When COVID put the dampener on the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show, the team at Northern Hawke’s Bay Show Jumping Group put their thinking caps on and created a new show as soon as the restrictions were lifted.

Entries close tomorrow (Tuesday 16th March) for this weekend’s Northern Hawke’s Bay Jumping Show and organisers are hoping more will line up. Already 88 riders and 164 horses from across the North Island and even some from the South, are heading to Hastings for the two-day event.

They are even offering free space for any trade stand holders and pushing out the Scouts shavings $15 a fadge fundraiser that would have happened at HOY.

With 20 classes on offer, including all the national series, interest is high. The ESNZ Horse Grand Prix class has attracted 25 entries including all of those who would have been likely to line up in the Olympic Cup. Defending champ Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) has entered with LT Holst Andrea, as has POLi Payments FEI NZ World Cup Series and final winner Annabel Francis (Taupo) with her two La Quinara and Carado GHP, former Olympic Cup winner Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) and Fiber Fresh Veroana are on the card alongside two-time FEI NZ Series winner Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) and her two, Windermere Cappuccino and Campari, as well as Olympian Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) with Central Park, the very consistent Melody Matheson (Havelock North) with Cortaflex Graffiti MH and a number of others. It will be a tough class to top.

The Country TV Pony Grand Prix has nine on the card with Emma Gillies (Oamaru) making the long trek up with her two Benrose Eclipse and Benrose Playtime likely to add some spice to an already competitive class.

Vital series points are also up for grabs in the FMG Young Rider, Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider, Harrison Lane Pro-Am Rider, Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old, UltraMox Six-Year-Old and East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old.

Committee member Melody Matheson says the weekend was borne out of an idea to run a small show with a single ring to what it will be this weekend. “We were all so gutted about HOY cancellation but there wasn’t anything we could do so we came up with this for all those who are dressed up with no-where to go,” she said. “We are super lucky to have the showgrounds looking great, a new warm-up surface and our jumps that were all prepared by our group for HOY so are looking great. It is awesome to have such a resourceful area group with many volunteers who stick their hands up to make things happen.”

Greg Best will be designing ring 1 with Heather McDonald in ring 2.

 

WHAT: Northern Hawke’s Bay Jumping Show

WHERE: Hawke’s Bay A&P Showgrounds

WHEN: March 20-21, 2021

MORE INFO: www.main-events.com  

 

By Diana Dobson
15 March 2021