The Kiwis are off to a cracking start at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau this week, the last CCI5*-L of the Northern Hemisphere season.

Paris Olympian Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park sit a whisker behind the leader on 26.1 penalty points. Tom McEwen (GBR) and Brookfield Quality lead the 73-strong field on 25.8 with freshly minted Maryland victor Oliver Townend (GBR) aboard En Taro des Vernier in third on 29.4.

Caroline Powell and High Time scored 33.5 with James Avery aboard MBF Connection sitting on 34.3. Just 24 combinations have completed their dressage so tomorrow will be a huge day for all.

It’s a mix of experience and debutant Kiwi eventing combinations at Pau.

Leading the charge for the New Zealanders are Olympians Clarke, Caroline and Tim Price, who are joined by Ginny Thomasen, Tayla Mason, Samantha Lissington and James.

World no.3 Tim Price, fresh of his second placing at the Maryland 5*, is competing on Jarillo, a 10-year-old who is on debut at this level. The gelding has shown to be handy at 4* level and earlier this year had a CCI4*-S win at Thoresby Park.

Clarke’s horse Menlo Park is also on debut at 5* but been a solid competitor at both 3* and 4* level.

Caroline has both CBI Aldo and High Time on the card. Nine-year-old CBI Aldo is seeking his first 5* completion while High Time, who was second in the CCI4*-L at Blair Castle last month, is also on debut at this level.

Another debutant is Ginny Thomasen’s 12-year-old Capitaine De Hus Z who notched a CCI4*-L win at Kronenberg (NED) earlier this year. James is in on his 11-year-old gelding MBF Connection who placed top 10 at Pau on debut last year. It’s a second 5* start for Samantha Lissington and Lord Seekonig who was 11th in the Luhmuhlen 5* in June. Wrapping up the Kiwi contingent is Tayla Mason aboard her 13-year-old gelding Centennial.

Three New Zealanders grace the Pau honours board – Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera are our most recent winners (2022) with Tim Price and Falco the victors the year before (2021) and  Andrew Nicholson aboard Nereo (2012).

But it’s a superstar start list that includes world no.1 and 2 Tom McEwen (GBR) and Rosalind Canter (GBR) as well as Maryland winner, world no.5 Oliver Townend (GBR), world no.6 Boyd Martin (USA) and no.9 Tom Jackson (GBR).

It’s an event that usually attracts 40,000-plus spectators over the four days of competition and is one of just seven 5* events on the world calendar.

The first horse inspection and opening day of dressage was overnight and will be followed by the final day of dressage tonight, the Pierre Michelet (FRA) designed cross country on Saturday and Yann Royant (FRA) showjumping on Sunday.

With a 150,000 Euro prize purse on offer, there’s plenty to play for.

And it’s not just horses and riders representing New Zealand at Pau, also wearing the silver fern at Pau is Andrew Bennie who is president of the 5* ground jury.

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Horse Breeding Owner
Capitaine De Hus Z by Cosinhus out of France de Hus who is by Fergar Mail David and Karie Thomson and Ginny Thomasen
Jarillo by Dantos out of Fiorilla who is by Alicante

Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good
Menlo Park by Berlin out of Faerie Queen who is by Rock King

Jean, Rob and Clarke Johnstone
MBF Connection Luidam out of Traditionally Aloof

Hazel Livesey and James Avery
Lord Seekonig Lord Fauntleroy out of Seekoenigin who is by Carpalo Sharon Honiss, Annabelle and Robin Greville Williams, Neil Robertson and Brayden Lissington
CBI Aldo Goodluck VDL out of KMS Eclipse who is by Ramon

Serena Greenwell, Pat Melville-Evans, Jo West and Caroline Powell
High Time Hemmingway out of Freckleton Maxima’s Mandolin

Ruth  Armstrong, Serena Greenwell, Jo West and Caroline Powell
Centennial Euro Sport Centavos out of Made You Look who is by Moonwalker Sue Rutter and Sonya, Kyle and Tayla Mason

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photo: Irish Eventing Times – Pam Cunningham