Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding had a disappointing dressage at the World Championships. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
EQUESTRIAN
Amanda Pottinger finished a credible 35th at her first eventing world championships at Pratoni, Italy, over the weekend.
The former St Matthew’s Collegiate student and daughter of 1988 Olympic bronze medallist Tinks Pottinger was competing as an individual, being the unlucky one in the New Zealand contingent to miss out on a place in the four-person team that went on to win the bronze medal.
Pottinger and her mount Just Kidding were placed 37th after the opening dressage phase, a disappointing outcome given their eighth-placing at Badminton in May.
The pair recovered and moved up to 21st after the cross-country, however, 16 jumping faults from four fences down in the final showjumping phase had them drop to 35th in the 90-strong field.
Pottinger finished ahead of Clarke Johnstone, who was the lowest placed of the four New Zealand team members.
World number three Tim Price added an individual bronze medal, to the team medal, Jonell Price was 10th, and the other debutant Monica Spencer finished 21st.
The third placing qualified New Zealand for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
