. Jesse and Cleveland scored 34 to sit in 49th in the 86-strong field.

All the riders have said tonight’s David Evans designed cross country course will surely give the leaderboard a rattle.

Tim was very pleased with the efforts of Falco, scoring a sub-30 mark in his first CCI4*-L start. “He is a horse with a lot of talent,” said Tim. “Now, with a little experience behind me, I appreciate horses like this where I know he is going to be much better in the future.”

Today, he had to “hold his hand a little” in the trot work particularly but Tim is confident the time will come when he says, “now is the time boy, come on”. He’s looking forward to the cross country and was happy the ground was firm. “My wee horse is a good jumper and likes the ground like that to jump off. I am looking forward to tackling quite a tough course.”
Jesse agreed saying the course was certainly “technical and up to size”. “It will cause some problems,” he said. “It is not a gimme that is for sure.”

In the 66-strong CCI4*-L for eight and nine-year-old horses, Tim and Senza Fine are in 15th spot on 33 penalty points with Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ 25th equal on 33.8 and Dan Jocelyn aboard Florencina R in 49th on 37.9.

The event is being livestreamed through both their website and Facebook.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS & START LIST
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAMING

The horse details:
Falco – owned by Sue Benson
Cleveland – owned by Kent Gardner and Jesse Campbell
Amsterdam – owned by Craig Campbell
As Is – owned by Deborah Sellar and Anna Weir
Andrea BT4 – owned by Andrew Nicholson
Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ – owned by Pip McCarroll and Samantha Lissington
Florencina R – owned by Philip Hunt, Jo Preston-Hunt and Dan Jocelyn

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESNZ