A near seven-hour drive to the ESNZ Marlborough Spring Jumping Show for Ashburton rider Kimberley Bird was made all worthwhile when she won the EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix.

To be fair, Kimberley was the only rider in the class, lining up with her World Cup and national champs’ winner Cera Cassina as well as the less experienced Roxette ECPH. “It was a great chance for all of us to blow the cobwebs at one of my favourite shows,” she said. “It was a very nice first ‘proper’ season start for us. Sarah Ching built very beautiful and rideable courses that had a couple of questions, and if you rode them right then everything came up great. This show committee do a really great job there and are all so easy to deal with. The grounds are just stunning too.”

She was a bit surprised there were only two in the Horse Grand Prix. “I guess it is a wee way to the show and it is early in the season for us South Islanders,” she said. “I would have loved more competition!”

However, by her own admission it wasn’t her tidiest class ever. Both horses had faults, with the win going to 10-year-old mare Roxette ECPH. “Both of my horses are so very different – Roxette is a big powerful unit with a lot of jump and is just starting to step up to that height now so still finding her way. She has heaps of potential but it was a big ask for her.”

The mare had done just a handful of Horse Grand Prix last season and with Marlborough her first for the 2021-2022 season was certainly a bit rusty, according to her rider. Kimberley has been bringing the horse carefully up the grades for the past four seasons and is very pleased with where she is at. That’s why it makes it so hard that the horse is now for sale. “She is super awesome but I have to sell her if I want to continue doing the sport,” she said. “It is very sad. She is pretty damn cool and I want to see her jumping around World Cup courses in the future – even if it isn’t with me. All the hard work is done with her.”

Runner-up, 12-year-old Cera Cassina is a completely different kettle of fish. “She too is very talented but Roxette is far more rideable. People may love to watch Cera Cassina jump but not so much to sit on her. You couldn’t get a more enthusiastic horse!”

Kimberley is still hopeful she can bring her team north but says with so much unknown, it is hard to know how the season will pan out.

The Country TV Pony Grand Prix was another very small offering, which was won by Anae Shadbolt (Marlborough) aboard Inspecta Gadget.

The show attracted 208 combinations and was held in perfect conditions. Riders appreciated the brand new open yards. The committee put plenty of extra work to ensure everyone was safe and stuck to the rules under Alert Level 2.

 

Results –

 

EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix: Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Roxette ECPH 1, Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Cera Cassina 2.

 

Country TV Pony Grand Prix: Anae Shadbolt (Marlborough) Inspecta Gadget 1, Harriet Laing (Canterbury) Springvale Tama 2.

 

FMG Young Rider Series: Olivia Harkerss (Kaikoura) Lacona Ammoe 1, Olivia Adams (Christchurch) Castelada II 2, Grace Manera (Christchurch) Cazette HSH 3, Margot Curtis (Amberley) Ngahiwi Stone 4, Holly Crean (Leithfield) Dexter 5, Anna Nalder (Canterbury) Letano 6.

 

Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series: Amy Evans (Amberley) Puketeraki 1, Georgia Reid (Blenheim) Corletto MB 2, Linda Cotton (Nelson) Kingsway Khan 3, Emma Burrell (Blenheim) Peretoria HK 4, Gayle Baker (West Melton) Clariton 5, Desley Haas (Rangiora) Too Tango 6.

 

Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series: Meg Bissett (Blenheim) Bewitched NZPH 1, Mikayla Wycliffe (West Melton) Covergirl B 2, Anna Nalder (Canterbury) Icebreaker II 3, Jakob Pascoe (North Canterbury) Bravo 4, Kiera Inglis (Nelson/Tasman) Wishing 5.

 

Harrison Lane Pro Amateur Rider Series: Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Corofina ECPH 1, Jess Land (Christchurch) Emilio MSH 2, Tamara Silcock (Nelson) FF Lisandro 3, Helen Ensor (Blenheim) Zactac Carnival 4, Maddie Thompson (Darfield) TH Silver Moon 5, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH 6.

 

Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Series: Becky Harkerss (Kaikoura) LT Holst Chief 1, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Footloose NZPH 2, Louise Marriott (Rangiora) Maximillion 3.

 

UltraMox Six-Year-Old Series: Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Celebration ECPH 1.

 

East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Ella-Rae Wood (Greymouth) TMS Annabella 1.

 

Cavalleria Toscana Horse Mini Prix: Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH 1, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Corofina ECPH 2, Becks Harkerss (Kaikoura) Kettle GNZ 3, Tamara Silcock (Nelson) FF Lisandro 4, Helen Ensor (Blenheim) Zactac Carnival 5, Grace Manera (Christchurch) Cazette HSH 6.

