Catch up with all the latest news from the world of horse trials in our weekly column from Eventing magazine editor Kate Green
The 2002 IFG Punchestown international three-day event in Ireland saw Lucinda Fredericks claim the three-star CCI on her own and Vicki Miller’s eight-year-old Ballyleck Boy, who was one of the least experienced horses in the field.
Lucinda, who may represent Australia in dressage atthe World Equestrian Games in September, appears to have much to look forward to with the scopey Irish-bred Ballyleck Boy, who won his first two advanced events this spring.
“I brought him to Punchestown to find out if I really had a good horse because I knew Tommy Brennan was designing the course and that it would be strong,” said Lucinda.
“I had to forget my ride at Badminton and remember that I was on something really good here. I was anxious not to let the horse down.”
Polly Stockton, lying second for Britain after cross-country on the huge Tangleman, had three show jumps down to drop to ninth, while Pippa Funnell, runner-up on Primmore’s Pride, and Andrew Nicholson, third on Fenicio for New Zealand, each had a rail down.
Only two horses achieved the optimum cross-country time on a long and energy-sapping track and this feat elevated Ireland’s Jane O’Flynn (Kilnadeema Star) and Britain’s Mary King (Ryan V) to fourth and fifth places.
Australian team triumphs
Australia won the team competition, with Matt Ryan in sixth place on Bonza Puzzle. Britain, who were hindered by a stop by Mary King’s first ride, King Richard, and an unfortunate fall for Lucy Henson with A Touch Of Frost, were second.
The Irish team was third, with Jane O’Flynn backed up by good performances from Vina Buller, Ken Mahon andEric Smiley.
In an strong international line-up, Blyth Tait was seventh on Rongotai, a New Zealand-bred TB produced by Jen Kneale, who was also responsible for the ’94 world champion Bounce. Jean Teulere was the best French rider in eighth after a superb trailblazing cross-country round on the rangy Domino de Beg Miel.
Nasty fall for home rider
Irish team rider Carol Gee had a crushing fall with a tired Sportsfield Iceman when he flipped over an upright rail on top of the Newgrange Mound and landed on her.
Carol is reported to be in a comfortable condition with just one broken rib. She is being monitored in hospital in Naas for any further damage and is likely to be discharged on Wednesday.
Pippa Funnell also had an alarming experience with a tiring Primmore’s Pride at the same fence – the pair stayed together despite ending up facing in the wrong direction. Talk was that this type of fence would arguably be where the new frangible fence with pin should be used.
Wins for France and Britain
France’s Nicolas Touzaint and Galan de Savagere made it six international wins in a row when they took the two-star CCI by storm, while Britain’s Kitty Boggis maintained her almost unbeaten record with the Tolleys’ ex-hurdler Five Boys when she won the two-star Young Rider competition. Cressie Clague Reading was second and third.
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