It’s two from two for Mouse Newsom and her beloved Mr Mexico who have gone back-to-back winning the Aniwell Show Hunter Cat C High Points Series.
The 14-year-old from Tauranga was very pleased to have won, especially in her last year with the rather quirky 12-year-old gelding who has now gone to his new home. “He is very unique,” says the Year 10 Bethlehem College student. “He always wants to be in your space and is always licking you. He doesn’t love standing still because he wants a job and as soon as you ride into the ring, he knows exactly what he has to do.”
They’ve been together four seasons. “It is just awesome to win this. I didn’t set out to do it at the start of the season but Mexico is so consistent it just worked out that way.”
The combination had 10 wins and two seconds from 12 starts. Mouse says the results are thanks to the solid foundations set by the Wilson sisters at the start of her riding career which is now backed up by her trainers Toni and Colin McIntosh. “It was like our second home up there (at the Wilson sisters Hikurangi base),” says Mouse. “It was pretty cool.”
All the input from the pros is compounded with loads of work at home which she thrives on.
Mouse’s season could have been a whole lot different after she was badly burnt in a freak accident at the end of November. “I was lighting a fire and there must have been something flammable in it and it just went straight into my face.”
She was burnt on her face and arm and was not allowed outside for three to four weeks. “It was really hard,” she says. “I managed two weeks inside.” For quite some time after the accident she had to wear long sleeves, a face mask and a hat.
She had earlier entered Equifest and mum Bini was set to scratch her. “There was no way I wasn’t going to compete.” Turns out the show produced her best win of the season too – a 1.1m showjumping and 1.05m cross country derby where they placed fourth against horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes with adults of all ages. “It was very cool.”
The Tauranga combination didn’t compete at the series’ final show with Mr Mexico now at his new home. The grand final went to Dayna Lowe (Leeston) aboard TF Temperance Brennan, with Kaitlin Brown (Wairoa) and Tawa second and Lyzz Barry (Wanganui) Onetai Cover Girl in third place.
Results –
Aniwell Cat C High Points Series: Mouse Newsom (Tauranga) Mr Mexico 66 points 1, Lyzz Barry (Wanganui) Onetai Cover Girl 62 points 2, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 60 points 3, Bridie King (Pahiatua) Puketawa Celtic Legend 53 points 4, Kaitlin Brown (Wairoa) Tawa 52 points 5, Molly Pike (Cambridge) Oddfella Ngā Rua 47 points 6.
Aniwell Cat C High Points Grand Final: Dayna Lowe (Leeston) TF Temperance Brennan 1, Kaitlin Brown (Wairoa) Tawa 2, Lyzz Barry (Wanganui) Onetai Cover Girl 3, Molly Pike (Cambridge) Oddfella Ngā Rua 4, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 5.,,,,,,,,,,