World no. 2 Tim Price has placed second in two classes and the New Zealand team just off the podium by a smidgen in the Nations Cup competition this morning at Le Grand Complet at Le Pin du Haras in France.

Tim was second in the CCIO4*-S aboard last year’s CCI3*-L winner Happy Boy, only .7 of a penalty point behind come-from-behind winner Gwendolen Fer (FRA) and Traumprinz. He was also second in the CCI2*-L aboard Jarillo, finishing just .1 behind Josephine Schnaufer-Volkel (GER) and Cinnamon Red who led from the get-go.

In the six-strong Nations Cup competition, France held on to the top spot to win on 99.5 with The Netherlands second on 113.1, Sweden third on 135.1 and New Zealand fourth on 135.2.

In the cross country overnight, just eight of the 64 combinations who started were clear and inside time. Included in this group was New Zealand Nations Cup debutant Tayla Mason and Centennial who finished in 19th position overall. “We were over the time most of the way and then in the last minute I managed to put my foot down and he cantered on home full of running to be just under time,” said Tayla, who finished the competition with a score of 38.8. “It was really good. He was on his game and I couldn’t have asked for more. I feel honoured to be part of the Nations Cup team to represent New Zealand – my first time at 4* level representing New Zealand so it was a big week for us both.”

Tim and Happy Boy added 2.8 time penalties to finish the day on 28 penalty points with Jonelle and her team horse Grappa Nera in 45th on 68.4 after picking up both time and jump faults. Hollie Swain and Solo were the drop score.

Jonelle also competed in the individual competition, finishing in 14th place on a score of 36.3. They added just cross country time penalties to their tally.

Newbie Tayla says she will take a lot away from the event. “It was a really good experience for both me and Centennial to be picked for the Nations Cup team,” she said. “It was a big atmosphere, a really well put together international event and we learnt a lot. For a younger horse Centennial really performed well I thought – I was very happy with him in all three phases.”

While she says there are still “bits to work on” she was particularly happy with his cross country efforts.

“The biggest factor in the cross country was time. It was a very twisty and turny course which I haven’t done on him before so I was interested to see how he would handle that.”
But she needn’t have worried. “He is genuinely a fast horse on cross country and while he hasn’t done twisty courses, he was great.”

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The horse details:
Happy Boy – owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller
Grappa Nera – owned by The Grape Syndicate and Jonelle Price
Killbunny Andy – owned by Therese Miller and Constance Edmundson
Centennial – owned by Sonya Mason, Sue Rutter, Tayla Mason and Kyle Mason
Solo – owed by John Bodenham
Jarillo – owned by Lucy Allison, Tim Price and Jonelle Price

 

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