Brougham Podiums in Sydney and Price Eyes the Same in France
Sunday, 25 October 2015

It’s been a night of solid results from Kiwis equestrians in both hemispheres with a podium finish for dressage rider Julie Brougham in Australia while eventer Tim Price is handily placed heading into the final phase of the CCI4* at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau in France.

Brougham and Vom Feinsten placed third in the FEI Grand Prix CDI-W Freestyle in a star-stacked field. Their 72.1% garnered plenty of praise from many. Mary Hanna and Umbro won the class on 75.5% meaning Brougham holds on to her Australasian record which she set at the Farmlands Horse of the Year in March.
Dressage New Zealand sport manager Wendy Hamerton said the field was a real “who’s who of dressage in Australia”.

“Vom Feinsten looked very powerful and Julie has quite a complex choreography with music that really suits the horse. This is a great result for them both,” said Hamerton.

Meanwhile, in France, a fault free cross country round notching the fastest time of the day has seen Tim Price and Wesko hold on to their fifth place as they head into the all-important final showjumping phase.

Not a lot changed in the top 12 of the field after the Pierre Michelet-designed cross country. Olympic and triple European champion Michael Jung (GER) still holds the top two positions in the field with Halunke FBW and FischerRocana FST.

Sir Mark Todd and NZB Campino sit in 11th place, with Jock Paget aboard Clifton Signature in 15th, Blyth Tait on Bear Necessity, in their first
4* start together, in 17th and Lucy Jackson on Bosun, who was also on début at 4* level and had the second fastest time of the day, in 19th.

There were 28 clear rounds from the 47 starters, with 15 of those inside the optimum time. Some riders were able to take the long option at a fence late in the course, and still make it home inside time.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance director Sarah Dalziell said the course had provided moments of drama and carnage.

“The problems were primarily at those we expected them to be,” she said.

She was looking forward to tomorrow, saying Wesko and Campino could really feature, particularly as both are good showjumpers.

There is less than a rail between the top four, with Price and Wesko just 5.1 penalties adrift from Jung and Halunke FBW. Todd is just 8.4 off the leader.

The showjumping phase will go in the early hours of the morning (NZ time), while in Sydney this afternoon, Brougham will chase an Olympic qualifying mark in the Grand Prix Special CDN. Qualifying marks must come from the Grand Prix or Grand Prix Special only.

The horses, riders and owners -
Lucy Jackson and Bosun (owned by BGV Syndicate), Jock Paget and Clifton Signature (owned by Frances Stead), Tim Price and Lord of the Owls (owned by Brian and Vicky Tew and Susie Hawkins), Tim Price and Wesko (owned by Christina Knudsen and the Wesko Syndicate), Blyth Tait and Bear Necessity V (owned by Ronnie Bartlett), Sir Mark Todd and NZB Campino (owned by New Zealand Bloodstock and Todd), Lucy Jackson and Mercury Bay (owned by Maureen Wicks) and Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten (owned by Julie and David Brougham).