Jumping to Aust.

Press, 12 February 1979, Page 6

Jumping to Aust.

PA Wellington The Australian team took the first test against New Zealand at the Bayer-Rintal showjumping • championships at Levin yesterday. The grand prix' A grade event, was run in conjunction with the test, and the best three scores of the four team members were counted.

The first three placings went to the visiting Australians, New Zealand acquitting itself well to gain a fourth place. The successful Australian team was David Asimus on Piperline, Marion Gilchrist on Goldray, Greg Eurell on Rebel, and Chris Smith on Sanscrit.

The New Zealand team was fan Campbell of Waikato, on Calico Joe; Doug Isaacson, of Dannevirke, on Chicago Peace; Murray Thompson, of Hastings, on Kalahari; Stuart Tucker, of Hastings, on Zedco; and Kevin Hansen, of Hastings, on Ima Martion.

The grand prix over two rounds of a testing course gave a spectacular display of top-class jumping to the good crowd present on a cloudy and warm afternoon.

In the final jump-off between the two Australian team-mates, Chris Smith, on Sanscrit, and Marion Gilchrist, on Goldray, Chris Smith chopped vital seconds off his time with some brilliant aggressive riding. The final placings were Chris Smith on Sanscrit, clear in 41.35, first on a shortened course, and Marion Gilchrist on Goldray clear with a slightly slower time of 44.3 s for second. Greg Eurell, on Rebel, 'was third, and lan Campbell on Calico Joe fourth, with Jeff McVean, on Copper Royal, fifth.