A winning line-up . . . (from left) Jess Land, Rose Alfeld and Paxton Conder at the Zealandia Horticulture New Zealand 1.2m Horse Championship prizegiving. Photo by Michelle Clarke
North Island raider Sophie Scott is on fire on the second day of competition at the New Zealand National Jumping and Show Hunter Championship in Christchurch.
The Palmerston North 20-year-old won both the Tavendale and Partners New Zealand National Premier and Graham McClintock New Zealand National Horse Grand Prix classes today.
A misty morning cleared to a lovely day with some exciting and very competitive jumping across the grades.
Eight started the Tavendale and Partners New Zealand National Premier Horse Championship with all coming back to be challenged by the Gary Sinclair-designed course. Samantha Van Lierde (Cambridge) would have been absolutely chuffed with her stunning clear in round B aboard Cadillac NZPH, with Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) and LT Holst Andrea also leaving everything up along with Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) on Windermere Cappuccino and Sophie Scott on Waitangi Skynet.
All came back for round C where Emelia Forsyth (Clevedon) and Henton Faberge added nothing to their four fault first round, with Brooke, Tegan and Sophie also all clear but it came down to time – Brooke was the first double clear, stopping the clock at 63.25, with Tegan next, upping the ante to 61.51 thanks to a slick inside turn that sliced seconds off her time. It left all the pressure in the world on young gun Sophie who loped around on her giant grey to come home deceptively fast in 57.76 seconds.
It’s turning into a real ding-dong battle between Tegan and Sophie with both in superb form.
“He really doesn’t feel that fast,” said Sophie. “I think we may have been a little lucky at the last. I am just over the moon – he is so cool.” It’s just her first season with Waitangi Skynet who while born in New Zealand, spent time in Australia before coming home again.
“This championship is all so close, so whatever will be will be. I won’t be doing anything different on Sunday.”
Sophie sits on zero on the premier leaderboard, with Tegan right on her tail on .05 and Brooke on 2.8 in third. Emelia is in fourth on 6.27 with Sam on fifth on 12.58 and Sophie rounding out the top six aboard her second mount, Glenbrooke Rich as Roses on 24.87.
Horses contesting the title classes will have a rest day tomorrow before the all-important finals on Sunday.
Sophie Scott and Lakota were determined to set the record straight in the Graham McClintock New Zealand National Grand Prix Horse Championship, and today rode off with the win after rounds B and C with the only double clear of the class.
“I just wanted a double clear,” she said. “Yesterday we didn’t have the best of rounds so I just changed my ride slightly and he really stepped up.”
Ten started the class with Sophie and Lakota the only combination to finish on zero faults. Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) and Campari were all clear in both rounds but picked up a single time fault in round B.
“I am so pleased,” said Sophie. “It didn’t feel easy out there and he does take a bit of riding.”
In third place today was overnight leader Makenzie Causer (Tai Tapu) aboard Copabella Camouflage with four faults from the two rounds, Sam Whale (Hampton Downs) and Fleur De Lacour placed fourth with their eight faults, Kim Best (Hastings) with LT Holst Teacher’s Pet in fifth with nine faults form the two rounds and Emelia Forsyth (Clevedon) on Wallflower rounding out the top six with their 12 fault effort.
Tegan’s single fault addition sees her move to the top of the leaderboard on 1.42 faults, with Makenzie in second on four, Sophie in third on 4.48, and Sam aboard Fleur De Lacour in fourth on 9.4.
Penny Borthwick overcame a challenging start to day two of the Rangiora Vet Centre New Zealand National Pony Championship, finishing the day in first and fourth for rounds B and C, and in second and third on the leaderboard.
Ten started the class, with five finishing round B with zero faults. Riders came back in reverse order with clears a little thinner on the ground. Rednalhgih Cowan, who with Penny Borthwick (Masterton) who were the winners of the speed round yesterday, had a patchy start when the skewbald hightailed it before entering the ring, but came back to post a credible four fault effort, and were then a speedy 52.58 second clear in the second. But the day belonged to her other mount Foxden’s Merlot who was double clear in 53.95 seconds.
