Eventing: Adelaide: SCHAEFFER WINS AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL 3 DAY EVENT

Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Dancer (Peter Jones Photo)

South Australia’s Wendy Schaeffer has won the 2010 Australian International 3-Day Event (AI3DE) in a tight finish, narrowly beating Christopher Burton by half a point.


Riding Koyuna Sun Dancer in today’s Equestrian Australia Adelaide CCI**** Olympic standard ATCO Group Show Jumping event in Adelaide, Schaeffer put on a spectacular performance in front of thousands of cheering event goers to secure the points needed to be crowned the AI3DE Champion for 2010.

Schaeffer’s win follows a hotly contested competition with less than four and half points separating the top three riders, Emma Mason, Stuart Tinney and Schaeffer, at the close of yesterday’s cross country event. Schaeffer also took third place with her second horse Koyuna Sun Shine.

It is the second time Schaeffer has won the Australian International 3 Day Event, last taking top honours in 2002.

Christopher Burton and Newsprint (Peter Jones Photo)

In the CCI** competition, Christopher Burton from New South Wales riding Haruzac took out first place while Tegan Lush from Western Australia riding Tempus Fugit came in second, also taking home the Young Rider National Championship crown. Sandy Lucas from New South Wales on Ever So Clever came in third.

Luke Jones from South Australia, who was leading the Adelaide CCI** competition at the end of yesterday’s gruelling cross country stage, came in 12th following a disappointing show jumping round.

Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Shine

Earlier in the day, Shane Rose from New South Wales won the Bates Australia CIC** competition on his horse Statford Neo while Robert Palm and Tim Boland, both from New South Wales, came in second and third respectively.

Olympic champion and Event Director Gillian Rolton says this year’s event has been an outstanding success with today’s sunshine boosting crowd numbers.

“The Australian International 3-Day Event has continued to prove itself as one of the world’s greatest equestrian events, with spectators treated to world-class riding over three, action-packed days,” Ms Rolton says.

“The weather was definitely on our side this year making for comfortable conditions for both horse and rider to perform at a world class standard and the events off the field were just as successful with guests enjoying the party atmosphere.”

CCI**** Technical Delegate Andy Griffiths, who has officiated at the event for the past three years and finishes his tenure this year, says Adelaide has once again put on a unique event across three parklands in a major city.

“I would like to congratulate Wayne Copping who has the ability to design a true four-star course in such a challenging setting and once again thank Gillian Rolton for putting on such a great event,” he said.

The AI3DE is Australia’s premier equestrian event and one of only six of its kind in the world and the only one in the Southern hemisphere. The annual event covers three disciplines over three days - dressage, cross country and show jumping - and is the world’s only major equestrian event staged in the heart of a bustling city centre in the Adelaide Parklands.
For more information visit www.australian3de.com.au

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