It’s a stellar line-up of New Zealand eventers that heads to the
CICO3* FEI Nations Cup in Aachen, Germany, this week.
Tim and Jonelle Price aboard Wesko (owned by Christina Knudsen and the Wesko Syndicate) and Faerie Dianimo (owned by Trisha Rickards and Jacky
Green) respectively, are joined by Sir Mark Todd on NZB Campino (owned by New Zealand Bloodstock and Todd) and Jock Paget on Clifton Lush (owned by Frances Stead and Lucy Allison) in the team, while Caroline Powell saddles up Onwards and Upwards (owned by Cameron and Mary Crawford and Powell) as an individual.
Fresh off her second-place finish at the British Eventing Open Championship at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park in the United Kingdom, Jonelle Price says there’s more than just a little pressure to do well this week at the very prestigious event.
“Things didn’t really do our way at WEG (the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in France last year), so hopefully we can deliver the goods this time,” she said. “It’s a very good line-up.”
For her spunky little grey Faerie Dianimo, it will be about getting the balance right.
“She’s a quality mare and very classy. She has a lot of energy and getting her on side and relaxed for the dressage is the hard part – but she is definitely more a three day horse than a one day.”
Tim Price is also looking forward to Aachen.
“It’s the first proper outing for Wesko since Kentucky (the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in April, where he finished second). This isn’t a WEG but it is a team event that we take very seriously and it is fun to contribute to a good result,” says Tim Price. “Wesko is a horse that seems to get better and better with age. The team looks good and you would be brave to bet against it, however, there will be some very strong teams fielded, so you know you are doing well if you come out at the top. I hope it brings out the best in the Kiwi contingent.”
It will be Campino’s first start at Aachen, but the horse who Todd rode at the London Olympics has been incredibly consistent at the events he has completed.
Clifton Lush also has some good results to his credit, including a third at the CCI4* Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this year.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance director Sarah Dalziell says she is keen to see the riders compete as a team.
“Each of the combinations selected have had significant individual placings this year, so it will be exciting to see them performing together in the first team competition of the year,” she said.
“Aachen is considered a significant milestone in our preparation for Rio (Olympics) in terms of the team environment, as well as performance, given the high level of both atmosphere and competition there.”
ESNZ eventing coach Erik Duvander says the team’s target is top three.
“However, they will be fighting for the win,” he says. “If you are winning the team competition, then the individual results will also be very high. This is a competition that has a championship feel to it. It is very challenging and for us, the toughest team competition of the year.”
The event gives the wider New Zealand team a chance to run systems and practices.
“This year there are a few new people on board who need to become accustomed to how we operate as a team, so it is important on several levels.”
The six top teams from the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 World Games have been invited to compete. Lining up will be 43 athletes from 11 nations, including Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States, as well as hosts Germany.
The first horse inspection is on Wednesday afternoon (GER time), with dressage on Thursday morning followed by the showjumping in the evening and the cross country the next day.
For more information, head to
http://www.aachen2015.de/en/programm-sport#129 .
Diana Dobson
ESNZ High Performance Media Liaison
