By Virginia Caro

Hamilton’s Lizzie Brown riding Henton Attorney General came from behind to take the Alltech CIC3* Eventing crown at the HOY Show in Hastings when overnight leader Clarke Johnstone had two rails down in the showjumping with Orient Express.

Brown jumped clear to put pressure on Johnstone, who had no room for error, and was emotional afterwards, saying that it was good to have the World Equestrian Games team bronze medalist competing against her, as it was a lot more pressure than she’s had lately.

The win gives her a huge lead in the Bell Tea Super League, adding 45 points to the 97.5 she carried from the spring season, and a big boost prior to her final competition in New Zealand, the Kihikihi World Cup next month, before leaving for the UK to campaign for the London Olympics. Cantabrian Alice Montgomery was third on Gordon with one rail down, with Brown fourth on Push Play, and Johnstone fifth and sixth with KS Secrets and Incognito respectively. Johnstone takes his horses to the UK to prepare for London following the NZ Three-day Event at Taupo in May.

Alltech CIC3* Eventing:

Lizzie Brown, Henton Attorney General, 43, 1: Clarke Johnstone, Orient Express, 49.8, 2; Alice Montgomery, Gordon, 55.4, 3; Brown, Push Play, 56, 4: Johnstone, KS Secrets, 57.2, 5; Johnstone, Incognito, 61.4, 6.