First Time All-Female Top Ten in a CCI4* Event Across the World

After an exciting final day of jumping at the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International 3 Day Event, New South Wales based rider, Hazel Shannon on her horse Willingapark Clifford have been crowned the 2018 winner.

Hazel and Clifford have also made Aus3DE history by winning the CCI4* class for the second time as a combination since its inception in 1999. They first won the event in 2016.

The competition came down to the final two top places going into the jumping, with Amanda Pottinger from New Zealand holding first place after cross country battling it out with Hazel Shannon in second place.

Hazel & Clifford jumped first and had two rails to finish on a score of 59.5 penalties.

The pressure was then on Amanda riding her 12-year-old thoroughbred gelding ‘Just Kidding’, who unfortunately took down four rails adding 16 penalties to her score, taking her to a final of 63.2 penalties and dropping down to second place.

This is the second year that we’ve seen a New Zealand competitor in the top two with Clarke Johnstone taking out the title in 2017.

Willingapark Clifford also took home the Off The Track Thoroughbred award and is owned by ACT entrepreneur Terry Snow. Terry purchased the horse allowing Hazel to retain the ride after winning in 2016.

Third place went to Western Australian rider Sonja Johnson riding Misty Isle Valentino finishing on 78.8 penalties.

This is the first time that there has been an all-female top ten in a CCI4* event across the world.

Shannon says ‘It feels great, as good as the first time, I’m still in disbelief. Willingapark Clifford performs best when he’s fresh, and he loves Adelaide’.

‘I’m not sure about next year, figuring out what is best for him, its important to keep him happy, sound and healthy’.

With 4 days of beautiful weather at the event, the crowd turned out with an excess of 28,000 people attending the event.

Cross Country day continues to be the most popular day, with more than 15,000 people flocking to Adelaide’s east parklands to watch Australia’s best horse and rider combinations traverse through the city parklands. Spectators saw Australia’s elite horses in action and felt the thunder of the horses’ hooves as they jumped their way around Rymill and Victoria Parks only a stone throw from the Adelaide CBD.

*Shane Rose, Wendy Schaeffer, Stuart Tinney and Chris Burton have all won the event twice, but not on the same horse.

The full press conference can be viewed here: www.instagram.com/crosscountryapp

Full list of results here: http://australian3de.com.au/

Supplied by Australian3de