There was some brilliant performances Saturday at this grand venue in Bawley Point, NSW. The weather was much more on our side, and I think I can speak for most when I say that we were rather pleased to see some very welcomed sunshine.
Saturday saw the Grand Prix B test across the levels for the CPEDI3* riders and the Intermediate B tests for the CPEDI2* riders, as well as Virtus classes.
Day two of competition saw several combinations gain FEI World Championship qualifying scores of over 67%.
These horse and riders include:
Lisa Martin and Vilaggio (69.254%)
Mietta Innes-Irons and Sir Helmut (67.324%)
Helen Batson and MSJ Tia Fortuna (68.694%)
Dianne Barnes and Tjibbe B (68.469%)
Bridget Murphy and Penmain Promise (67.056%)
Stand-out performances
A stand-out performance was Bridget Murphy riding her wonderful pony, Penmain Promise. This pair competed at the Paris Paralympics last year and are continuing to prove themselves as an extremely competitive partnership. Bridget and Macey produced an energetic and supple test, that was also EXTREMELY accurately ridden. I might be speaking out of turn, but I do think this test was very strong and potentially would have gained a slightly higher mark on another weekend. The judges are definitely not giving any marks away at this competition and are making riders work for every single point that they give.
Another wonderful test in my eyes was Helen Batson riding her super sweet mare MSJ Tia Fortuna. This test was fluent and very pleasing to watch, relatively mistake-free, and overall just pleasing to watch. The pair make a lovely picture with a very consistent outline; they are hard to fault.
Great learning experience
The day was a great learning experience for many, myself included [Emma is riding six-year-old Glenhill Divine Classic in the CPEDI3* Grade III classes]. For new combinations it was incredibly important to gain knowledge about these new partnerships moving forward. In such a big venue, the atmosphere can impact horses differently and finding out what works for each individual can only be discovered through trial and error.
For the more established combinations, day two proved to be equally as much of learning experience. I managed to have a chat with a few of the more experienced individuals, and discovered there were many factors being considered in planning for Saturday’s tests. From contemplation of the more humid weather conditions, to factoring in fatigue of both horse and/or rider, the tactics for each individual vary but are extremely well-thought-out.
World Championship selection – more than scores
Some of the selectors are present at this event and they are watching ever so closely from the private viewing area above the competition arena. They have a bird’s eye view of the stadium and therefore can clearly see everything that unfolds prior to, during, and post everyone’s ride. They are gaining valuable information about each combination who are aiming to qualify for the FEI World Championships this year. They will not only be considering scores, but noting how each horse performs, how they handle these atmospheres, and the overall partnership of horse and rider. They are assessing absolutely everything with the end goal of choosing the strongest possible team for Australia after the remaining two qualifying events in just a few short months.
The winners from Saturday’s classes are as follows:
CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B V – Lisa Martin and Vilaggio (69.254%)
CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B IV – Helen Batson and MSJ Tia Fortuna (68.694%)
CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B III – Claire Graham and Furst Olli 3 (66.333%)
CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B II – Bridget Murphy and Penmain Promise (67.056%)
CPEDI3* Para Grand Prix B I – Stella Barton and Kendall Park Odyssey (61.458%)
CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B V – Heidi Ford and Rikaardt H (63.232%)
CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B IV – Brooke Neville and Remi Bellagio (66.452%)
CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B III – Danielle Loizou and BML Jack Sparrow (64.769%)
CPEDI2* Para Intermediate B II – Kate Nipperess and Dame Remi Wolverine (61.818%)
II1 Virtus – Kyle Chapman and Chapplehurst Mozique (58.100%)
II3 Virtus – Grace Murphie-Ryan and Pemberton Show Bizz (64.500%)
Freestyle day
Presentations were held in the afternoon on completion of the final rider, followed by a sound check on the main arena. This gives competitors the opportunity to test their music for freestyle day on Sunday. Riders can ensure their music is correct and decide exactly what volume they want it to be projected. Often, for horses that you know extremely well and that have had years of experience under their belts, riders may be bold enough to have the music louder for a more dramatic impact. In most cases this is only done when the rider has the confidence that their horses will cope with louder noise. In contrast, riders that have less experienced horses, or perhaps more timid or nervous horses, might choose to have the volume lower in order not to worry them and gain more confidence in the ring.
Saturday was tough on many, but everyone that has qualified for Sunday’s Freestyles are super eager and ready to dance with their horses. It’s such a privilege getting through to the third day of competition and I personally can’t wait to see what some of our amazing combinations produce.