 

Hussey Paint & Panel Pony Mini Prix Series: Lily Plunkett (Blenheim) Oakspring Wildfire 1, Maria O’Connor (Nelson) LSL Moves Like Jagger 2, Ruby Rae-Wood (Greymouth) Leopoldo TSH 3, Ellie Bennett (Canterbury) Whakapirau Cherry Ripe 4, Summer Spragg (Marlborough) HillBilly 5, Isla Bowley (Wellington) Tuis Tennessee 6.

 

Show hunter 2 days of High Points Series:

 

Hokonui Sport Horses Cat A High Points Series: Olivia Mehrtens (Canterbury) My Gemma Bear 1, Quinn Wickham (Marlborough) Oaklane Tiger Lily 2, Milly Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Minks 3, Summer Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 4.

 

Fiber Fresh Cat B High Points Series: Grace Roy (Gore) Afallons Royal Arabseque 1, Violet Wickham (Marlborough) Willowmead Acrobat 2, Milly Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Haven Witchhazel 3, Kaitlyn Ikenasio (Blenheim) Midnight Magic 4.

 

Aniwell Cat C High Points Series: Isabella Grigg (Blenheim) Tallyho Blue Masquerade 1, Georgette Laing (Little River) Triple Star Picture Puzzle 2.

 

BoP & Waikato Show Hunter 12-years & under Pony Equitation Series: Violet Wickham (Marlborough) Willowmead Acrobat 1, Summer Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 2, Grace Roy (Gore) Afallons Royal Arabseque 3, Frankie Wells (Marlborough) Galaxy Jungle Fever 4.

 

ESNZ Pony Rider Equitation Series: Isabella Grigg (Blenheim) Tallyho Blue Masquerade 1, Amy Wassell (Nelson) That’s That 2, Olivia Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Splash Bandicoot 3.

 

Carousel Equestrian Amateur High Points Series: Michal Wells (Marlborough) Gravel Hill 1, Brooke Page (Rangiora) Thor Arrow 2.

 

Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series: Emily Cowan (Blenheim) Reid n Dale Confidential 1, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 2, Kiera Inglis (Nelson) Bendoran Digger 3, Hannah Forsyth (Blenheim) Florentina 4.

 

ESNZ Show Hunter Junior Rider Equitation Series: Emily Cowan (Blenheim) My Centastage 1, Kiera Inglis (Nelson) Bendoran Digger 2, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 3.

 

Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Adult Rider Equitation Series: Louise Marriott (Rangiora) Clicquot 1.

 

NRM Open High Points Series (run in conjunction with George Guthrie Construction): Bridget Peter (Nelson) Dunrban Jack Sparrow 1.

 

Carousel Equestrian Amateur High Points Series: Michal Wells (Marlborough) Gravel Hill 1.

 

Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series: Emily Cowan (Blenheim) My Centastage 1, Emily Cowan (Blenheim) Reid n Dale Confidential 2, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 3, Jessica Townsend (Darfield) Pinstripe II 4.

 

ESNZ Show Hunter Junior Rider Equitation Series (run in conjunction with Marlborough Lucerne): Emily Cowan (Blenheim) My Centastage 1, Jessica Townsend (Darfield) Pinstripe II 2, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Bellwood O’Banion 3, Kiera Inglis (Nelson) Bendoran Digger 4.

 

Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Adult Rider Equitation Series: Louise Marriott (Rangiora) Clicquot 1.

 

NRM Open High Points Series (in conjunction with George Guthrie Construction): Louise Marriott (Rangiora) Clicquot 1, Michal Wells (Marlborough) Gravel Hill 2, Sophie Rosanowski (Rangiora) Tanae Mahuta 3.

 

BoP & Waikato Show Hunter 12-years & under Pony Equitation Series: Grace Roy (Gore) Afallons Royal Arabseque 1, Summer Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 2, Kaitlyn Ikenasio (Blenheim) Midnight Magic 3, Molly Allen (Blenheim) Dunurban Ginja Nija 4.

 

Hokonui Sport Horses Cat A High Points: Summer Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 1, Olivia Mehrtens (Canterbury) My Gemma Bear 2, Milly Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Minks 3.

 

Fiber Fresh Cat B High Points Series: Amy Wassell (Nelson) Bexley Lodge Tinkerbella 1, Grace Roy (Gore) Afallons Royal Arabseque 2, Violet Wickham (Blenheim) Willowmead Acrobat 3, Milly Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Haven Witchhazel 4.

 

Aniwell Cat C High Points Series: Georgette Laing (Little River) Triple Star Picture Puzzle 1, Olivia Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Splash Bandicoot 2, Isabella Grigg (Blenheim) Tallyho Blue Masquerade 3.

 

ESNZ Pony Rider Equitation Series: Isabella Grigg (Blenheim) Tallyho Blue Masquerade 1, Olivia Dampier-Crossley (Rotherham) Splash Bandicoot 2, Amy Wassell (Nelson) That’s That 3.

 

For full results, head to www.main-events.com

Jumping Team

October 11, 2021