Green and Gold vs Black: Who Will Claim Victory at Adelaide?

With eventing excitement climbing and intensity increasing, the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event is nearly upon us.
It looks like it will be a true Trans-Tasman battle, with nearly a third of the 24-strong competitor line-up in the CCI4* class coming over from New Zealand.

The allure of the only 4* event in the Southern Hemisphere has attracted nine strong kiwi combinations to show the Aussies what they’re made of, and they mean business. Last year the event was ridden to a win by Kiwi Clarke Johnstone on Balmoral Sensation …can our Australian riders reclaim the title this time, or will the eager NZ crew come swooping in for back-to-back victory? The 4* class prize pool of $AUD120,000 certainly suggests everyone will be giving it nothing but their very best.

On Team Black, Donna Edwards-Smith is one of two coming across the ditch who have previously competed at Adelaide. Edwards-Smith has three times competed there and twice at Kentucky 4*.
“I am super excited to be taking DSE Cluny and DSE Tangolooma to Adelaide this year,” she said. “Cluny is just coming off a great performance in the South Island (where he won the CCI3*) which has prepared him well and I am very much looking forward to riding Tangolooma cross country as he was the trail blazer last year.”

After a less than ideal season with her mount Shaw Lee, who sustained a serious kick earlier in the year, fellow New Zealander and Adelaide veteran, Emily Cammock is now feeling positive. “I am really happy with how he is going,” she said. “Adelaide 2005 was an awesome experience and event for me, so I am hoping that 2018 will be just as good!”

One thing is for sure, our Australian contenders are not going to give it away without a fight.

Team Green & Gold has equestrian great Stuart Tinney stepping up to the plate on War Hawk, with daughter Gemma Tinney closely following in her father’s footsteps. She’s competing alongside her dad aboard Annapurna, and it would probably be fair to say she’d like to claim this title for herself.

Fellow Aussie Emma Bishop is one to watch. She was the winner of the hotly contested CIC3* class on CP Issey Miyake at Albury just a couple of weeks ago, her second 3* win in a row.

The Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR) cross country course runs through the centre of the city, something competitors from both sides particularly love.

Horse inspections for the CCI4* classe is on Wednesday, followed dressage on Friday, the cross country on Saturday and show jumping on Sunday.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event runs 14-18^th November in Adelaide.

For more info and to get your tickets to this world class event, go to www.australian3de.com.au