The Price is right for Kiwis
An on-form Tim Price leads New Zealand to victory in the Nations Cup, while Britain have a disappointing result, but still take second place in the series
Eventing Boekelo, Little
Downham and highlights
THE New Zealand team proved they could once again be a force to be reckoned with at next year’s World Equestrian Games by winning the FEI Nations Cup final at Boekelo. Two of their riders finished in the top 10 with exciting 10-year-olds — Tim Price, who took the individual title on Joanne Pullan’s Cekatinka, and Mark Todd, seventh on David and Katherine Thomson’s McClaren (see box, top right).
“We needed that — New Zealand has had a tough few years in team competitions and so it was good for the country,” said Tim.
Dan Jocelyn, 26th on Grovine De Reve, and Blyth Tait, 28th on Havanna Van’t Castaneahof, completed the Kiwi team.
It was Tim’s third CCI3* victory in two months: he won Haras du Pin on Ascona M and Ballindenisk’s CCI3* on Pats Jester. No matter who rides what next season — Ascona M and Cekatinka are really his wife Jonelle’s mounts — the Prices have an exciting string.
Cross-country time played a sizeable part in Tim’s victory. Third-last to go of the 98 starters and in fifth place after dressage with 39.7, he knew he had 10 seconds in hand to take the lead and could therefore take the long route at 24b, a skinny brush corner at the foot of a slope that became increasingly influential as the wet day wore on and ground conditions deteriorated. He timed it perfectly and came home with four time-faults.
“She’s a cracking mare; she’s nimble and clever, and spotted the best ground herself,” said
Tim. “She’s what I call a ‘careful slitherer’ — she doesn’t waste time in the air — and was well suited to the track here.”
The Netherlands is still waiting for a first victory at its showpiece event, but Tim Lips took second place for the home side on Bayro, adding 6.4 time-faults across country to his second-placed dressage score of 39.1. He piled the pressure on Tim Price with a clear showjumping round, but although Cekatinka used up a life by rubbing an oxer, all the poles stayed up.
Third was a new face at this level — France’s Alexis Goury, the 2016 individual bronze medal winner at the young rider European Championships, with Trompe L’Oeil D’Emery. Alexis was one of the fastest of the day across country — his 0.8 of a timepenalty was equalled by Dutch rider Alice Naber-Lozeman, sixth on the experienced ACSI Peter Parker. The only rider to make the time was Chris Burton, who finished on his dressage score in eighth place with his Blenheim eight- and nine-year-old CIC3* winner Cooley Lands.
SMART RIDE FOR EVANS
DANI EVANS was the highestplaced of the 22 Brits in fifth aboard Luana Edge’s Smart Time. The combination filled the same spot here in 2015.
“He loves it here and was fantastic cross-country — he’s only had two runs this year because I’ve been injured, so it was a huge ask but he’s established and knows his job,” said Dani. “I love competing at this level — I just need to find
the horse power to keep me here.”
Behind her were two smart young British-ridden horses — 10-year-old Conpierre, 10th with Sarah Bullimore, and nine-yearold Ridire Dorcha, 11th under Oliver Townend.
Holly Woodhead, 42nd on Parkfield Quintessential with an eye-catching clear showjumping round, was the only member of the British Nations Cup team to finish. Matt Heath (Cooley
Lord Lux) and Tom McEwen (Strike Smartly) went clear across country, but both were withdrawn overnight with what chef d’equipe Richard Waygood described as “minor niggles”.
Laura Collett, last of the
British foursome to go across country, had a heavy fall at the corner at 24b when Cooley Again’s hocks slipped from under him on the slippery take-off. Both were sore but essentially unhurt.
“We knew it wasn’t going to a dressage competition and that there was all to play for round an intense cross-country track in deteriorating ground conditions,” said Richard Waygood.
“Anywhere without this sandy going would have had to cancel.”
“Matt — first to go of the whole day — did a good job, and all our riders were positive across country. Holly’s horse is a real one for the future, and it is great to see Dani back at this level.”
Britain still finished second in the Nations Cup series behind Germany, who are the winners for the fourth time in six years.
A quarter of the field faulted at fence 8abc, three brush corners on related distances in a clearing. A similar question in the same place last year had an equally disproportionate influence.
Boekelo’s main site has moved, because a new road is being built through the old venue, and a new all-weather arena for dressage and showjumping rescued the event this year, which was plagued by heavy rain.
China’s Alex Hua Tian led the dressage with 37.3 on Don Geniro and only slipped to second after cross-country. But a lost shoe caused hoof soreness and the 10-year-old had to be withdrawn before showjumping.