Olympic Hopefuls Leading CCI3* Melbourne International 3DE After Cross Country

After the second day of CCI3* competition, two first time Olympic Eventing hopefuls are leading the event which is the last opportunity for Australian based Eventers to perform well in front of national selectors before they name the team for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tim Boland and his 11 year old bay gelding GV Billy Elliot enter Monday’s Show Jumping phase in first position after a confident lap around a wet cross country course kept them in top spot, which they secured after recording a personal best score in Saturday’s Dressage phase.  The combination jumped clear but added 4.4 time penalties to their Dressage score to finish day two on 41.80.

“The ground was really heavy and really slippery in front of a lot of fences so I was a little bit protective of him (Billy Elliot) but very proud of him, he never gave me an anxious moment, he’s such a good horse,” said Boland. 

Craig Barrett and Wendela Jamie have moved from third to second after yesterday’s second placed combination Lauren Balcombe and Kootamootoo retired midway through the course. Barrett’s time of 9:46 added just 4.4 time penalties to the combination’s score to put them on 48.00 leading into the final phase of competition.

Boland now has a comfortable 6.2 point lead over Barrett heading into the Show Jumping but for the Olympic Games hopeful there is more on the line than the title.

“I’d put all this pressure on myself leading into this event because If I’d had a problem today I was gone. I had to make it happen and without a good horse you can’t make it happen so I’m very happy,” Boland said. 

“He’s a wonderful jumper and that’s the phase that I love the most so I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he added. 

The ground may have been wet at the start of cross country day but the sky was clear for riders in the CCI1* class who were first round the Ewan Kellett cross country course.

Amanda Ross and Loxley are the new leaders of the CCI1* after Adam Benson and Brookwood Park Feuergress were relegated to 54th position after a refusal at fence eight and 14 added 40 jumping penalties and 25.6 time penalties to their score. Chelsea Priestley and Blameitonthebear produced a clear round within time to move into second position and Cooper Oborn and He’s Patrick did the same to improve their fifth placing after Dressage and end the Cross Country phase in third.

In the CCIJ* the leading combination after Dressage Naomi White and Mighty Tosca, retained their lead despite incurring a 4.4 time penalty. Sheridan Sullivan and Talent Time who were fifth after the first phase moved into second place despite adding a 2.2 time penalty to their score. Isabella Walsh and TS Swampfox were clear and within time to jump from seventh to third position.

Robert Palm and Koko Black have taken the lead in the CCI2* after early leaders Emma Mason and Poker Face had a refusal at fence 23 near the rose garden added 20 jumping penalties and 12 time faults to their score. Yesterday’s third place combination Mattea Davidson and Fairbanks Cargo moved into second place andSophie Adams andMercator Du Ry find themselves in third position heading into tomorrow’s Show Jumping decider after completing the course clear and within optimum time.

The 55^th annual Melbourne International Three Day Event will conclude with Monday’s Show Jumping phase. Gates open at 8am with the CCI3* class expected to get underway at 3pm.

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Story & photo: Equestrian Australia