It’s podium finishes for Tim Price, Dan Jocelyn and James Avery at the Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland this morning.

Tim and his lovely grey mare Ascona M led from the get-go to take out the George Mernagh Memorial CCI4*-S while Dan and Blackthorn Cruise finished second in The Irish Field CCI4*-L and James Avery aboard Aloha was second in the Eventing Ireland CCI3*-L.

Tim and Ascona M sat on 25.9 penalty points after the dressage, added 1.2 time in the showjumping and were beautifully clear and inside time in the cross country to finish on 27.1 penalty points. Tatts is their last big prep run before heading to the CCI5*-L at Luhmuhlen later this month.

Kazuma Tamoto (JAP) and Vinci de la Vigne JRA held on for second in the class today, on 29.8 and Alexander Bragg (GBR) and Zagreb were third on 29.9. Kazuma and Alexander maintained their second and third positions throughout the event but couldn’t catch Tim.
Seven combinations were clear and inside time in the cross country today with all but three of the original starters in the 17-strong field completing the event.

Dan and 10-year-old Blackthorn Cruise were handy the whole weekend, sitting in fourth after the dressage with 29.3 penalty points, and the cross country where they were clear with 3.6 time penalties, and moving up to finish just a smidgen behind winner Izzy Taylor (GBR) and PSH Gazelle after the showjumping. The Kiwi combo finished on 32.9 penalty points with Izzy on 32.4. Just 17 of the original 30 starters completed the event.

James and Aloha have chased winner William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Georgisaurous since the dressage, sitting right on their tails but unable to slingshot past. The Kiwi combination scored 23.9 in the dressage, followed by a great clear inside time in the cross country and added nothing in the showjumping. William also remained on his dressage score of 20.5.

Tim Price was fourth aboard Senza Fine, finishing on his dressage score of 26.4 with a run of Kiwis in the latter part of the top 20 – Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera in 17th on 33, Dan Jocelyn and Duke of Champions in 18th on 34.3 and James Avery aboard One of a Kind 19th on 34.7. Tim was 31st on Spartaco on 40.2, Jonelle and Lime Rickey 44th on 47.9 and Hollie Swain aboard Solo 55th in the 60-strong class.

Tim also managed a top 10 in the Cooley Farm CCIYH2*-L, finishing ninth aboard Emotion II on a score of 32.5, and 19th on Happy Boy with 34.6. Izzy Taylor (GBR) and Hartacker headed home the 53-strong class with a score of 28.3.
The event created the largest movement of competition horses in one go across the Irish Sea with two ferries crossing from the UK to Dublin Port carrying 70 lorries containing 190 horses. The lorries travelled in convoy to the Tattersalls stable yard.

The horse details:
Blackthorn Cruise – owned by Panda Christie and Dan Jocelyn
Ascona M – owned by Suzanne Houchin, Lucy and Ben Sangster and Sir Peter Vela
Solo – owned by John Bodenham
Duke of Champions – owned by Philip Hunt, Jo Presto-Hunt, Therese Miller and Joyce Snook
Aloha – owned by Hazel Livesey
One of a Kind – owned by Hazel Livesey
Senza Fine – owned by Therese Miller and Jo Preston-Hunt
Spartaco – owned by Tim Price
Grappa Nera – owned by The Grape Syndicate
Lime Rickey – owned by Constance Edmundson
Happy Boy – owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller
Emotion II – owned by Eventing First PLC

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By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Lorraine O’Sullivan