Florence Tapley and Ngahiwi Call Girl South Island Amateur Rider Champion
Top honours were shared around at the Mainland Coachwork South Island Showjumping Championships which were hosted in Gore.
Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) and Grandaire won their second premier start with victory in the POLi Payments South Island Premier League Series with Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) and Wembleybrook Tiffany continuing their solid form with a win in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix. Nicole White (Invercargill) and LC Samson rode off with the FEI CSI1* class.
The Dunstan Horsefeeds South Island Amateur Rider title class produced a pearler, with Florence Tapley (Banks Peninsula) and Ngahiwi Call Girl heading home a very competitive field with a classy double clear. No-one was more surprised than the 21-year-old rider. It was just their second Amateur Rider start and Florence, who works as a stock person at the Five Star Beef feed lot, says she didn’t contemplate they would be able to head the field home.
“The Amateur is always huge down here,” she says. “We were first out in the jump-off and while Call Girl is not the fastest, she is often clear. We go slow and I am no good at jump-offs.”
History now tells a different tale. “I thought I had gone slowly and added strides so came out with no expectations and just happy to be clear. Watching the others I thought they were way faster – there were much bigger striding horses than Call Girl. It was a bit of a shock when they called out my name.”
She inherited Ngahiwi Call Girl when her sister headed for the bright lights of Auckland. “She loves the city life and left her horses behind. It was a score for me because I got both of her horses.”
Ngahiwi Call Girl has been in the family around six years now. “She is a bit of a hard case but we get on like there is no tomorrow. I could never get angry at her because she gives me that puppy dog face. She is my rock.”
Florence plans to continue to contest the Amateur Series but has a bit of a break ahead. Their next start with be the Nationals in February. “It is such a fun class – everyone goes like the clappers in it!”
Meanwhile, she’ll spend her days riding horses at Five Star Beef – home to 19,000 cattle. Her own horses live just down the road so she can fit in her riding after work. Florence is looking forward to heading north for the POLi Payments FEI World Cup Final at Waitemata in January where Tegan Fitzsimon – her former trainer – will ride the Tapley-owneds Campari.
Molly Buist-Brown (West Melton) and Vali won the FMG South Island Young Rider crown, with Rose Alfeld (Leeston) and Eyecatcher NZPH taking out the Harrison Land Pro-Amateur Rider title and Pippa Collins (Palmerston) aboard First Lady the Mainland Coachwork South Island Junior Rider.
Rose and Eyecatcher NZPH also won the Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old with Katie Meredith (Ohoka) and Vulcan GNZ taking the UltraMox Six-Year-Old and Amy McMullan (Timaru) with Pure Cascade the East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old.
Results –
POLi Payments South Island Premier League Series: Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) Grandaire 1, Nicole White (Invercargill) LC Samson 2.
Country TV South Island Pony Grand Prix Series: Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) Wembleybrook Tiffany 1, Jessica Hore (Millers Flat) Tallyho Scoundrel 2, Emma Gillies (Oamaru) Benrose Eclipse 3, Emma Gillies (Oamaru) Benrose Playtime 4.
FEI CSI 1* (sponsored by Canter for Cancer): Nicole White (Invercargill) LC Samson 1, Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) Grandaire 2, Grace Percy (Glenorchy) Kiwi Spirit 3, Tyler McKee (Gore) Stratos 4.
Matthews Hanoverians South Island Seven-Year-Old Series: Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH 1, Victoria Brown (Oamaru) RH Renamour 2, Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) Casino GNZ 3, Rosa Buist-Brown (West Melton) Bellick ST 4, Molly Buist-Brown (West Melton) Mountain Eutopia 5.
UltraMox South Island Six-Year-Old Series: Katie Meredith (Ohoka) Vulcan GNZ 1, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Footloose NZPH 2, Kirk Magner (Hokitika) Awatuna Moonlight Madam 3.
East Coast Performance Horses South Island Five-Year-Old Series: Amy McMullan (Timaru) Pure Cascade 1, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Celebration ECPH 2, Todd Magner (Hokitika) Awatuna Rhythm King 3, Cherie Cournane (Invercargill) MF Starstruck 4, Tanya Davie (Balclutha) Glenbrooke Final Roses 5, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Cassandra GNZ 6.
FMG South Island Young Rider Series: Molly Buist-Brown (West Melton) Vali 1, Sophie Townsend (Darfield) Kingslea Kiwi 2, Olivia Brown (Ashley Downs) RH Kukumoa 3, Grace Manera (Christchurch) Cazette HSH 4, Rosa Buist-Brown (West Melton) Bellick ST 5.
Harrison Lane South Island Pro-Amateur Rider Series: Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH 1, Kate Beattie (Dunedin) Smartymarty 2, Kirsty Sharapoff (Christchurch) Shoot the Breeze 3, Gail Richardson (Mona Bush) Eireann Bandoola 4, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Corofina ECPH 5, Victoria Brown (Oamaru) RH Renamour 6.
Mainland Coachwork South Island Junior Rider Series: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) First Lady 1, Samantha Gillies (Oamaru) Socrates De La Ve Z 2, Beth Coleman (Clarkville) Sea Minor 3, Jessica Hore (Millers Flat) Beaumont Birdie 4, Kirk Magner (Hokitika) Awatuna Moonlight Madam 5, Olivia Adams (Christchurch) Castelada II 6.
