Quirindi Eventing International Three Day Event: Results & Photos

By: Rachel Smith/Furdography

Sydney 2000 Olympic Gold medallist Stuart Tinney from Maraylya, NSW and War Hawk (9 Y.O. grey GELDING HOLSTEINER OWNER: CDLK PTY LTD SIRE: RAMIREZ DAM: CONNIE) Winner of the CCI2* Photos: Furdography

Beijing Silver Medallist Shane Rose from Werombi in NSW riding the lovely stallion Contenda (12 Y.O. BAY STALION WARMBLOOD OWNER: JUSTINE DONOHOE, SIRE: CONTENDRO DAM: BALLERINA) were second in the CCI2*  VIEW CONTENDER'S STALLION AT STUD LISTING & TAKE UP THE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

Young Rider Isabelle Bowditch-McIntyre from Willow Tree, NSW and Grandios (9 Y.O. CHESTNUT GELDING WARMBLOOD, SIRE: GRAND CRU DAM: BELCAM AROM)

Friday the 11 July was the first day of the Quirindi Eventing International Three Day Event held at the Quirindi Show Ground and Racecourse. 80 riders, including 13 from Queensland, and 112 horses completed the first phase of dressage over six levels in the three part competition that also consisted of a challenging, longer cross country course typical of the more demanding three day format and the final phase of show jumping. Eventing, considered an equestrian triathlon, is a true test of the horse's fitness, training and bravery.

Sydney Olympic Gold Medallist Stuart Tinney from Maraylya, NSW led the Bundella Station CCI2* class riding War Hawk after a lovely dressage test that scored just 46.20 penalties. Beijing Olympic Silver Medallist Shane Rose from Werombi sat in second place with Contenda just 0.80 penalties behind giving Tinney no room for error in the cross country or show jumping phases. Christine Bates from Wilberforce sat in third place with Kung Fu Panda and fourth place with Jimmy O’Reilly. Talented young Queenslander Isabel English riding Grand Andi was in fifth and local young rider Isabelle Bowditch-McIntyre from Willow Tree was sixth with Grandios less than ten penalties behind.

The temperatures dropped to -4 overnight, but the excitement was high on Saturday morning for cross country day. Bates and Kung Fu Panda were the first 2* combination out on course and made the tough, 4400m course with 35 jumping efforts look easy, adding just 1.6 time penalties to their dressage score. Locals Bowditch-McIntyre and Grandios followed with a great round that added on;y 4.8 time faults to their score. Tinney and War Hawk, owned by the Huskinson’s from Dural in NSW, were next out and were faultless, arriving at the finish line at exactly the optimum time of 8 minutes leaving them in first place into the final phase. Rose remained in second place with Contenda also adding nothing to their dressage score and coming in at exactly 8 minutes keeping the pressure on Tinney for the show jumping. English and Andi had a run out at the massive triple brush and another later in the course at the double roll tops giving them 40 penalties to add to their dressage score and dropping them in the places. the final rider on course for the day was Bates with her second ride. All looked perfect until the last part of the course, where Jimmy O'Reilly fell at the large corner Apex eliminating them from the competition.

Sunday was the final day of the Quirindi Eventing International 3 Day Event held at the Quirindi Showground. Horses were presented to the ground jury for a final inspection before the last phase of show jumping was held to complete the competition.

Competitors in the six classes entered the ring in reverse order with the first placed combinations entering the arena last, making the final round a thrilling battle for the final places.

With Bates out of the final round due to the fall that resulted in a concussion, the Bundella Station CCI2* class had just four riders remaining for the final phase of show jumping. English was first out in with Grand Andi and jumped clear to add nothing more to their final score. The local favourite, Bowditch-McIntyre, also rode a clear round on Grandios to claim third place. Beijing Olympic Silver Medallist Shane Rose from Werombi piloted the huge jumping stallion Contenda to a clear finishing the competition on their dressage score of 47.00, leaving just 0.80 penalties between them and first place. Tinney entered the arena under pressure but showed no sign of it as War Hawk left all the jumps up on the tough Greg Backhouse course claiming the victory in the three day competition.

Shane Rose led the Boonoona Design CCI1* after the dressage phase but a problem at the drop gave them 20 penalties moving them to 11th place. Louise Barnes from Capertee, NSW and Henry's Dream moved up from 3rd after dressage to take the lead with a perfect cross country round. The places were tight and the show jumping was very influential the final places. Fourth placed Vanessa Brown from Wights Mountain, QLD was clear on Ladyship, just 0.70 penalties behind the leaders. Brown moved up the places as the rails fell for Young Rider Isabel English, Kyle Russell and Louise Barnes to win the class.

It was a similar story in the More4Horses CCN105 class with Olympian Stuart Tinney leading the class after dressage on Wyandah Rolly but problems cross country dropped them well out of the places.

Megan Drennan from Darling Heights in Queensland and Flash and Glamour moved up from 3rd into the lead. There were just 7 clear rounds of show, but the top three combinations were included in the faultless rounds giving the victory to Drennan who finished with zero penalties in either jumping phase, ending on their dressage score to win the class.

Cheryl Grant from Tamworth, NSW and Danson Renegade led the Mitavite CCN95 class from start to finish with a lead so impressive even one rail in the show jumping didn’t rob them of the rug.

Stuart Tinney and Dalinea completed the Main Event Photography CCN80 class on their dressage score to claim his second victory over the weekend. The first seven places remained unchanged in the class after dressage with only a few time penalties being added to some scores after cross country.

Amy-Jane Andrews from Armidale, NSW and Sandon Grove Bobby Royal held on to their dressage lead adding only 3.2 cross country time penalties and zero jumping penalties to their dressage score to win the Main Event Photography CCN60 class.

Event president and cross country course designer Darryl Burgess was happy with the three day event format, seeing the weekend as an excellent qualifying event for elite riders as well as a fantastic experience for lower lever riders who rarely get the chance to compete in the longer format event with vet inspections and trot ups. The welfare of the horse was a focus for the event and vets were on hand to discuss management practices with less experienced riders.

"Quirindi Eventing was very pleased with the long format event held at Quirindi on the weekend. We thank everyone involved and hope all the competitors enjoyed the competition. We hope to see everyone in 2015."

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