Sophie Scott and Waitangi Skynet – Photo by KAMPIC
Sophie Scott has just added to her best-ever season by winning her first-ever series when she and Waitangi Skynet this afternoon rode off with the EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix Series at the Trust House Glistening Waters ESNZ Series Final Show.
The Palmerston North combo didn’t quite have the dream end to their season though, having to settle for fourth in the Fern Energy co-sponsored grand final, but it didn’t dim the excitement of the series win.
“We’ve been placed in the series before but never won, so this really is special,” said the 21-year-old.
The series wasn’t a goal for the season, with her focus firmly on the world cup and premier league series. “These just kind of happened along the way, so it is pretty cool. It wasn’t ideal to finish in fourth but Skynet just lost his footing coming into the last.”
She loved the track and thought her mud lark horse would do well.
Sophie, who won the POLi Payments World Cup final with Skynet says she would love to take the horse offshore but there’s a slight problem. “He needs a horse to go with him everywhere, so until we have another horse with that same kind of horsepower, it just isn’t viable,” she says. It’s fair to say the search is on.
This is their second season together and it has been a cracker with consistent results throughout. “We just get along so well and understand each other. He has his own way of going and you just have to accept that. He loves his job and always tries so hard.”
She put the success of her season down to the team behind her. “I think I have had the best support team this season,” said Sophie.
That includes owner Kay Buckley, her parents Tania and Mark, her partner Blake and trainer Jeff and Anne-Marie. “It’s the team that brings it all together.”
Long term, she has her eye on making New Zealand teams for the World Champs or Olympic Games, but for now she’s happy with how things are trucking along.
Her good horses will now be turned out for the winter and she will work on schoolers and young ones.
In the grand final today, nine started the class with six coming back for the second round. Clears in the opener came from Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) aboard LT Holst Andrea, Nakeysha Lammers (Taranaki) on Balboa NZPH, and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) with Central Park.
In the second, just Brooke and Maurice kept their slates clean but Brooke’s 58.72 second effort snatched the win from Maurice who stopped the clock at 61.15 for second place. Nakeysha was third on four faults and Sophie fourth on 13.
EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix Series: Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) Waitangi Skynet 81 points 1, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 68 2, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Central Park 64 3, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Bandito NZPH 37 4, Heloise Tolo (Wellington) Kiwi Bird 31 5, Carissa McCall (Auckland) Picasso MVNZ 30 6.
EvoEvents Horse Grand Prix Series Grand Final (co-sponsored by Fern Energy): Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Central Park 23, Nakeysha Lammers (Taranaki) Balboa NZPH 3, Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) Waitangi Skynet 4, Samantha van Lierde (Cambridge) Cadillac NZPH 5, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Florence 6.
For full results, head to www.evoevents.co.nz
Diana Dobson – 15 April 2023