When it came down to the final jumping phase of today’s FEI Classics™ at the Australian International 3 Day Event in Adelaide (AUS), Hazel Shannon (AUS) had considerable room to move with Clifford, the powerful thoroughbred.
They could have knocked down three rails and still won, but the gelding that “always does his job” did just that and added nothing further to his dressage score than 0.4 of a cross country time penalty. Clifford clearly knew where the rails were and, most importantly, kept away from them.
Heart and mind
“That’s Clifford to a tee,” explained Shannon. “He is not extravagant in any phase - he just does his job and I can’t ask for more than that. There is a huge amount of training that has gone into Clifford, but his temperament is such that he allows you to train him. It is not just about raw talent, it is the heart and the mind of the horse that matters and this was just another day at the office for Clifford. He keeps trying and trying, and getting better and better.”
In the end, Shannon and Clifford cruised home to a popular victory 14.50 penalties ahead of their nearest rival.
“My aim is to keep getting better,” continued the 24-year-old Shannon from the far north Queensland town of Mutchilda, who when she finished high school went straight to the Ryans Equestrian Centre in Newcastle, in the southeastern state of New South Wales. She has been at the centre, which is managed by husband and wife team Heath and Rozzie Ryan, for the past six and a half years. Wendy Ward, Clifford’s owner, is the Ryans’ next door neighbour. “There is no way I could have done this without Heath (Ryan),” says Shannon.
FEI Classics™ in Adelaide – the pinnacle
The top three places in today’s FEI Classics™ jumping phase stayed the same, with Will Enzinger (AUS) holding on to second place despite a disappointing three rails down. He also rode Britannica MVNZ into fourth place with just the addition of a further four penalties.
“He was a bit off today, but I am over the moon”, says Enzinger of his Wenlock Aquifer. “Some of the more experienced horses are not here because of the Olympic Games, but we are here and all our horses have made great progress. For us, the Adelaide FEI Classics is the pinnacle of the sport and there is nothing like this in the world.”
The 24-year-old professional Andrew Cooper (AUS) looked a picture in the final jumping phase, but two rails on the floor added a further eight to his score on Evergem Perfection, placing him third. Nonetheless he represents the new guard of top-level FEI Classics™ eventers along with Shannon and Enzinger.
Living the dream
Three other combinations jumped clear in this tough final jumping phase. Rohan Luxmoore (AUS), who has declared that he “is living the dream” by competing in the FEI Classics™ in Adelaide for the first time went clear riding his Bells ’N Whistles, finishing fifth.
Stuart Tinney (AUS) looked impressive on War Hawk to take sixth place, with the sixth clear round coming from Tegan Lush and her Jetball Thoroughbred gelding Tempis Fugit who placed seventh.
The crowds came in their thousands to enjoy today’s final phase of the FEI Classics™ at the Australian International 3 day Event in Adelaide.
The FEI Classics™ now moves to the United States for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (27-30 April), the third leg of this prestigious series uniting the world’s six four-star eventing competitions.
Adelaide FEI Classics™ - Final Results:
See full results: www.australian3de.com.au/results
The spirit of eventing was strong during the opening ceremonies on Friday afternoon at the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Eventing Championships. Just shy of 200 Intercollegiate and Interscholastic competitors lined up in the main arena at this year's host venue, Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, while chanting fight songs, waving team flags, donning mascot costumes, and more, all in celebration of this year's championships officially getting under way.
The "happiest horse trial on Earth" is set to kick off tomorrow, Friday, May 3, at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, where 18 colleges and universities and eight Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Clubs will parade their teams through the main arena to mark the official start of the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships!
Earlier this week, Kent Horse Trials announced its cancellation after 44 years, and as a result, Larkin Hill Horse Trials, which will be held June 29-30 in North Chatham, New York, has stepped up to offer more divisions to help competitors.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.