Molly Pike and Zig Zag at Glistening Waters Series Finals, Solway Showgrounds, Wairarapa, Saturday, April 10, 2021. Copyright: KAMPIC / Sarah Lord
At the start of the year Molly Pike thought she would give up show hunter . . . but when the season drew to a close, she and Zig Zag had won the Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series.
“It’s very cool,” said the 16-year-old from Cambridge. “I bought a horse who didn’t turn out . . . but then Ziggy came along and we just clicked straight away.”
The tale of the tape certainly backs that up. Molly and her nine-year-old 17.2hh “big teddy bear” had nine wins and five seconds and headed to the Series’ Finals in an unbeatable position. “It was nice to have the pressure off,” she said.
As it was, the grand final went to Sally Ward (Waipukurau) and Paradox, with Molly and Ziggy placing fourth.
“I didn’t expect us to go so well with it being our first season. I was just going to take it slow but the first few shows we were quite competitive and I figured we may as well keep going.”
Molly has been doing show hunter for many years and this is her first series win. “It is quite exciting. I am quite a perfectionist and like everything to be just right. I go back and watch every video over and over to see what I can do better.”
Glistening Waters Showjumping Championships 2021, Solway Showgrounds, Masterton, Saturday, April 10, 2021 Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
Mum Kirsten headed south to Ngā Tawa in Marton to pick up Molly and her two horses for shows most weekends throughout the season so she could chase the series. “She loves the road trips.”
Molly, who is coached by Samantha Van Lierde and Libby Raynor, also spent the season competing aboard her pony Oddfella Ngā Rua in the Aniwell Cat C High Points Series, so it was quite a jump between her two mounts. It is her and Rua’s last season together, and they placed sixth in the series. “That is the end of ponies for me now which is a bit disappointing. I bought Rua as an unbroken stallion five years ago and have done everything with him so it has been quite exciting.”
Her parents have Pike Racing in Cambridge where there are between 85-100 horses in work. Dad Tony won’t let Molly ride the race horses but she does use the track to keep Ziggy fit. “He also helps with the babies too.”
Molly extended a big thanks to series’ sponsor Gyro Plastics, as well as the show committees, organisers and helpers who all worked to run “some amazing” shows throughout the season.
Results –
Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series: Molly Pike (Cambridge) Zig Zag 70 points 1, Jess and Sophie Townsend (Darfield) Pinstripe II 59 points 2, Michaelee Head (Cambridge) Miss Mandy 59 points 3, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Craighaven Black Heart 51 points 4, Hazel Jones (Wairarapa) Sancho 49 points 5, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Sonny Bill 41 points 6.
Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Grand Final: Sally Ward (Waipukurau) Paradox 1, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Craighaven Black Heart 2, Lucas Bremner (Northland) LT Holst Francis 3, Molly Pike (Cambridge) Zig Zag 4, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Marokopa CJ 5.
For full series results, head to www.nzequestrian.org.nz
For full class results, head to www.main-events.com
By Diana Dobson
13 April 2021