Last minute call up pays big for Olympian Burton

Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo

Remarkably UK based Burton only had his first ride on Jamaimo on Wednesday after the horse’s regular rider Will Enzinger broke his leg and couldn’t contest the event.

Burton was sixth leading into this afternoon’s final stanza but produced one of only three clear rounds of the day to catapult into the top position.

It is Burton’s second victory at Australia’s only CCI4* three day event and to say the 31 year old was surprised by the win is an understatement.

“It’s unsuspected that’s for sure. I sat on him for the first time on Wednesday and I thought he’s a lovely horse, what a little ripper.

“He’s been brilliantly prepared and a treat for me to ride. It’s something I won’t forget in a long time.

“We knew he was a good jumper but I was just the jockey this weekend, the credit really belongs to Will (Enzinger) and his team,” he said.

With six riders within four penalties (1 show jumping rail) of each other, Sunday’s finale was always going to be a tight tussle.

Burton’s victory caps off a sensational year for the UK based Australian event rider who also won the prestigious Aachen (GER) three day event.

The leaders following the cross country, Olympic gold medallist Stuart Tinney and Olympic silver medallist Shane Rose, couldn’t produce the clear rounds required to maintain their top positions which saw them move down the order.

The reigning Australian International 3DE champion Craig Barrett was on track to repeat his win from last year but his mount Sandhills Brillaire was unlucky to knock the final rail which relegated them to third place.

A clear round from Olympic silver medallist Sonja Johnson and her mount Belfast Mojito propelled them from seventh to second.

The Adelaide International Three Day Event is the second leg of the 2013/2014 FEI Classics^TM – a six series competition made up of the world’s four star event competitions. The AI3DE is the only four star event in the southern hemisphere.

16 November 2013

Tinney steals lead from Rose at Australian International Three Day Event

Sydney Olympic gold medallist Stuart Tinney has a narrow lead over his good friend and Beijing silver medallist Shane Rose after today's cross country phase of the Australian International Three Day Event CCI4*.

Rose now occupies second and third positions after he forfeited the lead he established with CP Qualified in Friday’s dressage phase, after a small mishap at the first of two water obstacles in today’s cross country.

An unsteady landing almost ended the pair’s weekend but Rose hung-on and produced a remarkable save and the combination carried on with the job to arrive home with only a few time penalties.

“It sort of happened in slow motion and it didn’t feel that bad. The gasp in the crowd made me think that I must have been close to falling. Luckily I stayed on and we pressed on.

“It definitely sapped a little energy out of him.”

Tinney and Pluto Mio’s precise round in the cross country put him in the top spot, with Rose’s more experienced mount Taurus finishing the course in the same time as Tinney which abled them to take second place.

A two time winner of Australia’s only CCI4* three day event, Tinney last won the title in 2011 and has the big competition experience to pull off a third crown.

“We all try to jump well, fast and leave them all up, that’s the plan, but we’ll see what happens,” Tinney said.

The stage is now set for a thrilling showdown to the Australian International Three Day event and with the nation's most experienced riders holding the reigns, spectators can be assured of a close finale.

There are only four penalties (1 show jumping rail) separating the top six combinations, which includes 2012 champion Craig Barrett and Olympians Sonja Johnson and Chris Burton.

Tinney is also leading the CCI2* on Annapurna which is out of the same mare as Pluto Mio. Cassie Lowe and Koko Doro are second while Ali Foye and Kung Fu Panda are third.

15 November 2013

Dream start for Rose at the Australian International Three Day Event

The stars are aligning for Shane Rose at this year's Australian International Three Day Event CCI4* and the Beijing silver medallist has victory in his sights.

Rose played all his cards right during today’s dressage phase, scoring 39.10 on his grey gelding CP Qualified and  45.70 onTaurus, the horse that would have carried Rose to the London Olympic Games had it not been ruled out due to injury in the lead-up.

Sydney Olympic gold medallist Stuart Tinney and his mount Pluto Mio currently separate Rose’s two entries after scoring 45.50 and the reigning champion Craig Barrett and Sandhills Brillaire are fourth in the order after judges awarded them a score of 46.80.

While Rose’s short term goal is to take home the trophy on Sunday, his long term plan is to make Australia’s team for the 2014 World Equestrian Games and he’s confident he has the horsepower to achieve this goal.

“They’re both good very horses and I’m happy with the way they performed.

“They both have great attributes. Leading into the event I didn’t want one to do a better test than the other, I wanted them to both go as good as they could.

Rose is known for his expertise at the cross country phase and will be strong around the gruelling four star course which weaves its way through the centre of Adelaide.

“Taurus is quite experienced so I feel we can do a good job. Qualified is a great jumping horse so if I ride him well hopefully he’ll be able to cope with the challenges. He’s a lot more inexperienced, this is his first start at this level. I’ll probably nurse him around the course a little more than Taurus and if I’m in the same position this time tomorrow I’ll be estactic,” he said.

Being the only CCI4* event in the southern hemisphere Australia’s top horse and rider combinations have made the trip to Adelaide in a bid for the title and prize money which is on offer.

The event is significant to Australian riders who are campaigning for a position on Australia’s equestrian team for the 2014 World Equestrian Games which are to be held in Normandy, France.

The Adelaide International Three Day Event is the second leg of the 2012/2013 FEI Classics^TM – a six series competition made up of the world’s only four star event competitions. The AI3DE is the only four star event in the southern hemisphere.

Judy Clarke and Diablito 37.07 lead the CCI2* on a score of 37.10 followed by Stuart Tinney and Annapurna on 45.35 and  Cassie Lowe and Koko Doro on 48.1.

Cross Country action commences on Saturday and will see horses and riders weave their way through the stunning Adelaide Parklands. CCI2* competition will start from 10am with CCI4* action to begin at 1:45pm.