By Devon van Til

Touring North Islander Sophie Scott was on fire at Ashburton’s Grand Prix Show 28-29 January. She may have actually felt on fire competing six horses in scorching temperatures. However, working up a sweat paid off with a number of wins over the weekend.

Scott’s first national series class win came from the Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Junior Rider. In an always competitive class there were seven clears over the Gerit Becker designed course. Three combinations stayed clean in the jump off and it was tight at the top. Scott set the benchmark in a speedy 32.93 seconds aboard Benrose Rockstar. Sophie Townsend and Kingslea Kiwi followed with a great effort, but fell short in 33.77 seconds to settle for second. Steffi Whittaker and Tribute OL picked up third place in 34.11 seconds.

Scott had even more success with her horses over the weekend. Her five year old half brothers Glenbrooke Rich as Roses and Glenbrooke All Roses were the only double clears in the East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old to claim first equal.

Scott started her two ponies within a strong field in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix and they were two of just four clear first rounds. First to go of the clears in the second round, Scott set the standard with a quick time of 50.29 seconds and clear jumping on her younger pony Benrose Eclipse.

Next out Holly Crean also guided Ellen Vanin Untouchable to a clear round, but slightly slower in 53.95. Things didn’t quite go to plan for Grace Manera and Tallyho Scoundrel in the double. This knocked the combination out of the lineup, but allowed her other pony Rednalhgih Cowan to claim fourth place.

Scott was last to go on her older pony Benrose Playtime and with the win already in the bag she completed a safe clear in 54 seconds to also place third.

The following Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Horse Grand Prix was a main feature for the day with the Alan Hampton built jumps looking impressive at that height. There were two clears in the first round coming from Tegan Fitzsimon aboard Double J Monarch and Whittaker aboard Eros K. Fitzsimon had an unfortunate rail early in the second round and finished in a time of 58.19 seconds.

Whittaker, last to go just needed a clear round to win the class. She too had an early rail, which meant she had to race the clock to come home quicker than Fitzsimon. The clock stopped at 56.85 seconds to give Whittaker the win to top off another great weekend. The previous day she again dominated the FMG Young Rider class completing the only clear rounds on Ngahiwi Cruise and Eros K, taking out first and second.

Fitzsimon opted not to start Windermere Cappuccino in the Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Grand Prix because the Purepine Shavings 7 Year Old was earlier that day. The combination had another convincing win being the only clear round in the class. Second was taken out by Amanda Roy and Cazette HSH, in their first start in the series this season.

Competition in the Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Pro Am continues to grow with once again an intense jump off between comrades. Last week’s winner Angela Frewer and Donala Dundee were first to jump off out of four clear combinations.

In setting a sharp time of 40.91 seconds they sadly had one fence down. Devon van Til on the Ice Cream Lovers Syndicate owned horse Winterberg were next out and bettered that time finishing in 39.68 seconds and clear.

Mary Wakeman on MJ Lubeck and Gail Richardson on Eireann Bandoola both gave it a shot, but finished slower, also with a rail down to finish third and fourth respectively.

 

RESULTS – Ashburton

Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Horse Grand Prix: Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Eros K 1, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Double J Monarch 2, Harry Feast (West Melton) Double J Bouncer 3, Nicole White (Invercargill) LC Samson 4, Katie Meredith (Ohoka) Westgrove GNZ 5.

Country TV Pony Grand Prix: Sophie Scott (Wellington) Benrose Eclipse 1, Holly Crean (Mt Selfe) Ellen Vanin Untouchable 2 Sophie Scott (Wellington) Benrose Playtime, 3, Grace Manera (West Melton) Rednalhgih Cowan 4, Olivia Adams (West Melton) Mr Black Magic 5, Peita Milne (Nelson) WPS Tonka 6.                                                                                                                

FMG Young Rider: Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Ngahiwi Cruise 1, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Eros K 2, Grace O’Sullivan (Sefton) Cosmopolitan 3, Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Cera Cassina 4, MaKenzie Causer (Tai Tapu) Elleway GNZ 5, Jack Ford (Kaikoura) Oracle Xtreme 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Pro Am: Devon van Til (Woodend Beach) Winterberg 1, Angela Frewer (Leithfield) Donala Dundee 2, Mary Wakeman ( Tuahiwi) MJ Lubeck 3, Gail Richardson (Invercargil) Eirann Bandola 4, Kerry Winterbourn (West Melton) Gingerlily 5, Sally Spiver (West Melton) Corodette Xtreme 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Junior Rider: Sophie Scott (Wellington) Benrose Roackstar 1, Sophie Townsend (West Melton) Kingslea Kiwi 2, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Tribute OL 3, Olivia Harkerss (Leeston) Lacona Ammoe 4, Rohan Tennekoon ( West Melton) Waitangi Casalla 5, Rosa Buist-Brown (Burnham) Vali 6.

Caledonian Holdings Amateur Rider: David Hutton (Pleasant Point) Rolux 1, Kate Perry (Rakaia) Casiraghi 2, Candace Kingsbury (Ashburton) Miss Serendipity ll 3, Harriet Gardner (Timaru) Evenstar 4, Margaret Ridley (West Melton) Tallaght 5, Rebecca Smithey (Rangiora) S.D. Amourosi 6.

Main Events University challenge: Grace O’Sullivan (Sefton) Blastov 1, Florence Tapley (Pigeon Bay) Ngahiwi Call Girl 2, Emma Waite (Ashburton) Renior NZPH 3, Jessica Sonne (Christchurch) Summer Haze 4, Nicole White (Invercargill) Umhlanga Rocks 5, Florence Tapley (Pigeon Bay) Kings Repicharge 6.

Purepine Shavings 7 Year Old: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 1, Amanda Roy (Gore) Cazette HSH 2.

Mitavite 6 Year Old: Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Dexter HSH 1=, Harry Feast (West Melton) Double J Barman 1=, Maddi Thompson (Kirwee) Hugo 1=, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Cadenza NZPH 1=.

East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old: Sophie Scott (Wellington) Glenbrooke Rich As Roses 1=, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Glenbrooke All Roses 1=.