Paris Auer and Alchemist win the CCI1* Junior at Melbourne International 3 Day Event
17 year old Paris Auer didn’t have the best preparation in the lead up to the 2016 Melbourne International 3 Day Event with her horse Alchemist having several months off but it didn’t seem to do them any harm as they won the CCI1* Junior title at just their second ever International 1* run, despite "nerves the whole weekend!"
The pair started strongly in second place after the dressage with a score of 46.10 and hung onto that placing after cross country with just 4.4 time penalties. Sam Jeffree had a good lead with a score of 43.20 heading into the show jumping and Paris had just 0.50 penalties lead over third placed Hannah McLean but she didn’t need it, jumping clear in the final phase. At the time she didn’t know that this had brought her the win; unfortunately Sam Jeffree had withdrawn before the second horse inspection but Paris was unaware of this and her coach Mattea Davidson had opted not to let Paris know beforehand!
Despite his lay off leading up to the event, the thoroughbred schoolmaster Alchemist, who was previously ridden to 2* level by Matthew Constance, won not only the Junior title but also the Off The Track Best Performed Retired Racehorse in this class, making it a very worthwhile trip from Queensland.
Paris and her support crew had travelled several days from Bundaberg to compete at the event and, although long, it would have been a happy trip home with Paris winning the Junior 1* and her coach Mattea taking fourth place with a very consistent performance on Kinnordy Gwendoline in the CCI1*
Paris Auer
Coach Mattea Davidson and Kinnordy Gwendoline jump clear for fourth place in the CCI1*