“I really didn’t think either would win today,” said Penny. “I am very pleased with her (Foxden’s Merlot) – she is jumping really well. I was just coming out to do nice rounds on both of them.”
Molly Moffatt (Christchurch) and Te Ngaio Raggamuffin bagged a lovely double clear to place second today with their 58.91-second round, with Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) and Wembleybrook Tiffany third with just a single time fault in 63.53.
Johanna and Wembleybrook Tiffany are now at the top of the leaderboard with 1.12 faults, with Penny and Foxden’s Merlot in second on 3.41 and third aboard Rednalhgih Cowan on four faults. Molly and Te Ngaio Raggamuffin are in fourth on 5.48 and Harriet Laing (Banks Peninsula) aboard Springvale Tama sits in fifth on 7.55.
It was an exciting two rounds in the Zealandia Horticulture New Zealand National 1.2m Horse Championship, with Grace Percy (Glenorchy) and Fohn Friday flying home to take the win and do themselves plenty of favours in the overall standings.
They were sitting in 19th coming into rounds B and C, with a plan of just staying clean. Thirty-four started round B with 27 coming back for round C, 13 of whom were on zero faults from day two of competition. Grace was mid-field, and set a cracking 53.1 second time that a number tried to run down, but simply couldn’t. Larina Dolman (Gisborne), the speed queen from day one, looked on track with her gutsy little Kiwi Lansing, and while their time of 52.97 would have taken the class, they were pushed out of the line-up when the third to last came down. Jeremy Whale (Hampton Downs) found himself in a similar position when the last fence fell for him in his 54.37-second effort.
Grace has had the 13-year-old mare two years and says she has really stepped into her own this season. “She is very consistent,” says the rider and farmer. “I was judging whether to do the turns and just decided to trust her to do it – it paid off.”
Pippa Collins (Palmerston) and First Lady came in for second with their double clear 56.16 second effort, with Paxton Conder (Whatawhata) aboard La Fonteyn third in 56.73 and Rose Alfeld (Leeston) with Footloose NZPH fourth in 57.52 – all were double clear. Angus Price (Winton) and Veroana filled fourth with their one time fault and 60.04 second result.
Paxton sits at the top of the leaderboard on 1.48 after two days of competition, with Larina in second on 4 faults, Jeremy in third on 4.68 and Pippa in fourth on 5.12.
The leaderboard in the June Cresswell Memorial New Zealand National 1.3m Horse Championship (sponsored by Wilcox Perlas Potatoes) got a bit of a shake-up after rounds B and C.
The day belonged to Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) aboard Vali who finished the day on four faults in 58.95 seconds, with Samantha Gillies (Oamaru) aboard Lumarzo in second with their four fault 63.98 second effort, third was Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) on Casino GNZ on five faults in 65.87, and fourth was Molly on her second mount Payback who finished the rounds on five faults in 66.78. The time proved tricky for many.
Samantha threw everything at it, trying to take the edge, but a rail put paid to a win today, however, she now tops the leaderboard in the championship.
Molly was rapt with both her horses. “We didn’t have the best day yesterday, so I was just aiming for a double clear with both,” said Molly. “There was no pressure on me, I just wanted to give it a good shot.”
The 22-year-old part-time rider had contemplated not even starting on Sunday, but says that may have to change now. “This is just the second time Payback has even jumped at this height so I had no expectations. He gave me the best round he could and exceeded all expectations.”
Samantha is at the front of the field for the championship after three rounds, sitting on 5.44 faults with Lumarzo, Olivia and Casino GNZ are in second on 8.29, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) and SB Attitude are in third on 10.92, with Molly and Vali in fourth on 11.39. Overnight leader Leeshelle Small (Ramarama) and AMS Dolce NZPH are in fifth on 12.
For full results, head to www.main-events.com
Diana Dobson
February 11, 2022