Tim Price and Jarillo were the best of the Kiwis at the Barefoot Retreats Houghton International Horse Trials in the UK with a sixth place finish in the CCI3*-L. The combination finished on their dressage score of 28.9 penalty points. Oliver Townend and Crazy du Loir led from the start, winning on 21.3.
Tim said the showjumping track had been easy and he was very happy with both his horses. “Jarillo jumped a superb clear round which made it look easy, so I was rapt with that,” he said.
Lucy Jackson and Tomochichi were 26th, finishing on their 34.4 penalty point dressage score, with Tim and Viscount Viktor ending the day on 36.3. Seventy-eight of the 94 starting combinations finished the event, including Lucy with Dassett Showman on 49.7, Bundy Philpott aboard Jerry with 50.3, Nick Brooks on Harbour Town on 54.3, and Tayla Mason aboard Gino Gingerino with 69.9.
Nations Cup team member Bruce Haskell and 4* debutant Ex Cavalier’s Law were the best of the New Zealanders in the CCI4*-S-O with their 46.8 penalty point score, adding only cross country time penalties, for 22nd place.
He was very pleased with his horse who had given his all on the cross country. “Unfortunately, the ground wasn’t great so I didn’t want to push him hard on his first run but he has certainly proved with a double clear that he can step up to that level and be competitive. He is definitely a horse for the future so I am pretty excited about what he has achieved.”
Jesse Campbell had two in the class, finished in 26th aboard Cooley Lafitte on 47.4 and with a score of 58.4 on Gambesie. “It was a really good day on the cross country for my two horses,” said Jesse. “They jumped really well and answered all the questions superbly, so really pleased with how they have come through the week. I certainly didn’t put the pressure on them in terms of the time, but that was always the plan. I am very excited for the future of both of them.”
Tim and Spartaco ending the competition on 69.9, and Hollie Swain with Solo on 72.
“It did rain over night but it was a bit late in coming and wasn’t enough to do more than put the dust down,” said Tim. “It was a good advanced 4* track (for the Nations Cup). Even though it wasn’t part of the plan I had a less competent horse to go around and he was good.”
Only 58 of the original 94 starters completed all three tests.
The Nations Cup competition was won by Great Britain who finished the competition on a score of 114 penalty points, with the United States second on 117.9 and Sweden third with their 122 penalty point effort. All three teams that did finish, did so with only three riders. New Zealand and Italy were both down to two riders.
THE HORSE DETAILS:
Cooley Lafitte – owned by Jay Jaffar
Gambesie – owned by Sarah Moffat
Ex Cavalier’s Law – owned by Tammy Lake and Bruce Haskell
Spartaco – owned by Tim Price
Solo – owned by John Bodenham
Harbour Town – owned by Amanda Vosper and Sue Benson
Dassett Showman – owned by Gillian Greenlees and Lucy Jackson
Tomochichi – owned by The Big Bees Syndicate
Jerry – owned by Juliet Wood and Bundy Philpott
Gino Gingerino – owned by Jeremy Young
Jarillo – owned by Lucy Allison, James and Rachel Good, and Tim and Jonelle Price
Viscount Viktor – owned by Barbara Cooper, Glynn Norcutt and Ginny Rusher
By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESBZ