Kate Beattie riding Smartymarty at Horse of the Year in 2019 – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall

 

TiES Jumping Series

TiES New Zealand Bloodstock Newcomers Award

TiES Show Hunter Series

 

There’s something rather special about watching an off the track thoroughbred enjoy a second career as a sport horse, and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, New Zealand Bloodstock and ESNZ love nothing more than to celebrate that success.

Topping the pops this year in the TiES series were Elyza McDonald (Masterton) aboard De Silver Lining, Kylie Lyders (Ashburton) with Volonte II and Kate Beattie (Milford) with Smartymarty.

 

Vet technician Kate and Smartymarty headed home the showjumping series, as well as placing fourth in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series.

“I had forgotten all about the TiES Series and was checking the amateur leaderboard when I looked (at TiES) and saw I was in the lead. I was shocked,” said Kate

She kept a regular eye on the points and was over the moon to receive an email letting her know she and Smartymarty had won. “I couldn’t be happier,” she said. “I am very proud of the horse and just how consistent he has been this season.”

Smartymarty came off the track as an eight-year-old and was turned out for eight months. “He was never going to be my horse but ended up with our family because mum is good at acquiring horses.”

Mum Anne works at White Robe Lodge where Smartymarty had been based. “I got on him and popped over a few jumps.” The rest is history. The first season they went from jumping at 1m to winning the 1.1m-1.2m championship at National Championships. A lot has happened in the decade since for the former steeplechaser.

“He just took everything in his stride and as time went on got better and better,” says Kate. The combo have had wins and placings at young rider level and a start at mini prix level too but are now competing at amateur level.

“This has been his most consistent season ever. He is 18 now and I just wanted to enjoy the season. 1.2m is his happy level.”

From seven starts they were placed first or second bar a single third placing.

“He can be a bit of a grumpy granddad sometimes but he is cool and good to handle on the ground,” says Kate. He is quiet but as soon as he is in the ring and hears the bell he picks up.”

Smartymarty is Kate’s first thoroughbred and she figures she’ll never get another as good, but now three of her team of four are thoroughbreds.

“Smartymarty is so trainable. It can be frustrating trying to teach him something one day and he doesn’t get it, and I go out the next day and it has clicked overnight.”

She also hunted him in the early days but says he spent a lot of the time up on his back legs so she focused on showjumping. She plans to do another season with him before he ideally heads to another farm home as someone’s first hack. “He is the perfect horse to teach someone but kind enough to save them as well.”

Elyza McDonald and De Silver Lining competing at Series Finals 2023 – Copyright Kampic/Kerry Marshall

 

Elyza McDonald and De Silver Lining rode off with the TiES New Zealand Bloodstock Newcomers Award as well as placing third in the showjumping series, and fifth equal aboard Powerofsuggestion in the show hunter series.

The 16-year-old from Masterton, who also rode in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series, said they’d had a brilliant season and the award was the icing on the cake.

Rocky, as De Silver Lining is known at home, is just eight and it is their first full season together. “We were looking for a second horse for me to take the pressure off Powerofsuggestion and saw Rocky on the way to look at something else. Turned out he was the one,” said Elyza.

“He loves to run and is very speedy. It has been hard to calm him and convince him that slowing down is a good idea.”

Rocky is the complete opposite to Powerofsuggestion, and Elyza loves that about him.

“Thoroughbreds are great,” she says. “Their will to do whatever you ask about them is pretty neat. Rocky is a quick learner too – he figured out it would be better to listen than not.”

She plans to compete both thoroughbreds in the junior rider series next season.

Kylie Lyders & Volonte II

 

Kylie Lyders is rapt to have won the TiES Show Hunter Series aboard her mum’s “wee thoroughbred” Volonte II.

“She has such a cool nature and tries so hard. You just can’t fault her,” says Kylie, who works as part of the ASB rural banking team. “Mum actually bought her for herself but when we got to the first show she got cold feet and chucked me on, so that was the end of that.”

The eight-year-old had started the season at 90-1m and worked up to 1.1m. “I really like show hunter to get them started and to give them a good base. She has progressed quicker than I expected.”

Kylie and Volonte, who stands just under 15.2hh, also placed third in the show hunter amateur and equitation series as well as dabbling in a little showjumping too.

“I am very excited. I have never won a rug before and she has won me two this season, so I am stoked!”

The mare can get a “wee bee under her bonnet” occasionally and sometimes figures she’s back on a race track, but generally she takes everything in her stride. “She just loves jumping and is a real wee sweetie and tries her heart out.”

 

Results –

TiES Showjumping Series (sponsored by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing): Kate Beattie (Milford) Smartymarty (by Yamamin Vital out of Martone’s Mistress, bred by GR Johnston at White Robe Lodge, owned by Kate Beattie) 1, Luce Williams (Masterton) Grassendale Enzo – raced as Boom Boom Basil (by Reliable Man out of Kaarera) 2, Elyza McDonald (Masterton) De Silver Lining (by Roc De Cambes out of Courtney) 3, Amy Gravatt (Whangarei) Totaranui TS Ripslinger – raced as Ripslinger (by Rip Van Winkle out of Tin Goose) 4, Tara Gower (Ohura) November Rain – raced as Arachnid (by Buffalo Man out of Boogi on the Grass)  5, Kimberleigh McCabe (Invercargill) Whole Lota Rosie (by Raise the Flag out of Rosie O’Reilly) 6.

 

TiES Newcomers Award (sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock): Elyza McDonald (Masterton) De Silver Lining (by Roc de Cambes out of Courtney, bred by AO & LR Murray, owned by Charlotte McDonald).

 

TiES Show Hunter Series (sponsored by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing): Kylie Lyders (Ashburton) Volonte II (by Raise the Flag out of Volonte, bred by MJ Crooks, owned by Kylie Lyders) 1, Kirsty Ogilvie (Christchurch) Shoot the Breeze (by Kiwi Sunray out of Sea Nymph) 1, Amanda Illston (Masterton) Arizona Park (by Azamour out of Hampden Park) 3, Hazel Jones (Wellington) Atlan (by Dehere out of Am Wild) 4, Fabriana McQuarrie (Christchurch) Shaw Lee (by Le Palliard out of Surprize Deal), Claudia Porter (Waikato) Wooing (by Savabeel out of Serenade), Elyza McDonald (Masterton) Powerofsuggestion (by Any Suggestion out of Keltic) and Tanya Merkulov (Auckland) Calvados – raced as Tapas (by Encosta De Lago out of Innocent Lady) =5.

 

Diana Dobson – 22 April 2023