Dunstan Horsefeeds South Island Amateur Rider Series: Florence Tapley (Banks Peninsula) Ngahiwi Call Girl 1, Sonia Mckerchar (Oamaru) Edward NZPH 2, Jayne Beattie (Dunedin) Ubetcha 3, Harriet Gardner (Waimate) PL Queen of Hearts 4, Lana Stevens (Riversdale) Silk Road 5, Talia Allison (Dunedin) Mustang Shelby 6.
Cavallieria Toscana Horse Mini Prix Championship: Grace Percy (Glenorchy) Numero Uno Nellie 1, Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury) Whimsical WDS 2, Katie Meredith (Ohoka) Westgrove GNZ 3, Grace Percy (Glenorchy) Kiwi Spirit 4, Grace Manera (Christchurch) Cazette HSH 5, Nicole White (Invercargill) Lil LeRoux 6.
Hussey Paint & Panel Pony Mini Prix Championship: Molly Smith (Timaru) BG Lennox 1, Sophia McKendry (Christchurch) MF Spot Me 2, Summer Borrie (Oamaru) Benrose Silver Shadow 3, Chloe Martin Harrison James 4, Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) Larabelle 5, Emma Gillies (Oamaru) Benrose Starlight 6.
Show hunter
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island 12 and under Equitation Series: Grace Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 1, Anna Smith (Wyndham) El Alpha G Wizz 2, Bianca Reynolds (Rangiora) Sunny Brae Patrick 3, Emily Dennis Good Luck Charlie Mate 4.
Float Factory South Island Championship Pony High Points Series: Olivia Mehrtens (Rangiora) My Gemma Bear 1, Grace Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 2, Bianca Reynolds (Rangiora) Sunny Brae Patrick 3, Olivia McEwan Rednalhgih Ellis 4.
Fiber Fresh South Island Championship Cat B Pony High Points: Anna Smith (Wyndham) Starlight Smarda 1, Harriet Baker (Gore) Moonspirit Jitterbug 2, Poppy Slater (Geraldine) Toffee Du Lux 3, Anna Smith (Wyndham) El Alpha G Wizz 4.
Sure Grip Mats South Island Championship Pony Equitation Series: Quinn Coutts Kabo Cappesh 1, Harriet Baker (Gore) Moonspirit Jitterbug 2, Poppy Slater (Geraldine) Toffee Du Lux 3, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 4.
Aniwell South Island Championship Cat C Pony High Points Series: Quinn Coutts (Dunedin) Kabo Cappesh 1, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 2, Ellie Templeton (Middlemarch) He’s Pryceless 3.
Gyro Plastics South Island Championship Junior High Points: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) First Lady 1, Rosa Buist-Brown (West Melton) Bellick ST 2, Lucy Swain Swayze 3, Jessica Townsend (Oamaru) Pinstripe II 4.
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island Championship Amateur High Points: Kendra Holt (Winton) Allons-Y 1.
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island Championship Junior Equitation Series: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) First Lady 1, Lucy Swain Swayze 2.
NRM South Island Championship High Points: Rosa Buist-Brown (West Melton) Bellick ST 1.
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island 12 and under Equitation Series: Olivia Mehrtens (Rangiora) My Gemma Bear 1, Grace Roy (Gore) Afallons Royal Salute 2, Bianca Reynolds (Rangiora) Sunny Brae Patrick 3.
Float Factory South Island Championship Pony High Points Series: Grace Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 1, Olivia Mehrtens (Rangiora) My Gemma Bear 2, Olivia McEwan Rednalhgih Ellis 3, Milly Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Minks 4, Bianca Reynolds (Rangiora) Sunny Brae Patrick 5.
Fiber Fresh South Island Championship Cat B Pony High Points: Anna Smith (Wyndham) Starlight Smarda 1, Anna Smith (Wyndham) El Alpha G Wizz 2, Casseylee Gubb (Oamaru) Eyredale Enchant Radience 3, Poppy Slater (Geraldine) Toffee Du Lux 4, Olivia Dampier-Crossley Haven Witchhazel 5.
Sure Grip Mats South Island Championship Pony Equitation Series: Quinn Coutts Kabo Cappesh 1, Mia Quinn (Dunedin) Capall An Cead Ceann 2, Ellie Templeton (Middlemarch) He’s Pryceless 3, Harriet Baker (Gore) Moonspirit Jitterbug 4, Poppy Slater (Geraldine) Toffee Du Lux 5.
Aniwell South Island Championship Cat C Pony High Points Series: Quinn Coutts (Dunedin) Kabo Cappesh 1, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 2, Ellie Templeton (Middlemarch) He’s Pryceless 3.
Gyro Plastics South Island Championship Junior High Points: Lucy Swain Swayze 1, Pippa Collins (Palmerston) First Lady 2, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 3, Jessica Townsend (Oamaru) Pinstripe II 4.
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island Championship Amateur High Points: Lewis McLellan The Munshi 1, Kate Mullins (Ohoka) Cowboy Cool 2, Rebecca Kerr (Outram) Golden Strike 3.
ESNZ Show Hunter South Island Championship Junior Equitation Series: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) First Lady 1, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 2.
NRM South Island Championship High Points: Kate Mullins (Ohoka) Cowboy Cool 1, Rosa Buist-Brown (West Melton) Bellick ST 2, Amanda Paul (Invercargill) Carinoso 3, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 3, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 4.
For full results, head to www.main-events.com .