Back to Back Wins for Price at Blenheim

Back to Back Wins for Price at Blenheim

It’s two from two for Jonelle Price, who this morning became the first rider to win back-to-back titles in the CIC3* class at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in Oxfordshire.

She and Cloud Dancer II led from day one, adding just 8.8 cross country time penalties to their dressage score, to finis on 42, with Astier Nicolas (FRA) and Spes Addit OR second on 44.4.

Price was chuffed with the win.

“It is nice to do something back-to-back,” said the world’s number four ranked rider. “To win on a different horse, I think is really great.”

She won last year aboard Faerie Dianimo, and was quick to add that the two horses are quite different.
“This one is a very different type of horse and I said on day one, just how fast we could go today (on the cross country) was the question, but he has so much quality in the first phase. Horses for courses . . . if we plan sensibly, I think he has a future in the sport.”

She went into the cross country – the final phase in the CIC3* for eight and nine year olds – with a comfortable buffer, and she needed it all.

They started “positively” but price says they were lucky to survive a big mistake at the coffin fence at number eight.

“He is very genuine and brave, and from that point on I had a lovely ride,” she said. “You have to claw every second you can find out there and I think he will get better. The dressage is going to get better too and if I keep a bit of a buffer, I think he will be in the mix.”

The horse now heads to another three star event at Boekelo, in The Netherlands, where New Zealand will aim to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games.

Price’s husband Tim was 10th on Xavier Faer in the CIC3* this morning with 53, while Caroline Powell and UP UP and Away 18th on 59.9 and Dan Jocelyn 20th on 60.5.

Powell retired in the cross country on Stellor Seaurchin. Of the original 68 starters completed.

In the CCI3*, Tim Price and The Court Jester dropped to fifth after an expensive rail in the showjumping. The combination finished on 46.2. The class was won by Clark Montgomery (USA) and Loughan Glen, who led throughout.

Blyth Tait and Bear Necessity V were 28th, finishing on 61.6 after adding eight faults in the showjumping, with Caroline Powell and Halltown Harley 31st thanks to their clear efforts in the last discipline. Tim Rushbridge and Oneforthenotebook was 38th on 68.8.
Just 78 of the original 101 starters completed the event.

For more information, head to www.blenheimhorse.co.uk and for results http://www.bdwp.co.uk/cgi-bin/3dif.pl?fn=ble15.csv&nav=left

ENDS

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