NZ three-day eventers still in medal hunt

New Zealand have a sniff of two medals heading into tomorrow’s showjumping section of the equestrian three-day eventing competition.

After today’s taxing cross-country section, New Zealand’s Tim Price on Vitali lies in fourth place on 26.80 points in the individual event. The competition is led by Briton Oliver Townsend on Ballaghmor Class with 23.60 points, ahead of German Krajewski and another Briton, Laura Collette.

It is an extremely tight competition, with only one rail between the first five riders.

Because of Price’s excellent score today, when he incurred just 1.20 time penalties, New Zealand are also within sight of a medal in the teams event. The New Zealanders are again fourth on 104 points, behind Great Britain 78.30, Australia 96.20 and France 97.10.

Price was undoubtedly the star for New Zealand today. The 42-year-old world No 2 looked in charge throughout and Vitali never seemed stressed at any stage. After his opening score of 25.60 in the dressage – fifth in that section – he has re-emphasised what a fine rider he is.

The other New Zealanders in the country-country were Price’s wife, Jonelle, who incurred two time penalties aboard Grovine de Reve and sits on 32.70 for 12th in the individual standings, and Jesse Campbell, who is in 27th after Diachello noticeably tired near the end of the cross-country and eventually incurred 14.40 time penalties.

Jonelle Price, a medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, had a very efficient and composed round.

She said later: “I was given a lovely ride. We’ve been together two years and have formed a good partnership. I’d like to have got through five seconds faster, but our team is focusing hard on consistency and hopefully we’ll then be there or thereabouts.”

Campbell had a difficult time of it.

The heat clearly affected Diachello. “The first five minutes or so went how I’d planned,” Campbell said. “But the heat got him and we quickly went from a full tank to not much left. I had to nurse him as best I could to get him home and take care of the jumps. I protected him as well as I could.”

Campbell said the weather is considerably hotter than it was in the lead-up to the Games. “I needed every bit of my stamina today to get my horse home.”

Tim Price was extremely complimentary of Campbell’s performance. “That was an absolute masterclass on how to get a tired horse home,” Price said. “Jesse nursed him beautifully.”

Price is mindful of where New Zealand sit in the standings and also that he is in fourth place in the individual event.

“I just want to have a good jumping round for the team and anything on top of that is an absolute bonus.”

He was pleased with how Vitali handled the conditions today. “For a young horse he takes it all in his stride. He’s very athletic and copes well. I had to ask a lot of such a young horse and I was proud of how he responded.”