There was no change at the business end of the ESNZ Eventing Super League table following the South Island Eventing Championships at McLeans Island, Christchurch, over the weekend, and the Australian International Three-day Event CCI4* at Adelaide.
Andy Daines had flown Spring Panorama to Adelaide for their first 4* start, but did not manage to add to his points tally earned from winning the first leg of the Super League, the Total Industrial Solutions CIC3* at Taupo last month.
Meanwhile the four starters at Christchurch jockeyed for position after each of the three phases, but Brent Jury, former NZ team farrier from Rangiora, led after the dressage on SE Hedging and was never caught. With only four starters, only the winner earned placing points.
Jury’s mate, Giles Gormack, former polo player and Crusaders galloping support team member, was second after the dressage, and retained that position despite a rail down in the showjumping, but a problem on cross-country incurred 20 jumping penalties although he posted a faster time across country on Lucero.
Kirsty Sharapoff on Shoot The Breeze and Corey Wood on Pick Up Line, both in their first season at elite level, filled second and third respectively with clear cross-country rounds, the latter inside the time allowed.
So Donna Edwards-Smith remains unchallenged at the top of the table heading into the Puhinui Three-day Event, 9-11 December, where the competition will be strong, and hopefully include a South Island contingent. Three-day Events earn higher points than normal, so a good performance there is crucial to the standings in the League.
ESNZ EVENTING SUPER LEAGUE:
Standings after three legs:
Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata), DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, 72 pts; Bovill Jackson (Matangi), Visionnaire, 51 pts; Andy Daines (Kumeu), Spring Panorama, 48 pts; Brent Jury (Rangiora), SE Hedging, 42 pts; Ginny Thompson (Kaukapakapa), Star Nouveau, 42 pts; Diane Gilder (Matangi), Your Attorney, 36 pts.
