Sam Morrison and Biarritz. Image by KAMPIC
By Diana Dobson
It’s a small but quality field that lines up in the Bayleys Real Estate Premier League Series FEI World Cup Qualifier at the Feilding A&P Show at Manfeild tomorrow.
Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) has homebred 10-year-old gelding Mandalay Cove and 14-year-old grey Schimmel Warrior entered, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) is in on 11-year-old AP Ninja, Melody Matheson (Hastings) has entered eight-year-old Hanoverian Graffiti MH and Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) will be hoping to repeat her victory of last year aboard her 12-year-old Selle Francais Biarritz.
However, missing from the line-up is series leader Rose Alfeld (Leeston) and her extremely well performed My Super Nova who have taken the top points at two of the three World Cup qualifiers.
With 20 points on offer for the winner tomorrow, both Hayward and Morrison are poised to pounce. There is also some good prize money up for grabs, with the winner riding off with $1300, and $1000 for second and $600 for third.
Gary Sinclair has been tasked with designing the course. The class is scheduled to be run on Saturday evening in the indoor arena, following the Country TV Pony Grand Prix and Caledonian Holdings Amateur Rider classes.
The New Zealand league has seven qualifiers – Hawke’s Bay (October 20), Waikato (November 7-12), Hawera (November 17-19), Feilding (December 1-2), Taupo (December 14-17), Dannevirke (January 5-7) and the final at Waitemata (January 9-14).
Just the four best rounds will count for each rider.
The World Cup is highest-ranked series run in New Zealand, and always attracts the cream of the crop, with the overall winner having the opportunity to represent the country at the Longines FEI World Cup Final in Paris next year.
WHAT: The Bayleys Real Estate FEI World Cup Qualifier
WHERE: Feilding I A&P Show at Manfeild
WHEN: December 2, 2017
LIVESTREAMING: JX Live
FEI World Cup Standings (after three rounds): Rose Alfeld (Leeston) 57 points, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) and Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) 35 points, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) 32 points, Robert Steele (Dannevirke) 23 points, Melody Matheson (Hastings) 22 points, Tess Clark (Gisborne) 21 points, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) 20 points, Lucy Fell (Longburn) 19 points and Lily Tootill (Karaka) 13 points.