There’s a party at the Wilson household tonight with sisters Libby and Vienna taking the quinella in the Cat B Pony Show Hunter of the Year.

Thirteen-year-old Libby won the crown aboard Waimeha Tayza, the pony she has had for three seasons, with 10-year-old Vienna and Ashbury Robin Hood runners-up. Eleven-year-old Tayza has been the perfect pony for Libby, who was previously a bit of a nervous jumper. That’s now a distant memory. Libby has previously won titles in showing but this is her first in show hunter.

“It is really awesome,” she said. “I didn’t think I would win it and certainly didn’t think I would beat my sister. I saw her go and thought what a nice round it was. This means a lot.”

She has plenty of love for her pony. “He is just the most chilled out dude.”

Vienna and Ashbury Robin Hood only teamed up after HOY in 2018. “This was such a surprise,” she said. “I didn’t think we’d be in the call back but we have come a long way through the season.”

Former eventer, mum Lisa was over the moon. “I said this morning wouldn’t it be a dream if you were one and two,” she said. But the girls have both been in fine form all season with the wins bouncing back and forth between them. The previous owners of both ponies were today ringside to help celebrate their success.

Lisa struggled with nerves watching the girls go and left dad Harvey, the huntsman from Taupo, to do the warming up.

 

Results –

Cat B Pony Show Hunter of the Year: Libby Wilson (Taupo) Waimeha Tayza 1, Vienna Wilson (Taupo) Ashbury Robin Hood 2, Ava Readman (Hamilton) El Alpha G Wizz 3, Isa Luxton-Symes (New Plymouth) Mr Mika Choo 4, Alisha MacFarlane (Eureka) Starlight Ignite 5, Isobel Macdonald (Cambridge) Snikkers 6.

 

Diana Dobson, 15th March 2019