Kiwis Triumph in Ireland and Germany

By: Diana Dobson/ESNZ

Bruce Goodin and Centina - Photo by World of Showjumping/ESNZ

It’s been a great night for Kiwi equestrians competing offshore, with wins in Ireland and Germany to eventer Tim Price and showjumper Bruce Goodin. 

Price and 11-year-old Wesko (owned by the Wesko Syndicate) won the George Mernagh Memorial CIC3* at theTattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland, heading home 27 other combinations.

Price was second after the dressage phase, sitting on 39.2 penalty points, and added four faults to his score from the showjumping, but a clear and inside time effort in the cross country saw him pass the overnight leader to finish on 43.2 penalty points.

It is the first CIC3* win of Wesko’s career, but last year he was second in the CIC3* at Hartpury. He also won the CCI3* at Blair Castle in 2013.

Lucy Jackson also did well aboard Bosun (owned by BGV Syndicate) moving up to take fourth place, and finishing on her dressage score of 49.8.

Meanwhile, former Olympic showjumper Bruce Goodin notched a great win in the 1.6m CSI3* grand prix at Munchen Riem aboard Centina 10 (owned by Glen Nielsen).

Their efforts stake a clear claim for a berth in the New Zealand team for the fast-approaching Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, in August.

Forty-nine qualified for the class, with 15 coming back for the jump-off. Goodin was one of seven to go through on zero faults. In the jump-off, two had gone clear ahead of him, so he knew he had to leave everything up, with enough speed to put the pressure on those combinations following.

“I had a really good feeling on her going into the jump-off,” said the 44-year-old who is based in Denmark. “She jumped unbelievably in both rounds, but especially the jump-off. If felt like she couldn’t touch anything.”

Goodin’s time of 59.86 seconds was more than three seconds faster than the second placed Tomaz Laufer (Slovakia) and Heart Stealer. While the field contained mostly German riders, there were also some from the United States, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Goodin teamed up with the 11-year-old grey mare after moving to Denmark in August, and he has high hopes going forward.

“I am very excited about her.”

But he knows, to make the New Zealand team for WEG, they will have to continue to perform like they did today.