Emily Hayward and Karis Spurway were the major winners in the horse and pony Grand Prix classes at the popular Fiber Fresh Feeds Grand Prix Showjumping Show at Woodhill Sands at the weekend.

 

Emily and A P Ninja headed home a compact field in the Equissage Horse Grand Prix after picking up four faults in the opening round over the Philippa Howells designed course. “It was a small field and nice to watch,” said 19-year-old Emily. “I was a little surprised to win like that. The course didn’t walk super tough and it wasn’t massive but the horses just weren’t jumping. There were a couple of really strong combinations in there but it was good to see a few others stepping up too.”

Ninja has been “super consistent” this season for the Te Awamutu dairy farmer and rider. “I stepped him down from World Cups after Belischi started going well and he has really loved it. Ninja is pretty competitive at that 1.35-1.4m height. He is a cool horse.”

The 12-year-old gelding has given Emily “amazing confidence” at World Cup level, skills she is now applying to other horses coming through. “He is only little and loves doing what he is good at. I wouldn’t want to break his heart.”

 

In the Country TV Pony Grand Prix Karis (New Plymouth) and Kabo Cappesh were one of four from 14 starters to come back for the jump-off where the top three all garnered four faults apiece.

But it was Karis and Kabo Cappesh who owned the clock, flying home in 47.45 seconds with Sophia Hall (Auckland) and TCH Centadel second in 50.79 and Karis aboard Delta Le Camouflage third in 53.51 seconds. 

 

It was another big weekend at Woodhill Sands with 370 combinations competing across four rings in both jumping and show hunter which was particularly busy as riders vied for last-minute Land Rover Horse of the Year Show qualifications.

Starring in the rings were the new Jump-a-Bull jumps, curtesy of Pub Charity.

 

Results –

Equissage and Fiber Fresh Feeds Horse Grand: Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) A P Ninja 1, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Twerk 2, Glen Beal (Pukekohe) All Expenses Of Renton 3, Elmo Jackson (Auckland) Sugarman 4, Danielle Maurer (Auckland) Madam Coco 5, Sally Steiner (Tauranga) Di Caprio CSNZ 6.

Country TV and Dunn Contracting Pony Grand Prix: Karis Spurway (New Plymouth) Kabo Cappesh 1, Sophia Hall (Auckland) TCG Centadel 2, Karis Spurway (New Plymouth) Delta Le Camouflage 3, Liv Teixeira (Kerikeri) Spot The Difference 4, Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Maddox Fun House 5, Aoife Brennan (Cambridge) Galaxy Samurai 6.

FMG Young Rider Series: Leeshelle Small (Ramarama) AMS Ajaccio NZPH 1, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) A P Ninja 2, Emelia Forsyth (Clevedon) Henton Faberge 3, Ella Poole-Crowe (Whangarei) Cleo Parfaite 4, Laura Inkster (Clevedon) Nikama MVNZ 5, Olivia Dalton (Coatesville) Master of Hossack 6.

East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Colleen Crous (Auckland) La Comtesse GNZ 1.

Mitavite Speedi-Beet Six-Year-Old Series: Paula Mussen (Pukekohe) Deja Vu NZPH and Danielle Maurer (Auckland) Yalambis Ithica =1.

Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year- Old-Series: Sally Steiner (Tauranga) Cartoon NZPH 1, Phillip Steiner (Tauranga) Kiwi Sunup 2, Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Monte Carlo MVNZ 3, Rosie Commons (Auckland) Lotte 4, Monica Oakley (Karaka) Festival 5, Daniel Blundell (Auckland) Fifty Shades HS 6.

Hinterland Amateur Rider Series: Shelley Bridgeman (Auckland) Oaks Vendetta 1, Paxton Conder (Whatawhata) La Fonteyn 2,  Kristine Leonard (Whangarei) Annies Lane 3, Jessica Trow (Whitford, Auckland) Jack Flash II 4, Anna Kincheff (Rotorua) Request 5, Anna Kincheff (Rotorua) Red Socks 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Pro-Am Rider Series: Kylee McCambridge (Cambridge) Chicago 1, Dean Morgan (Hamilton) Sobraon Park Coldplay 2, Catherine Fawcett-McNaughton (Pukekohe) Golden Girl MVNZ 3, Phillip Steiner (Tauranga) Cassina Dior 4, Jane Callaghan (Helensville) Weiti West End 5, Bryony Smith (Kumeu) Ngahiwi Indigo 6.

Prydes EasiFeed Horse GP Super Series: Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Monte Carlo MVNZ 1, Melissa Marriner (Karaka) Spiritus MVNZ 2, Rosie Commons (Auckland) Athena GNZ 3,  Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) De Boss 4, Leeshelle Small (Ramarama) AMS Ajaccio NZPH 5, Danielle Maurer (Auckland) Dicavalli Don Quattro 6.

Alltech Pony GP Super Series: Isabel Chaplin (Orakei) Blue Crush 1, Lucas Bremner (Whangarei) Triple Star Curious George 2, Alexandra Henry (Whangarei) Mosaic of Renton 3, Maddison Greatorex (Waipu) BMW Cookies N Cream 4, Aimee Collinson (Clevedon) Showtym Falcon 5, Summer Denize (Kerikeri) Limerick’s Black Samba 6.

 

Story: Diana Dobson, 4 Feb 2019
Photos: Hannah Comrie