Welcome to Adelaide

Aaaaah .... Adelaide

It’s a short flight from Melbourne to Adelaide (59 minutes to be exact according to the pilot) but it could be a world away. Leaving Melbourne on a cool Australian spring November morning, the flight takes you along the South Australian coastline, over lakes and the Adelaide Hills then finally swoops low over the Adelaide Oval where the test match is in full (arm) swing.

Stepping down on to the tarmac à la Beatles we were greeted by a warm, sunny South Australian day and we’re once again in the city of Adelaide – home of the Australian 3 Day Event. Yay!! It takes 20 minutes to drive from the airport to the event, checking out the jacaranda trees on the way (very South Australia and very pretty) and here we are.

 

Jacaranda trees even shade the water jump - not that the riders will notice on cross country day

The trot up for both classes has taken place and a few riders have had a change of plan. Siogne Jackson and Gold are the only casualties in the 4* while Wendy Schaeffer (Sun Showers), Emma Mason (Poker Face) Mattea Davidson (Fairbanks Cargo), Fiona Guthrie (Crockadoo), Dominic Jones (Paint the Sky) and Makayla Wood (Just Corona) have either withdrawn or been vetted out of the CCI 2*.

      William - with liberal sunscreen applied in the Media Room

It is a lovely day here and the forecast is for it to warm up even further. William Fox-Pitt was urged by our own Alison Duthie (who used to work for William) to apply the sunscreen liberally before heading out to do HSBC Ambassadorial duties in the sunshine while member of the Ground Jury, Christian Landolt (below) was beautifully dressed not only for the occasion but also the heat

      Lovely legs!

I’ll leave the rest of the day’s activities to John Lechner (ESJ) in his report later tonight but here is one action shot from this morning - the leader at the lunch break, Elizabeth Lowery and KL Kismet. We’ll also later have a gallery of all of the 4* cross country fences plus a Day One Trot Up/Dressage gallery through the lens of Libby Law

Stay tuned, lots more to come..............

      Elizabeth Lowery and KL Kismet in the CCI 2*