Lisa Coupe couldn’t hold back the tears when she realised she had won the very prestigious Norwood Gold Cup. The mum from Cambridge was third to go in the six-strong second round and ahead of her Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) aboard Cera Cassina had gone clear in 46.88 seconds.
But 34-year-old Lisa is an old hand at coping with the pressure of the main arena at HOY and today was no different. Aboard Lotte, a mare owned by Kathryn Roberts and Rosie Commons who she has only competed at maybe six shows since November, she rode a cracking clear, stopping the clock in 41.77 seconds.
Nakeysha Lammers (New Plymouth) and her homebred Resolution were next out and while all clear, their 43.25-second time was no match for Lisa. Twenty-seven combinations started the class with the five clear rounds and one on a single time penalty coming back for the second round.
“I am just thrilled,” she said. “She has been jumping fantastic and today it all just came together.”
She admitted it was a “bit of a long shot” to step Lotte up to the 1.45m Norwood Gold Cup. “It takes a lot for it all to come together, and it just did today,” said a very happy Lisa.
She’s won plenty of titles at HOY including two Lady Rider of the Year crowns, the Young Rider, five and six-year-old titles, the Premier and the Silver Fern as well as a clutch of placings in the Olympic Cup . . . but never the Norwood.
“Anytime you are jumping in the main arena is amazing, but to win a title is just ‘wow’. For a while it was unlikely I was even going ride at the show so to have that happen is pretty amazing.”
Lotte is an eight-year-old by Corofino II out of Moll Flanders, with whom Vicki Wilson won Show Hunter of the Year. Next for Lisa is a catch ride aboard Cassera MS in the Lady Rider of the Year.
Results –
Norwood Gold Cup: Lisa Coupe (Cambridge) Lotte 1, Nakeysha Lammers (New Plymouth) Resolution 2, Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Cera Cassina 3, Sally Steiner (Tauranga) Cartoon NZPH 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove 5, Lucinda Askin (Ashburton) Portofino 6, Olivia Croucher (Cambridge) Waitangi Surf 7, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 8, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 9, Daniel Webb (Hunterville) Centaur 10.
By Diana Dobson
11 March 2020