Tag Archives: Jessica Manson

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

Third Time Lucky for Manson

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Jessica Manson and Australian Stock Horse Legal Star today won the prestigious FEI Classics™ at the Australian International 3 Day Event in Adelaide. (Julie Wilson/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 16 November 2014 – Twenty-two-year-old Jessica Manson withstood the pressure applied by Olympian and former Adelaide champion Megan Jones, posting a super clear round aboard her 13-year-old Australian Stock Horse, Legal Star, to win the second leg of the FEI Classics™ at the Australian International 3 Day Event.

Manson set up her victory yesterday by producing the best cross country run, adding just 2.8 time penalties. That, coupled with a seemingly easily executed clear today, clinched the victory with just over six penalties ahead of Jones.

It is not just a matter of putting your best foot forward, but putting all your feet forward the best, and the sure footed grey, which stands at 15.3 hands high, demonstrated no ill effects from his near mishap departing from the second water on course yesterday. “I was a bit shocked really,” declared a delighted Manson. “I had three down last year and that was on my mind when I walked the course, but when I rode in I just focused on the job I had to do.”

Megan had a tough ride across country yesterday, but the big Thoroughbred gelding Kirby Park Allofasudden produced his characteristic good jumping round in this influential final phase. This was the third occasion that he has taken second place in the Adelaide four-star. “I will not start him at Adelaide next year,” said Megan, who is delighted with his fitness, “and I will prepare him with Rio in mind.”

Soigne Jackson was sixth overnight with her ex-racehorse, Gold, by Opera Prince, and moved into third place with just two fences on the ground. “Gold was bred in Dubbo in outback New South Wales,” explained twenty-four-year-old Soigne. “I grew out of my pony and my parents were keen for me to ride him, and I was a bit anti the idea. People have advised me to sell him, saying he would never get out of novice, but we make a good team.” They have completed Adelaide twice, with ninth place in 2013 and now third.

The final jumping phase can cause a great deal of movement in the placings and today, with just three clear rounds from the eleven strong field, saw Victorian professional Katja Weimann move from eleventh to ninth, then up to fourth thanks to jumping talent from her home bred BP Cosmopolitan.

About the Winner

Jessica Manson has been based for 2014 in New South Wales with professional rider and trainer Christine Bates, who puts a lot of emphasis on jumping training. Jess now heads back to Western Australia and has hopes of taking Legal Star overseas to compete in a Northern Hemisphere four-star in 2015 or 2016. Twelve-year-old Legal Star was bred at the same stud as Sonja Johnson’s Beijing team silver medallist Ringwould Jaguar; however, there is no close relation between the two. “Legal Star was given to my mum as a three-year-old and she thought she might do some endurance with him, but he was a bit naughty and bucked her off twice and she wanted to give him back. I started to ride him and he has never bucked me off and we haven’t looked back,” adds Jess.

Cool weather, sunshine and action enticed crowds to the final Jumping phase in front of the heritage Victoria Park Grandstand. They were attentive through the two-star, and warmed up and ready to appreciate the action of the FEI Classics™, which unites the world’s six four-star events.

FEI Classics™ 2014/15 – series standings

Ingrid Klimke (GER), who has won six team gold medals at Olympic, World and European level, secured her first CCI4* victory at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the first leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/15. Klimke remains in the lead of this series after the second leg at the Australian International 3 Day Event in Adelaide, where Jessica Manson (AUS) scored the leg victory and is now second in the series standings, which can be viewed here.

Series hashtags: #FEIClassics #Eventing

By Anna Sharpley

Australia’s International 3 Day Event Media Contact:

Michelle Cook
michelle.cook@equestrian.org.au
+61 414 702 697

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Australia’s Own Horse Leads the Way

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Jessica Manson leads after the Cross Country phase of FEI Classics™ at the Australian International 3 Day Event in Adelaide with Legal Star – all eyes now on the Jumping on 16 November. (Julie Wilson/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 15 November 2014 – The Australian Stock horse is known as “the breed for every need” and Jessica Manson’s grey gelding, Legal Star, came to the fore when needed today on cross country at the FEI Classics™ in Adelaide.

The 13-year-old Stock Horse Thoroughbred by Ringwould Legality kept his feet in deep footing coming out of the Rymill Lake, producing the round of the day and ensured the pair added just 2.8 time penalties over Wayne Coppings’ technical course, rising from sixth place to head the leaderboard after an eventful cross country.

Despite being just 22, Manson from Millendon in Western Australia has had a great deal of success with Legal Star. They were fourth at the FEI Classics™ in Adelaide in 2012 and 15th last year. All being well tomorrow, they are poised to take the Adelaide trophy back to Western Australia, which has a strong eventing tradition. “Sonja (Johnson) was on the telephone when I finished the course,” declared Manson.

The course was stopped for about 20 minutes to repair the footing coming out of the lake and during that time the skies opened, making life even more difficult for the second half of the field.

Dressage leaders Megan Jones and Kirby Park Allofasudden copped the worst of the weather and despite a couple of dicey moments, Megan dug deep like the champion she is to come home with the addition of 19.2 time penalties. There is just over a fence between first and second place, which will make for an exciting finish tomorrow.

The 23-year-old marketing student and CCI four-star debutante, Elizabeth Lowrey from Kenthurst in New South Wales, is ecstatic with her Thoroughbred gelding, KL Kismet by Hurricane Sky. “He was amazing and I am thrilled to be in this position at my first four-star,” she said. Lowrey moved from 13th place to third with the addition of 14.4 time penalties.

Belinda Isbister and Holy Bruce, second after the dressage, sadly parted company at the Channel 7 Logo fence at the top of the Rose Garden. The two stride related brushes at fence 20AB caused some near misses, a rider fall and a run out, but by far the most costly section of the course was the newly-designed first third in the far reaches of Victoria Park.

There were a number of new, and technical fences there, the most challenging being the rather eventful, Eventful Life Corner Brush at 6AB. The corners were well up to height and the angle from A to B really testing the riders’ ability and the horse’s rideability. This technical corner was responsible for five run outs.

Tarryn Proctor considered her options during the 20 minutes being held aboard ESB Irish Quest just before entering the Rymill Lake for the second time and chose to retire. Local girl Jamie Stichel fell from Image Blue Ice at the Brushes at Stag Corner. Of the eleven to go through to the final jumping phase tomorrow, all bar two, Seumas Marwood and Wild Oats and Isabel English riding Feldale Mouse, who both fell afoul of 6AB, jumped clear but none came in under time.

Despite the turn in the weather, a large crowd gathered and stayed to picnic and enjoy the sport. Not many events are run with a decided espresso scent in the air, but Adelaide is very much a café society occasion, with coffee drinkers alongside children in a playground as horses gallop by.

Watch the Adelaide action live on FEI TV (www.feitv.org).

FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 – series standings

Ingrid Klimke (GER), one of the most popular and talented riders in Eventing, secured her first CCI4* victory at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the first leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/15. Klimke, who has won six team gold medals at Olympic, World and European level, currently leads this series – see the series standings here.

Series hashtags: #FEIClassics #Eventing

By Anna Sharpley

Australia’s International 3 Day Event Media Contact:

Michelle Cook
michelle.cook@equestrian.org.au
+61 414 702 697

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45