Tuesday, 11 May 2021, 5:22 pm
Some of the big names may be missing but the classes at
this week’s New Zealand Three Day Event Championships are
hugely competitive, with expectations high for some
close-fought battles across the levels.
All eyes will
be on the DVS Home Ventilation Systems CCI4 -L which will be
without former winners Clarke Johnstone (2014 and 2011),
Maddy Crowe (2019) and Amanda Pottinger (2018), as well as
Bundy Pottinger who are all competing
offshore.
However, the top-ranked class of the show
has attracted some excellent combinations and it would be a
brave person to pick a winner before the final flags are
Monday, 14 December 2020, 8:05 am
Taupo rider Monica Oakley and Artist managed to turn the
tables on Olympian Clarke Johnstone riding Aces High in 2020
in the Veterinary Associates CCI 4 Three Day Event after
being beaten into second by Johnstone at the same event last
year. In the three day format the jumping phase happens on
day 3 and is jumped in reverse order of placing. Coming into
the final phase in second place Monica and Artist jumped a
measured and precise round leaving all the poles up which
put the pressure on overnight leader and last year’s
winners Aces High and Clarke Johnstone and . Aces looked to
Sunday, 13 December 2020, 8:21 am
Clarke Johnstone and Aces High showed their class and
experience by putting in a faultless round and claiming the
lead in the 4 Long format cross country at the Puhinui horse
trials. “It was a very, very good round after number 7. He
was pretty flightly to begin with – strong winds and the
flags – he took a bit of an exception to that but after
fence 7 I gave him a slap on the shoulder and told him to
pull his head in! After that he was completely
focussed.”
When asked whether it was now Aces High
or his Rio mount Balmoral Sensation (Richie) who was top of
Friday, 11 December 2020, 7:03 pm
Personal best scores were the order of the day at the
Puhinui International Horse Trials with Amanda “Muzi”
Pottinger producing a stunning test from her top horse, Just
Kidding to take the lead from Olympian Clarke Johnstone with
Aces High. Their score of 21.2 penalties was the best for
Just Kidding and for Muzi on any horse, “Even right
through the grades he’s had some pretty good marks but
that was definitely a personal best and a lot of the credit
I have to give to the coaches that I’ve worked with over
the last five years – Penny Castle and Jock Paget.