Irish eyes smiling on Clark’s first 3* win
Aoife Clark stayed clear to win her offset three-star trial in addition to became the offset Irish Gaelic winner of the CCI*** at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.
With non fifty-fifty a debate inwards mitt when entering Sunday’s demo jumping phase, the 32 year-old held her nerve, in addition to guided PJ Hegarty’s Irish Gaelic Sport Horse Fenya’s Elegance to a null penalization round, clinching i of Ireland’s offset victories inwards many years at this degree of international three-day eventing.
Clark, who finished 7th at the London Olympics lastly year, produced a dazzling display of cross-country riding on Sabbatum to border into the lead, but had France’s sometime the world champion Jean Teulere (Matelot du Val) in addition to travel past times U.S.A. eventer Clark Montgomery (Loughan Glen) both merely 1.5 penalization points behind her.
Teulere finished every bit runner-up amongst Montgomery third. Both were on 45.5 penalties, to Clark’s 44.0.
“I knew I had to become clear,” Clark said. “We’ve exclusively had i showjumping rails downwards all year, but in that location was yet pressure.
“To win hither agency a huge amount. This mare is merely at the correct stage to live looking at the (2014) World Equestrian Games in addition to and thus Rio.”
Fenyas Elegance, a sometime showing winner at Dublin, jumped boldly in addition to cleanly and, although the chestnut mare became progressively stronger, Clark kept control, punching the air amongst relief every bit she cleared the concluding fence.
“I had to endeavour non to nous to the cheering, but she’s been a star this calendar week in addition to is commonly a proficient jumper,” said Clark, whose sister-in-law Polly Stockton won Blenheim inwards 1998.
“She tends to live quite feisty in addition to is disappointed if y'all endeavour to command her every bit good much.
“This agency a huge amount. It was a large disappointment that I couldn’t become to the European Championships [her travel past times Equus caballus was lame] but she is merely the correct historic menstruum for the adjacent championships in addition to for the Olympics inwards Rio.”
Gemma Tattersall finished quaternary in addition to best British rider, on Philip in addition to Iona Kerr’s Arctic Soul.
“I sure enough never expected to trounce the likes of William Fox-Pitt in addition to Pippa Funnell,” Tattersall said.
“I’m actually chuffed. The Equus caballus is an absolute Ferrari across country, but it took me a piece to larn the brakes sorted out. He’s 17.1hh in addition to I’m exclusively 5ft 5in at best.
“He finds the atmosphere of a busy arena hard thus I took him inwards at the lastly infinitesimal in addition to cantered him at i time to the offset fence.”
Tattersall revealed that she is trying hard to larn a syndicate together to purchase the ex-racehorse past times Luso. Her adjacent goal is to ride him at Badminton inwards the Spring.
The adjacent best Brit, Richard Jones, scored his best e'er CCI*** result, 5th on Highland Ford, in addition to Nick Gauntlett was 7th on Grand Manoeuvre.
Former Blenheim winner Rodney Powell, 9th afterward cross-country, had the terrible luck to autumn off Happy Go Lucky when the Equus caballus stopped abruptly.
In an international line-up – 7 nations were represented inwards the travel past times 10 – Jonelle Richards was best Kiwi inwards 6th on Faerie Dianimo; Germany’s Kai Ruder was 8th on Gryffindor in addition to Canada’s Jessica Pheonix was tenth on Pavarotti.
Harry Dzenis, 9th on Xam, won the Horse Trials Support Group’s £500 depository fiscal establishment check every bit best British passenger nether 25, in addition to Mary Edmundson, twelfth on Sonny Eacrly, won a fix of dressage bandages from Bates Saddles for the highest ascent afterward dressage – a staggering threescore places.
The USA’s Meghan O’Donoghgue won a span of Ariat boots every bit the best first-timer at Blenheim, 11th on Pirate.
Irish eventing is clearly on a whorl – Ireland’s Junior squad won their European Championships inwards Jardy, France, amongst the Young Rider squad claiming bronze.
After the weekend’s particular performances, the Irish Gaelic Eventing High Performance Manager Nick Turner said: “”I am absolutely delighted with the Irish Gaelic eventing successes this weekend.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in addition to thank y'all to all of the owners, sponsors, back upward staff in addition to squad managers for all of their hard operate and dedication that helped to brand this possible.
“The immature horses inwards the 8/9 twelvemonth old classes also set inwards merely about real good performances which makes the futurity of Irish Gaelic Eventing real exciting.”
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