A VERY tense Olympic qualifier was played out at Millstreet last week and the result half went to form with Australia leading throughout to qualify in first place – although not without drama on the final day – while China caused a surprise when beating Japan for the second slot.

Many queried why this qualifier for Groups F (Africa and the Middle East) and G (South East Asia and Oceania) was being run in Ireland and why at 3* level. Present at the event, Jack Huang, who is one of two Vice Presidents of the FEI and is Chair of Regional Group VIII, explained that Millstreet was accessible to riders based in Britain and mainland Europe.

“In addition,” he continued, “there was an FEI Eventing Nations Cup taking place at the same venue so even New Zealand, who had already qualified via the World Championships, could take part to ensure the minimum of three teams were available for the qualifier to be official.”

The decision to run the class as a 3*-L was a compromise reached between the seven National Federations in those two Groups many of whose riders, through Covid restrictions, were unable to obtain MERs for a 4* qualifier. Had the FEI insisted on it being run at the higher level there may not have been three teams fielded.

“This was not a new concept,” continued Huang. “The eventing qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, which took place in Saumur, France (in May 2019), was also run as a 3*-L event.” As it transpired, five teams, including New Zealand, lined out with the trio representing South Africa including Co Cork-based Storm O’Connor.

Superb performances

The Australian quartet of Shenae Lowings (Bold Venture), Kevin McNab (Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend), Shane Rose (Dotti) and Andrew Hoy (Vassily de Lassos) were on 80.7 penalties after dressage to lead from Japan (83.3) and New Zealand (89). Following superb performances on the cross-country course, where three of the team were inside the time, they had increased their advantage over China who had now moved to second.

As Vassily de Lassos had sustained a cut on Saturday, he was withdrawn by Hoy before the show jumping phase the following day, putting pressure on his teammates to deliver. This they did although only Lowings went clear on her thoroughbred gelding Bold Venture to top the individual standings on her dressage score of 24.9 penalties.

Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto, who show jumped clear, and Ryuzo Kitajima finished second and third respectively on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Brookpark Vikenti (28.6), a 15-year-old son of Master Imp, and the Dutch Warmblood gelding Feroza Nieuwmoed (33.4), but their teammates, Yoshiaki Oiwa (No Fear JRA) and Toshiyuki Tanaka (Talma d’Allou) finished too far down the order to prevent China claiming the second Olympic qualifying slot.

The Chinese quartet comprised Britain-based Alex Hua Tian, who finished fourth individually on Chicko (35.3), Huadong Sun (Lady Chin van’t Moerven Z (42.1) ) and Yingfeng Bao (Flandia 2 (44.7), who are both based with Martin Lips in The Netherlands. The discard score was provided by Ruiji Liang (Kiriaantje) who is chiefly a show jumper.

Lowings, who represented Australia on Bold Venture at last year’s World Championships in Pratoni, now has to get her own personal qualification for Paris and so she will be back in Ireland to compete in the CCI4*-L at Kilguilkey at the end of July. Before then, she hopes to be selected for her country’s Nations Cup team at Aachen towards the end of this month.

Since 2016, the 27-year-old Perth native has been living in Sydney where she is coached by Prue Barrett and Rod Brown and she has been riding Bold Venture more or less since then. The 2010 gelding by Devaraja – Royal Zam, by Zamoff ran three times on the flat under the name Hell On Wheels, having his last start in mid-March 2016. The combination has regularly contested internationals in Australia since 2018.

“Along with Shane Rose’s groom Janey, I arrived into England with mine, Shane’s and Sam Lyle’s horses in mid-May and have been staying with the McNabs,” reported Lowings. “I thought Millstreet was a beautiful, stunning venue. The going on the cross-country was perfect, the fences were beautifully-presented and everyone is lovely in Ireland! I had just the perfect week and I was so pleased that my parents, Leanne and Mark, were there to support me.”