Lily Tootill and Ulysses NZPH in the Equissage & Dunn Contracting Horse Grand Prix
Dunn Contracting GP SJ Show, Woodhill Sands September 2018.
Photos by: www.cornegephotography.com
Lily Tootill wasn’t out to set any speed records during the jump-off in the Equissage Horse Grand Prix at the Dunn Contracting GP SJ Show at Woodhill Sands . . . but she and Ulysses NZPH still came home nearly eight seconds ahead of the opposition.
Eleven started the class over the Pip Howells-designed course with four coming back for the jump-off – Lily and 11-year-old Ulysses NZPH, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) aboard Madam Coco and Daniel Blundell (Auckland) with both Athena NZPH and Lavello. Lily was out first, leaving everything in place and coming home in 40.52 seconds. Daniel and Athena NZPH were the only other double clear, with a time of 48.26 with Danielle in third place with four faults in 43.58 and Daniel fourth on Lavello with eight faults in 48.99.
Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) and Quainton Labyrinth was fifth with his four faults from the opening round, with Danielle and Dicavalli Don Quattro sixth.
“We were early to go in the draw so I just let him travel and took inside turns where I could,” said 21-year-old Lily, who also extended a big thank you to the sponsors of the class. “I didn’t expect to be that much faster, it just turned out that I was. We did enjoy the show – you can’t beat a good sunny New Zealand day.”
It is just their second outing for the season after a winter in Australia at Chris Chugg’s yard and then a trip for Lily to the UK where she hopes to head at the end of the season. She has three of her four-strong string on the market to fund her UK mission with Ulysses NZPH.
“Fingers crossed it will all work,” she said. Lily is hoping to defend her Olympic Cup crown but with limited (horse) flights to the UK it is very much a wait and see.” If all does go well she will base with IN Show Jumpers in Henley-on-Thames, an operation that produced Inca Boy, who was later sold to Edwina Tops-Alexander, and a number of other high profile grand prix horses.
The Dunn Contracting GP SJ Show attracted 271 horses, with many keen to get a little run in before this weekend’s first premier show for Woodhill of the season.
The show also marked the start of the horse and pony GP super series which runs over 10 shows across Northland, Auckland and Waitemata. The final is at the Alltech Auckland Championships in February.
Results –
Equissage Horse Grand Prix Series: Lily Tootill (Karaka) Ulysses NZPH 1, Daniel Blundell (Auckland) Athena. NZPH 2, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Madam Coco 3, Daniel Blundell (Auckland) Lavello 4, Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Quainton Labyrinth 5, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Dicavalli Don Quattro 6.
Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series: Maddison Greatorex (Waipu) Spotified 1, Isabelle Jameson (Whangarei) Pacific Dream 2.
FMG Young Rider: Elmo Jackson (Auckland) Sugarman 1, Laura Inkster (Clevedon) Oporaes Jackamoe 2, Ellie Bestwick (Kerikeri) Showtym Stardust 3, Sharnaye Lammers (Hikurangi) Romeo NZPH 4, Brayden Aarts (Pukekawa) George Jetson 5, Brayden Aarts (Pukekawa) LT Holst Aunty Annette 6.
Dunstan HorseFeeds and Equifibre Pro Am Rider Series: Nick Brooks (Cambridge) Versace C 1, Sandra Stanford-Soons (Silverdale) El Vira 2, Kylee McCambridge (Cambridge) Chicago 3, Jane Callaghan (Helensville) Weiti West End 4, Bob Bleakley (Whangarei) Airthrey Resolution 5, Madison Crowe (Hamilton) Waitangi Pinterest 6.
Dunstan Horsefeeds and Equifibre Junior Rider Series: Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Maddox Kiwi Silverkee 1, Olivia Dalton (Karaka) Bling Du Rouet 2, Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) Centino 3, Kalani Nicol (Whitianga) KMR Descarado 4, Natalia Lammers (Hikurangi) Petanque 5, Emily Carter (Waiau Pa) Pretty Wicked 6.
SJNZ Alltech Seven-Year-Old-Series: Samantha Peters (Whangarei) Cadillac NZPH 1, Rosie Commons (Auckland) Lotte 2, Lizzie Green (Hamilton) Charcoal Xtreme 3.
Hinterland Amateur Rider Series: Julie Spence (Whakatane) Driving Ambition 1, Olivia Gibson (Clevedon) Mathilde 2, Amy Schischka (Waiwera) Rock It 3, Aleisha Collett (Pokeno) Mi Focus 4, Kirsten Hence (Karaka) Brodick 5, Shelley Bridgeman (Auckland) Midway Smooth Dude 6.
Mitavite Speedi-Beat Six-Year-Old Series: Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Dynasty NZPH and Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) Selena C =1.
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) Shawnee ECPH 1.
Burmester Realty Pony GP Super Series: Lily Sutherland (Whangarei) She’s Pure Class 1, Aimee Collinson (Waikato) Moonlight Glow 2, Emma Noble-Campbell (Pukekawa) Whakapirau Cherry Ripe 3, Olivia Prendergast (Matamata) Touch of Spark 4, Aoife Brennan (Cambridge) Galaxy Samurai 5, Lucas Bremner (Whangarei) Triple Star Picture Me Now 6.
Pacific Motor Group Horse GP Super Series: Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Deo Volente 1, Alannah Jackson (Cambridge) Capbella 2, Madison Crowe (Hamilton) Waitangi Pinterest 3, Sam Matthews (Cambridge) Adloo Annabelle 4, Olivia Dalton (Karaka) Appleton 5, Edward Bullock (Waiuku) High Jump 6.