The trip across the Tasman has paid dividends for New Zealand's John Thompson, who took out the Grand Prix Special at the 2016 Sydney CDI 3* on Friday 8 April 2016. In a field of 12 competitors, Thompson topped the leader board with 67.902% after placing fourth in the Grand Prix.
In Sydney Thompson and the 14-year old Hanoverian gelding Antonello (by Anamour x Winnebago) scored 67.902% in the Special to pull just 0.2 per cent ahead of Thursday's Grand Prix winner, Sue Hearn of NSW on Remmington, who came in second with 67.627%.
Thompson is in the running for the individual slot at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games against country mate Julie Brougham who travelled to
Europe to begin the final stretch of her Rio campaign.
Sue was “thrilled” to claim the Grand Prix (CDI3*) and said Remmington put in another good performance but felt a little tired in the Special.
“He's been here for a little while now and that test takes a lot out of them,” she said. “I made a mistake in the ones, not him. I adjusted my weight a little bit halfway through. But the rest of it was pretty good," Hearn commented.
Crowd favourite Brett Parbery was the popular winner of the Intermediaire I on Gregory Farrell's Danish warmblood gelding Larenso (by Bogegardens Laurino x Solos Landwind), saying it was “a great day all round”.
Brett enjoyed a warm up with Australian Olympian Lyndal Oatley on Thursday before she jetted off again to Europe. “It was great to see her for a whole hour,” he said. “The warm up was super.”
In the Young Riders individual test Mary Warren and her 8-year old Australian warmblood Mindarah Park Raphael (by Ramadan x Jive Magic) topped the leader board once again with 68.07%, while Under 25 rider Katherine Farrell bagged her second victory in a row aboard the Hanoverian bred Luxor (by Londonderry x Argentinus) in the Short Grand Prix with 67.28 %.
Photo © Franz Venhaus
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDI Sydney
Sue Hearn Stakes Her Claim on Rio Short List with Grand Prix Win at 2016 CDI Sydney