Tegan Fitzsimon’s sassy but special Windermere Cappuccino bagged his second good win in as many weeks with victory in the Equissage Horse Grand Prix at the Vets on Riverbank Wellington/Horowhenua Showjumping Championships in Foxton this afternoon.
There were 19 starters in the big class, with just four coming through to the jump-off over the Heather McDonald-designed course. Tegan (West Melton) and Double J Monarch were first out, laying a challenge for those to follow with their clear round in 46.02 seconds. Next out was Simon Wilson (Waipukurau) aboard McMillans Ariados who were also clear but with the slightly slower time of 49.73 seconds. Tegan was then back with her eight-year-old Windermere Cappuccino, who last weekend won the World Cup qualifier at Hawera. They were clear in 43.77 leaving it all to Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) on Mandalay Cove who gave it a good nudge but fell just short with their time of 44.1 to claim second, with Tegan and Monarch third and Simon fourth.
By her own admission, Tegan says while her team have been jumping well, things don’t always go to plan. Her “quirky” Windermere Cappuccino dropped her in the warm-up for the jump-off. “He is just like a naughty little pony,” said the 27-year-old. “There’s not a scrap of dirty in him, he is just a trickster. Today I was just trotting around and he spun and I wasn’t ready for it.”
There were no injuries, aside from a rather bruised pride. “It is typical of him!”
However, the horse had otherwise felt very good and yesterday won the 1.40m. “He’s a good horse but at the end of the day, a rail can come down so easily, so we never go into anything over confident.”
She hadn’t set out in the jump-off to break speed records, but says the horse is fast over the ground. “We just kept up a nice rhythm and I wanted to keep him going. It was a nice forward round.”
Tegan felt Heather’s courses had jumped and ridden really well. “They were nicely built, and flowing and inviting tracks. Nothing crazy technical, just nice.”
Tegan has come north with four horses, all of whom are jumping well. They’ll have this coming weekend and will do both the young horse show and Taupo in early December before heading back down south for Christmas.
Tegan has no plans to push Windermere Cappuccino too hard. He’s constantly been a star for her, winning the five, six, and seven-year-old series and national titles along with the five and seven-year-old crowns at the Horse of the Year Show.
“He just loves to win, but he’s still a baby, so I don’t want to rush him.”
Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) aboard Tallyho Scoundrel took out the Country TV Pony Grand Prix ahead of Samantha Carrington (Takapau) on Colours of Lansing. Samantha also won the Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Junior Rider class on Double J Breeze On with Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) taking first and third in the FMG Young Rider with Waitangi Wifi and Waitangi Surf respectively.
Results –
Equissage/Vets on Riverbank Horse Grand Prix: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove 2, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Double J Monarch 3, Simon Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillans Ariados 4, Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Deo Volente 5, Blake Davis (Palmerston North) Giggles 6.
Country TV/Versatile Pony Grand Prix: Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) Tallyho Scoundrel 1, Samantha Carrington (Takapau) Colours of Lansing 2, Lucy Buchanan (Hastings) Redcliffs Colour Me Quick 3, Chantelle Smith (Palmerston North) My Hummingbird 4, Kaitlyn Freeman (Otaki) Rum Tum Tui 5, Luke Myers (Turakina) Te Urewera Magic 6.
FMG/Versatile Young Rider: Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) Waitangi Wifi 1, Blake Davis (Palmerston North) Giggles 2, Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) Waitangi Surf 3, Nicholas O’Leary (Palmerston North) Obeone Kanobe 4, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Lakota 5, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Glenbrooke Centarose 6.
Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre/Xtreme Sport Horses Junior Rider Series: Samantha Carrington (Waipukurau) Double J Breeze On 1, Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) Centino 2, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Glenbrooke Rich as Roses 3, Ike Baker (Wellington) Vidal NZPH 4, Kimberly Carrington (Takapau) Double J Barmaid 5, Dylan Bibby (Onga Onga) Wenrose Vertigo 6.
Junior Rider Equitation: Sophie Scott 1, Ike Baker 2, Claudia Parker 3, Ella Baigent-Brown 4, Grace Greig 5, Samantha Carrington 6.
Hinterland/Gee Gee’s Equestrian Wear Amateur Rider: Kayleigh Kent (Hastings) Double J Spongebob Square Pants 1, Marcus Rose (Dannevirke) Kaipara Hold Up 2, Jess Giles (Wellington) Dining at Dusk 3, Graeme Isaacson (Dannevirke) Pokere 4, Taryn Beattie (Nelson) Crusader Xtreme 5, Cindy Dames (Hastings) Chimney Creek 6.
Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre/Century Distributors Pro Amateur Rider Series: Emily Fraser (Palmerston North) Kiwi Sunray 1, Harvey Nelson (Havelock North) Ngahiwi Loone 2, Tracy Mason (Napier) WP Stella 3, Melanie Cooper (Stratford) Zarlo 4, Sally Clark (Dannevirke) Victoria’s Secret 5, Laura Knight (Palmerston North) Aria 6.
Main-Events University Series: Emily Fraser 1, Brigette Smith 2, Caitlin Bulls 3, Jamie Walters 4, Lucy Rowe 5.
Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Series: Harvey Nelson (Havelock North) Ngahiwi Loone 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Vitess 2, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Central Park 3, Amanda Illston (Masterton) Iguazu 4, Nicholas O’Leary (Palmerston North) Centiare 5, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Glenbrooke Centarose 6.
Miavite Speedi-Beet Six-Year-Old: Georgia Percy (Wairarapa) Double J Image, Kim Best (Hastings) LT Holst Teachers Pet, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Clearview, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Dangermouse NZPH, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Campari Jesse Linton (Hastings) LT Holst Elsbeth =1.
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old: Lucy Olphert (Tauranga) Atlanta WWPH 1.
Horse 1.35m Championship: Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Dolly Blue 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Vitess 2, Julie Davey (Hastings) Ngahiwi Stone 3, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillan’s Chuck 4.
Horse 1.40m: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Gold Locks 2, Timothy Myers (Hawera) Surreal 3, Clarke Johnstone (Hamilton) Watermill Glenneagle 4.
November 25, 2018
By Diana Dobson