New Zealand eventers will be looking to put their best feet forward at Le Grand Complete, in Haras du Pin in France this weekend at their last chance to impress selectors before the team is named for the FEI World Championships.
There’s a large contingent of Kiwis crossing the channel, with a team also entered in the FEI Nations Cup competition. World no 2 and 3, Jonelle and Tim Price, along with Amanda Pottinger and Jesse Campbell will be chasing honours in the hotly contested CCI4*-S Nations Cup series which is set to run over nine events.
Amanda will compete aboard 16-year-old Just Kidding, whose last start was at Badminton, and Jesse on his Tokyo Olympic mount Diachello, but Tim and Jonelle’s mounts will be named after the first horse inspection.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand general manager high performance Jock Paget says Haras is a venue with a real European feel to it, making it the perfect place to prep for September’s World Champs.
Paris Olympic Games cross country designer Pierre Le Goupil is tasked with the course at Haras, adding another real drawcard to the event. “It is great for us to start riding some of his courses and to get a feel for them,” said Jock.Team events are always valuable for New Zealand’s riders, and particularly in the three day format. “This will be their final chance to work together as a team (before the World Champs).”
Haras is the only Nations Cup event to be held in France and the class has attracted 117 combinations from 19 countries.
Tim Price has three on the CCI4*-S card in 10-year-old Happy Boy, 13-year-old Falco, and 10-year-old Coup de Coeur Dudevin. Haras is an event that has proved successful for the two-time Olympian, having placed second in the 4*-S class last year with Happy Boy, and the year before winning the CCI3*-L.
Jonelle is in on 15-year-old McClaren and 11-year-old Grappa Nera, whose last start was at Haras in 2021.
Ginny Thompson has both 10-year-old Capitaine de Hus Z and 11-year-old Gladstone in the 4*-S, while Jesse has 10-year-old Cooley Lafitte. Hollie Swain is entered aboard 13-year-old Solo, whose last start was a top 20 finish in the 5* at Luhmuhlen, while Bruce Haskell is entered with 10-year-old Ex Cavalier’s Law.
Jonelle will contest the CCI3*-S on her new horse Hiarado in a class that has attracted 122 entries from 15 countries.
THE HORSE DETAILS
Captaine de Hus Z – owned by David and Karie Thomson and Virginia Thompson
Gladstone – owned by Elaine Butterworth, Anthony Quirk and Virginia Thompson
McClaren – owned by David and Karie Thomson
Grappa Nera – owned by The Grape Syndicate and Jonelle Price
Happy Boy – owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller
Coupe de Coeur Dudevin – owned by Jean-Louis Stauffer
Bango – owned by Numero Uno Syndicate
Just Kidding – owned by The Pottinger Family
Diachello – owned by Kent Gardner and Jesse Campbell
Cooley Lafitte – owned by Jay Jaffar
Solo – owned by John Bodenham
Ex Cavalier’s Law – owned by Tammy Lake and Bruce Haskell
Hiarado – owned by David and Karie Thomson
WHAT: Le Grand Complete
WHEN: August 10-14, 2022
WHERE: Haras du Pin, France
MORE INFO: https://www.legrandcomplet.fr/en/
RESULTS AND STARTLISTS: https://www.worldsporttiming.com/fr/
By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison