The John Jones Steel South Island Three Day Event Championships, hosted by Eventing Canterbury and held at the Dunstan Fiber Fresh NEC Christchurch last weekend was a successful one. Small but quality fields tackled the CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L long classes.

Emily Cammock on Antara in the CCI3* impressed the judges to take the early lead in that class, with Lucy Turner and Astek Victor doing the same in the CCI2*. Campbell Draper’s cross country did not disappoint and riders were particularly impressed with the brand new water jump and splash.

The 3*L saw a shake up of the leaderboard with the, a little in the wars lately, Brent Jury giving Gorky Park a positive ride to take pole position heading into the show jumping. Lucy maintained her considerable lead but points were tight across the rest of the class. Those with clean toes in the show jumping phase were rewarded with taking out the placings.

Lucy Turner and Astek Victor winning the Bates Saddles CCI2*L Championship and Amigo Trophy, and Alex de Geest on Argenteuil winning the Lenamore Trophy for the National Junior Rider Three Day Event Championship.

Lucy was just stoked to be back out competing on Victor, “he really is such a super horse. So to come out with a win as well is icing on the cake and I can’t wait to get some more events under our belt soon.”

Alex was also full of praise for family member Argenteuil and the win was particularly special for her mother and herself. “To finish with such an incredible result is just the icing on the cake to our journey of the past 4 years.”

Regular North Island visitor Sav Stirling was complimentary of the Event which was well worth her while “ Firstly, to the organisers, volunteers and sponsors of John Jones Steel Eventing Canterbury SI3DE we always feel so welcomed and are very grateful for your kindness. Pet-n-Sur thank you for the sponsorship of the 3*L and Bates Saddles for the sponsorship of the 2*L. Kirsty Sharapoff for your help.” Sav was rewarded for her persistence and put in a very solid performance on Shillings. It was not enough however to pip the battle worn farrier from Cust, Brent Jury. Brent has been in the wars lately and it was touch and go whether or not he would be able to ride this weekend. “I over came the odds with help from [my partner] Kareen who worked my horses for the 2 weeks I wasn’t allowed to ride”. Fortunately the stars aligned and despite tipping a rail, Brent maintained his lead over Sav and took out the Pet-n-Sur CCI3*L and Mr Hagen Trophy. 

Young rider Rebecca Wardle on Dinmac Eccles was awarded the Swarbrick Trophy for the National Young Rider Three Day Event Championship after finishing third in the Pet-n-Sur CCI3*-L. Rebecca was particularly pleased with Eccle’s cross country – “He is very accurate and forgiving of my mistakes and genuinely just loves getting out and doing it. Very exciting to achieve a solid CCI3* long MER and we hope the next season we can look at making the step up to 4*”.

The popular XC Style Prize was won by Emily Templeton & Donello as judged by Anne Moore, Bill Phiskie & Ron Miles. This initiative is generously sponsored by The Rider Shop & Rangiora Equestrian Supplies and is awarded at National Events throughout NZ at 105cm level and below. The award is judged on an overall safe cross country round with a combination displaying good rhythm and with correct setting up for the fence, appropriate for the fence being jumped.

Full results can be found on Evo Events here and the Eventing Canterbury Facebook page.

Team Eventing Canterbury