Tegan Fitzsimon rides Windermere Cappuccino  Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall

 

Nearly 500 of New Zealand’s best showjumpers and show hunters are converging on the Wairarapa this week for the Glistening Waters ESNZ Series Final Show where more than 1460 rounds will run over the weekend.

While the POLi Payments Premier League Series is the big one, every series is important as it marks a culmination of a challenging series and rewards consistency by combinations from across the country. Most are too close to call and with extra points on offer and results to drop there is plenty to chase. The number of classes contributing to the series points was lowered on the back of COVID restrictions which saw areas in lockdown and shows cancelled.

The premier league is turning into a two horse race between two-time series winner Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) aboard POLi Payments FEI World Cup (NZ) Series winner Windermere Cappuccino and National Premier Champ Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) on Waitangi Skynet. The two sit 24 points apart, with 30 points going to the winner of the final at Masterton. With 13 quality combinations entered, including Olympic Cup holder Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) on LT Holst Andrea and Olympian Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) with Central Park, it is guaranteed to be an exciting finish.

It’s anyone’s game in the EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix Series with 25 points separating the top five. Brooke and Maurice are just 10 points apart at the top of the leaderboard, with Nicole White (Invercargill) on LC Samson six points behind Maurice and Tegan another two back.

Twenty-one are on the start list, but not Nicole, so it will likely be a tussle between the other three. Tegan and Windermere Cappuccino come in as defending champions.

Penny Borthwick (Masterton) will be looking to make the most of her hometown advantage in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series. She heads into the final in first and third spots on the leaderboard, sitting on 108 points aboard Foxden’s Merlot and 98 points with Rednalhgih Cowan. Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) and Wembleybrook Tiffany are on 100 points.

It is a star-stacked 14-strong start list though with plenty of in-form ponies chasing glory including the likes of former Pony of the Year Fun House with Angus Price (Winton) and Oamaru’s Gillies sisters Emma and Samantha who have found some brilliant form in their North Island campaign.

Leading the FMG Young Rider Series is Sam Carrington (Takapau), with Samantha Gillies hot on her heels just six points behind and Sophie Scott just three more back. It is always a cracker of a class and with 14 talented combinations entered this year promises much.

Also to be decided are the age group classes – the East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old, UltraMox Six-Year-Old and Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old – alongside the rider classes – Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider and Harrison Lane Pro-Am Rider – and the Main-Events Tertiary Challenge. The Equibreed and VDL Leading Stallion, Equibreed Top Ranking Mare and the top eight-year-old crowns are decided on points across the season without a specific final class.

The national show hunter series all culminate at the Glistening Waters Show. Donella Still is designing the courses in ring one, Greg Best in ring two and Chris Rogers in ring three, with Charelle Marshall tasked with the show hunter rings.

 

WHAT: Glistening Waters ESNZ Series Final Show

WHEN: April 22-24, 2022

WHERE: Solway Showgrounds, Masterton

MORE INFO: www.evoevents.co.nz

LIVESTREAMING: Glistening Waters Showjumping Championships on Facebook

 

The Jumping Team – 20 April 2022