Top combo heads to Ireland

 

There will be plenty of Kiwis battling it out for top honours at the Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland this week.

Squad riders Mark Todd, Lucky Jackson and Jonelle Richards are all entered in the CCI3* or CIC3*, along with several others.

Todd on Major Milestone and Alice Montgomery on Gordon are competing in the CIC3*. While Jackson on Kilcoltrim Ambassador and Willy Do, Richards on Mere Oak and Dan Jocelyn on Brookfield de Bouncer and Special Advocate, are entered in the CCI3*.

The CCI2* has attracted plenty of interest too from the crew from Down Under – Todd has Leonidas II and Alfiano del Ferro entered, Tim Price also has two in Wembley and Wesko, his partner Richards has Diflorio and Aloha, with Olympic hopeful Clarke Johnstone will start Regal Romar and Jocelyn has Brookfield Hero entered.

Jonstone is also entered in the CCI* on Call Me Al, while Andy Daines and Spring Panorama are on the start card of the CCI2* (under 25).

New Zealand riders have a good track record at the event, with Andrew Nicholson having won the CCI2* in 2008 on Avebury and 2010 on Quimbo. Nicholson also triumphed in the CCI* in 2007 aboard Avebury. Jesse Campbell and Kappachino won the CCI2* (under 25) class in 2011.

The event gets underway with the first vet inspections on Wednesday (Irish time), followed by two days of dressage, the cross country on Saturday and the showjumping on Sunday.

Tattersalls is Ireland’s premier international three day event and with the Olympics just around the corner, have attracted plenty of the world’s top combinations.