The Final round of the South Island FEI World Challenge took place first thing on Saturday morning at the Southland Festival Show held at the Gore Showgrounds.
Australian FEI judge Sue Ryan flew over from Adelaide and was joined by local FEI judge Malcolm McKee.
Nicole White and LC Samson produced the only double clear round of the class to win and also finished in second on Lil Leroux. The overall South Island Section was won by Southland Rider Tyler McKee and Stratos, a 7-year-old Eurosport Centavos Mare. Tayler Nalder and Icebreaker II finished in second, ahead of Nicole and Lil Leroux third.

Tyler McKee and Stratos also won the Dunstan Horsefeeds and Equifibre Pro Am Rider class with the only clear first round.

In the FMG Young Rider class there weren’t any clear first rounds but Steffi Whittaker was sitting on four faults with both her horses so opted to nominate On the Point Eve as the winner ahead of Eros K.

Sophie Townsend and Kingslea Kiwi recorded an impressive eighth Junior Rider win for the season in the Dunstan Horsefeeds and Equifibre Junior Rider series class.

There was a four way jump off in the Hinterland Amateur Rider Series class. Out first Margaret Ridley and Tallaght recorded a smooth clear round in a time of 35.22 to set the challenge. The next two riders both dropped a rail but last to go Jayne Beattie and Astek Reveal were clear in a time of 33.25 to win their second Amateur Rider class of the season.

The Equissage Horse Grand Prix had a close finish with Nicole White and LC Samson and Kimberley Bird and Cera Cassina both jumping clear first rounds. First out for the clears in round two, Kimberly again jumped clear and posted a time of 55.86. Nicole and LC Samson finished faster in 52.17 but the final rail fell to relegate them to second. Steffi Whittaker and Eros K were third with Southland combinations Kimberleigh McCabe and Kace fourth and Olivia Brown and RH Kukumoa fifth in their first Grand Prix start.

In the Country TV Pony Grand Prix all three starters posted four fault first rounds and returned for round two. Ella Wylie and MF Spot Me dropped two rails in round two to place third. Harriet Stock and EB Esperanza added a further six faults for second place. Otago rider Noah Coutts and his 11-year-old stallion Bizzie Canoodling added four faults to win.

The last South Island Show for the season takes place next weekend at Ashburton before riders will take a Christmas Break returning at Otago on the 12-13th January.

Story: Anna Douglass
Photos: Rosa Douglass

 

Results –

NZ FEI World Challenge, South Island Round 3
1st – LC Samson – Nicole White (Southland)
2nd – Lil Leroux – Nicole White (Southland)
3rd – Kace – Kimberley McCabe (Southland)
4th – Icebreaker II – Tayler Nalder (Canterbury)
th – Stratos – Tyler McKee (Southland)

Best Presented FEI Horse
Stratos – Tyler McKee (Southland)

NZ FEI World Challenge, South Island Overall
1st – Stratos – Tyler McKee (Southland)
2nd – Icebreaker II – Tayler Nalder (Canterbury)
3rd – Lil Leroux – Nicole White (Southland)

Equissage Horse Grand Prix Series
1st – Cera Cassina – Kimberley Bird (Ashburton)
2nd – LC Samson – Nicole White (Southland)
3rd – Eros K – Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury)
4th – Kace – Kimberley McCabe (Southland)
5th – RH Kukumoa – Olivia Brown (Otago)

Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series
1st – Bizzie Canoodling – Noah Coutts (Otago)
2nd – EB Esperanza – Harriet Stock (Ashburton)
3rd – MF Spot Me – Ella Wylie (Southland)

FMG Young Rider Series
1st – On the Point Eve – Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury)
2nd – Eros K – Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury)
3rd – Lasall – Makenzie Causer (Canterbury)
4th – RH Kukumoa – Olivia Brown (Otago)
5th – Double J Barman – Kaitlin Feast (Canterbury)

Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Junior Rider Series
1st – Kingslea Kiwi – Sophie Townsend (Canterbury)
2nd – Hammertime – Caitlin Adams (Canterbury)
3rd – Icebreaker II – Tayler Nalder (Canterbury)
4th – Lowlands Schnapps – Rachel Beattie (Otago)
5th – Mr Gregory – Pippa Collins (Otago)
6th – Berry Desayo – Paige Causer (Canterbury)

Hinterland Amateur Rider Series
1st – Astek Reveal – Jayne Beattie (SCNO)
2nd – Tallaght – Margaret Ridley (Canterbury)
3rd – Emilio MSH – Jess Land (Canterbury)<
4th – Glenbrooke All Roses – Tanya Davies (Otago)
5th – Rocky Ridge – Nicola McLennan (Southland)
6th – Mustang Shelby – Talia Allison (Otago)

Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre Pro-Am Rider Series
1st – Stratos – Tyler McKee (Southland)  
2nd – Kiwi Spirit – Grace Percy (Otago)    
3rd – Eirann Bandoola – Gail Richardson (Southland)
4th – Icey Storm – Lauren Buckley (Otago)
5th – Truly Unique – Rik van Miltenburg (Southland)
6th – Archer – Lana Stevens (Southland)

Main Events University Series
1st – Double J Barman – Kaitlin Feast (Canterbury)
2nd – Montreaux – Indi Williams (Otago)
3rd – Adele – Courtney Townsend (Canterbury)
4th – Beaumont Long Pockets – Hazel Gibson (Otago)

Canterbury Saddlery Pony Mini Prix Series
1st – Burma Milly – Ella Wylie (Southland)
2nd – Junior Disco – Samantha Gillies (SCNO)
3rd – Mangakaraa Carbon Copy – Anna Nalder (Canterbury)
4th – Galaxy Knight Out – Cara Quinn
5th – Night Beetle – Harriet Stock (Ashburton)
6th – Chocolate Sucre – Anna Nalder (Canterbury)

Cavalleria Toscana Horse Mini Prix Series
1st – On the Point Eve – Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury)
2nd – Kiwi Spirit – Grace Percy (Otago)
3rd – Lil Leroux – Nicole White (Southland)
4th – Double J Bouncer – Harry Feast (Canterbury)
5th – Lasall – Makenzie Causer (Canterbury)
6th – Icey Storm – Lauren Buckley (Otago)

Equi-lise South Island Pony Points Prize
1st – Burma Milly – Ella Wylie (Southland)
2nd – Missing Pieces – Summer Borrie (SCNO)
3rd – Benrose Eclipse – Emma Gillies (SCNO)
4th – Junior Disco – Samantha Gillies (SCNO)
5th – Cavalry Man – Laura Perkins (Southland)
6th – Hez Sweet As – Samantha Gillies (SCNO)