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Shenae Lowings on OTT horse Bold Venture won the CCI4*L.
© Michelle Terlato Photography
Thoroughbreds shine at Melbourne International Three-Day Event
By Equestrian Life
This year’s Melbourne International Three-Day Event (MI3DE) was notable for a number of reasons; it was held for the first time in three years due to the pandemic, it was the final major selection event on Australian soil for the FEI World Championships, and it was dominated by Thoroughbreds.
In fact, off-the-track (OTT) Thoroughbreds claimed four of the top ten placings in both the CCI4*L and CCI3*L, two of the top ten placings in the CCI2*L, and five of the top ten placings in the CCI2*L-Junior.
OTT Bold Venture won the CCI4*L with Shenae Lowings after the pair posted the best score of the year thus far (25.3) for the level anywhere in the world. ‘Bentley’, who raced as Hell On Wheels, wasn’t the easiest horse early on in their partnership, but Shenae was thrilled with his performance at Melbourne.
“I did say on dressage day that I would love to get a PB; Bentley did the test of his life and I'm glad he got rewarded for it,” says Shenae of their dressage performance. She explains that Bentley finds cross country easy, and while he doesn’t drag her along, he feels like he could keep going for days!
Heading into the show jumping on the final day with a rail in hand, Shenae kept her cool to claim victory. “I obviously had some nerves, that's normal. But I knew I was on one of the best jumpers in the field. I don't think he's had a rail all year; he's very, very consistent in that phase. I just gave him the ride I always would, and he jumped his usual clean round. He was great.”
New Zealand rider Monica Spencer was third with her OTT Artist on 32, while Lauren Browne and Sky’s Da Limit were seventh on 39.4. Sophia Hill and Humble Glory had hoped to finish on their dressage score prior to the event and went very close – adding just 3.6 cross country time penalties to their score to finish on 42.3 in ninth place.
Sophia Hill and Humble Glory.
© EQ Life
Lauren Browne and Sky's Da Limit.
© EQ Life
In the CCI3*L, Game Keeper was the highest placed OTT, with Brittany Fowler riding him to fourth place on 37.3. Kate Joyce and The Diamond Thief were seventh on 40.5, Nicky Lyle and Winter Hill were ninth on 42, and Riley Lyall riding GI War Machine were tenth on 42.3.
Teegan Ashby rode Magic Mushroom TAE to the highest placed OTT in the CCI2*L, scoring 29.2 to finish third, while Phoebe McIntyre also finished inside the top ten with Success Dostta in seventh place on 32.3.
In the Junior division of the CCI2*L, 18-year-old Molly Lines rode OTT Tadpole to first place – finishing on their dressage score. “After a really inconsistent season due to ‘Taddy’ having an unfortunate encounter with the fence, it was so rewarding to know that all the hard work a lot of people had contributed in getting us there had paid off,” says Molly of the win.
It was a stellar performance, with the combination laying the foundations on the first day with a terrific dressage score of 28.9, despite an error of course. “Over the last few years, Taddy has shown quite a lot of talent for dressage,” says Molly. “Although he’s not the flashiest mover, he’s consistent, obedient and elegant to watch.”
Molly says that Tadpole, who raced as Liquid Courage, is naturally quite fit and so they rarely ever have a problem with time on cross country. When it comes to show jumping, she says the gelding is incredibly careful: “He’s got a bit of a unique jumping technique; he gets very upset if he knocks a rail!”
Other OTTs making the top ten in the CCI2*L-Junior were Hayley Robl and Lucky Decision in fourth on 35.1, Ella Dennis and Our Congrats in fifth on 38.1, Charlotte Wilson and Bee Stinger in seventh on 42.1, and Chloe Brooks riding Caught In The Breeze in tenth on 48.9.
There is no doubt that the 2022 edition of the MI3DE was the year of the Thoroughbred!
Full results can be found here.
This article was written in conjunction with Racing Victoria.
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