Eventing: Clarke Johnstone, Balmoral ride on Adelaide success

Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral show their winning ways in Adelaide last weekend. Photo/Libby Law

Following his Australian International three-day event victory in Adelaide at the weekend, Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation have left the rest in their wake in the ESNZ Eventing Super League.

Earning double points for the CCI4* rated event and already leading the points table, they have now opened up what looks like an unassailable lead.

However "Ritchie", who international media have dubbed The Snowman, is likely to be evented sparingly for the rest of the competition year, which ends at the NRM National Three-day Event at Taupo in May.

The 2018 World Equestrian Games at Tryon, North Carolina, in September, is their goal now.

The next leg of the super league is the Honda CCI3* at the Puhinui Three-day Event in Auckland on December 8-10, when the top combinations will try to close the gap a little, including a contingent from the South Island.

Johnstone will be one of 350 competitors at the Bay of Plenty horse trials in Rotorua this weekend when he rides Kate Wood's Wolf Whistle II in the Dunstan CIC2* class, which has attracted a strong entry of 39, including former World and Olympic champion Blyth Tait.

Home for the northern hemisphere winter, Tait is riding his semi-retired international horse, Xanthus III, who returned to New Zealand early this year. He is preparing Xanthus for the Puhinui three-day event "just for fun" but it will be valuable for riders here to measure themselves against a combination who have competed at top level in Europe.

The class has enticed myriad experience, from junior riders through to veteran internationals producing young horses, including those back from Adelaide. Oceania Young Rider team members and the future potential, talent development and talent ID squads will also compete.

A CNC2* Plus class, comprising 3* dressage and showjumping and 2* crosscountry, will also be run, which sees 11 well-performed 3* combinations having their final run before Puhinui.

Jock Paget, the eventing performance development coach based near Taupo, will ride Heelan Tompkins' Snow Leopard in this class. Tompkins recently gave birth to her second child.

Paget's own horse, Angus Blue, on whom he won the Oceania Championship at Werribee in June, is "busy growing a winter coat" to give it time to acclimatise.

Others to watch are Amanda Pottinger, on Just Kidding, likely to lead after the dressage, and Samantha Felton with two rides, Ricker Ridge Escada and Ricker Ridge Rui.

Super league standings: Clarke Johnstone, Matangi, Balmoral Sensation, 102pts; Samantha Felton, Matangi, Ricker Ridge Rui, 34; Donna Edwards-Smith, Te Kauwhata, DSE Cluny, 32; Emily Cammock, Christchurch, Shaw Lee, 32; Andy Daines, Kumeu, Spring Panorama, 30; Abby Lawrence, Te Puke, Charlton Yamani, 30.