World Class Riders Head For Portugal
Monday, March 03, 2008
Eleven British riders will make the three day drive to warmer climes to compete in the series of international events at Barroca d’Alva in Portugal. Barroca will host a CIC**/* on 1st - 2nd March and CCI***/**/* and CIC*** 5th – 9th March.
After competing in the first weekend of warm-up competitions, riders will be concentrating all their efforts on the big classes of the second weekend. Heading the line-up is reigning World Champion Zara Phillips, who has chosen not to start her 2008 campaign in the UK. Zara’s World Games partner Toytown, and Glenbuck, who was 8th at Boekelo last year, will contest the CIC***, while Tsunami II will compete in the CCI***. Zara will also ride Secret Legacy in the CCI**.
Joining Zara are fellow World Class Programme riders Lucy Wiegersma and Gemma Tattersall. Like Zara, Lucy is campaigning four horses, with Woodfalls Inigo Jones, placed fifth at Blenheim last year, contesting the CCI*** and Granntevka Prince, with whom she was tenth in the World Young Horse Championships at Le Lion, in the CIC***. Gemma rides her former Young Rider Gold Medal partner, Jesters Quest, with whom she completed Badminton and Burghley in 2007, in the CIC***.
Spanish based British pairing Miranda Carey and Rinte Van D, who represented Great Britain in the World Cup Final at Malmo in 2005, and Julia Crowson with Jakata and Sonic Boom complete the British contingent for the three star classes.
RIDER and HORSES
Miranda Carey (36) from Madrid, Spain riding Rinte Van D (CIC***)
Julia Crowson (32) from Marlborough, Wilts riding Sonic Boom (CIC***) & Jakata (CCI***)
Zara Phillips (26) from Minchinhampton, Glos riding Toytown (CIC***) & Glenbuck (CIC***) & Tsunami II (CCI***)
Gemma Tattersall (22) from Hailsham, East Sussex riding Jesters Quest (CIC***)
Lucy Wiegersma (30) from Beaworthy, Devon riding Granntevka Prince (CIC***) & Woodfalls Inigo Jones (CCI***)
