New Zealand’s golden couple of eventing, Tim and Jonelle Price, are the sole Kiwis in the second leg of the cash-rich Event Rider Masters competition, while a clutch of their fellow countrymen and women head to the Bramham International Horse Trials this weekend.

Neither Tim nor Jonelle have yet won an ERM leg but Tim is one of only two riders to have previously made the time at Wiesbaden. The current world No. 1 is riding his 16-year-old bay gelding Wesko who last year was second in the ERN leg at Haras de Jardy. The Dutch-bred horse, who is by Karandasj, out of Kolien (by Mytens XX), has been a superstar for Tim, winning Luhmuhlen CCI5*-L in 2014, placing second at Kentucky, third at Pau and fourth at Aachen in 2015, amongst numerous other excellent results.

Jonelle is entered aboard the 11-year-old Irish-bred Grovine de Reve who is by Hermea de Reve, out of Erkina Jane (by Rimilis). It is their first international outing and his first ERM start.

While there may be just 18 in the field, it is stacked with world-class talent including seven previous ERM leg winners, two series champs and four CCI5* winners from six nations. Well in the mix are Ingrid Klimke (GER) and SAP Hale Bob OLD, who won the leg last year, Julia Krajewski (GER) and Samourai du Thot, Michael Jung (GER) on Star Connection, Oliver Townend (GBR) and his Kentucky winner Cooley Master Class, Alex Bragg (GBR) on Alcatraz, last year’s ERM Series winner Chris Burton (AUS) on Lawtown Chloe and so many more.
The Wiesbaden event is well established and 2019 marks its 83rd year. ERM runs alongside a prestigious international showjumping competition, Grand Prix and freestyle dressage and a vaulting competition.

The 2019 ERM Series kicked off at the Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials last month and will run through to October when it culminates at the Concours Complet International Lignieres en Berry in France. Lucy Jackson is the only Kiwi on the ERM leaderboard after her third-place effort at Chatsworth. Laura Collett (GBR) leads on 30 points.

At Bramham, Andrew Nicholson, Lucy Jackson, James Avery and Caroline Powell are all entered in the CCI4*-L with Nick Brooks and Caroline on the card for the CCI4*-S.
The CCI4*-L has attracted a quality 78-strong field with combinations from France, Zimbabwe, Ireland, New Zealand, Great Britain and Sweden.

Andrew has a stellar record at Bramham and lines up in the CCI4*-L class with both his eight-year-old Spanish-bred horses As Is and Andrea BT4.

It is the first start at Bramham for Lucy and 10-year-old Superstition who just last month placed third in the CCI4*-S in the ERM in Chatsworth. James has entered his 11-year-old Irish bred Mr Sneezy while Caroline has her third international outing aboard Sergeant Crisp. She also has 13-year-old On the Brash in the CCI4*-S along with Nick and For Fame who have their first international start since moving to the UK earlier this year.

The CCI4*-L class gets underway with two days of dressage on Thursday and Friday followed by the cross country on Saturday and showjumping on Sunday.

UK-based Kiwi Andrew Bennie is president of the ground jury for the CCI4*-S which has attracted a 73-strong international field and starts on Thursday with the first of two days of dressage, followed by showjumping on Saturday morning and the cross country later in the day.

Past winners of the CCI4*-L include a trio of crowns for Andrew Nicholson aboard Jet Set IV (2016) Nereo (2009) and Henry Tankerville (2006), along with Blyth Tait and Aspyring (1994) while Jock Paget and Clifton Lush are the only New Zealanders to have won the CCI4*-S, taking it out in 2011.

The 2019 event marks a decade of cross country designing for former Olympian Ian Stark who takes care of both the CCI4* courses.

The horse details:
Grovine de Reve – owned by Therese Miller, Philip Hunt and Jo Preston-Hunt
Wesko – owned by The Windrush Equestrian Foundation
Superstition – owned by Gillian Greenleas
As Is – owned by Deborah Sellar and Anna Weir
Andrea BT4 – owned by Andrew Nicholson
Mr Sneezy – owned by Tiny Clapham, and Ian and Heidi Woodhead
Sergeant Crisp – owned by Jo West
For Fame – owned by Nick Brooks
On the Brash – owned by Sarah Tobey and Sue Smiley

WHAT: The Longines PfingstTurnier Wiesbaden – leg two of Event Rider Masters
WHERE: Wiesbaden, Germany
WHEN: June 7-8, 2019
MORE INFO: http://www.pfingstturnier.org/en
LIVE STREAMING: www.eventridermasters.tv

WHAT: Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials
WHERE: Bramham, UK
WHEN: June 6-9, 2019
MORE INFO: www.bramham-horse.co.uk
RESULTS: www.bdwp.co.uk

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison