Equestrian: Price retains lead at Three Day Event

By JOAN GILCHRIST

Torrential rain marred the cross-country phase of the Auckland Airport Regency Three Day Event at Puhinui Reserve, Manukau City on Saturday.

Tim Price, 23, from Oxford in Canterbury, had one of only two clear rounds inside the time on Desamoray to keep his lead from the first day's dressage in the CCI*** class.

The pair won the two-star class at Auckland in 2000 and, moving up the levels, they finished in the top ten at the Adelaide four-star event in November.

Barbara Wallis on Tried 'n' True, last year's two star champion, had the only other clear round with no time penalties, but Price will have to knock three or more fences down for her to pass him. Australian Tim Boland lies third and fourth on his pair, Limitless and Kildonan Tug.

In the two-star class, Friday's leader Danielle Nixon (Whitford) was clear to hold pole position on Yosemite, but her second placed ride, Fleetsin, was eliminated at the water complex. Nixon has two fences in hand from Karen Teague (Brookby) on her stallion, Mighty Heights.

Just one show jumping rail behind are Melanie Jane Blair (Waiuku) on Wee Preferido who picked up 1.2 time penalties to move up from seventh after dressage and Wallis again, this time on Free 'n' Easy.

CCI*** (after Day 2): T. Price (Oxford) Desamoray 40.20 1; B Wallis (Rotorua) Tried 'n' True 53.60 2; T Boland (AUS) Limitless 59.20 3 & Kildonan Tug 65.20 4; K North (Te Awamutu) Smooch 69 5; S Broughton (Huntly) Money Train 76.40 6; K Wood (Whangarei) Witch Doctor 88.40 7; S Montgomery (Christchurch) The Ghost 89.80 8; A Brown (Christchurch) Ambrose 90.20 9; G Thomson (Wanganui) Absalom 99.60 10.

CCI**: D Nixon (Whitford) Yosemite 48.00 1; K Teague (Brookby) Mighty Heights 56.80 2; M J Blair (Waiuku) Wee Preferido 60 3; B Wallis (Rotorua) Free 'n' Easy 60.20 4 & High 'n' Dry 61.20 6; E Rennell (Papakura) Grantchester 60.40 5; C Draper (Pahiatua) Freetown 62.20 7; M Forsyth (Clevedon) Walkabout 62.20 8; T Mann (Mangakino) Double Delight 63.20 9; S Montgomery (Christchurch) Sassyarn 64 10.