Jesse Linton rides Everest MH – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
This weekend, the focus was on the Bayley’s National Young Horse Show, an opportunity to showcase NZ’s young horses from all over the country as well as celebrating the breeders and the riders who produce these horses for the future.
Over 380 horses made the trip to the sunny Hawke’s Bay, many with the aim of lifting a National Title. Northern Hawke’s Bay Chairman Dirk Waldin was really happy with the new format – being run over 4 days. As well as seeing lots of quality young horses coming through, it was great to also have a strong field of older horses jumping in the 1.30m+ bracket, and good feedback from the riders was received.
“One of the highlights was seeing the marquee full on Saturday night for the awards dinner. Everyone was buzzing, it was a great atmosphere and was nice to be able to celebrate the age group winners and the breeders for both Show Jumping and Show Hunter”.
Fraser Babbington and Aerial’s Airline Alley – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Ian Cooper
Matawai local Fraser Babbington certainly had a lot to celebrate after he took out the quinella in the Equine Science NZ Four Year Old Championship as well as 4th= in the East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Championship, which was enough to crown him as the Leading Rider of the show.
Fraser was the clear winner in the four-year-olds, jumping the only triple clear on the Warwick & Fraser Tombleson bred Aerial’s Airline Alley (Charcoal Silver x Maria/Ngahiwi One Eye). His other ride Midway Martini (Blitz x Kiwi Deneuve/Kiwi King – bred by Daniel & Caroline Coop) is his partner Emma’s horse, so he was lucky to have the ride while she is on maternity leave having only given birth to their daughter eleven weeks ago. They finished on a collective score of four faults to sit in second place, which is quite a feat at only their first show. Seven other combinations finished in 3rd= on a total score of eight faults.
The professional bull rider and horse breaker turned farmer made his return to the showjumping arena after a nineteen-year hiatus, so “it was pretty overwhelming to win a National title and the leading rider of the show. It didn’t really sink in until we got home and laid all the sashes, ribbons and rugs out, it’s pretty cool and I look forward to producing Aerial’s Airline Alley through the age group classes and hopefully onto Grand Prix.”
Kimberley Carrington & the Double J Stud’s Double J Loki (Double J Typhoon x Ophelia NZPH/Barbarian) took out the Hawke’s Bay BMW Style prize.
Jesse Linton rides Everest MH – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
Three horses contested the jump off in the East Coast Performance Five Year Old Championship after jumping triple clear over the three days, but only Jesse Linton was able to pull a fourth clear out of the bag. Riding the Judith Matthews & Angela Miller bred Everest MH (Euro Sport Centavos x SPH Roulette MH/Riverdance), Jesse lifted his 8th national age group title, and they were also awarded the Hawke’s Bay BMW Style Prize. Breeder Angela Miller was thrilled with the win, and especially pleased for fellow breeder Judith Matthews who she describes as a great mentor and role model when it comes to breeding. This is the second five-year-old title for Matthews Hanoverians after Melody Matheson won aboard Giulia MH a couple of years ago. Now Melody is based overseas, Angela feels very fortunate to have Jesse riding her horses and describes him as a master in the ring. Angela is also pleased to see ESNZ working with Evo Events and the studbooks to have horses breeding verified which is great for the sport and pushing it in the right direction. Kylee McCambridge & Waitangi Neon (VDL Zirroco Blue x Waitangi Wiki/Lansing – bred by Waitangi Sport horses) finished in second and Julie Davey and the Ewen MacKintosh bred LT Holst Elle Star (Big Star x LT Holst Carla/Calato) in third.
Brooke Edgecombe and Inca NZPH – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Ian Cooper
Brooke Edgecombe and the New Zealand Performance Horses bred Inca NZPH (Up to You x Cinnamon NZPH/Pezetas du Rouet) solidified their lead at the top of the Equitak Excel Six Year Old Series when they jumped the sole triple clear to take out the win in the locally sponsored East Coast Powerlines National Six Year Old Championship. They were also awarded the Hawke’s Bay BMW Style Prize.
Tristan Thomas and Matai Zarite – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Ian Cooper
Tristan Thomas was over the moon with his lovely seven-year-old mare Matai Zarite, after they finished at the top of the class in the NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction Seven Year Old Championship, locally supported by the Hanoverian Society & Angela Miller, giving them their first National Age Group title. Tristan purchased ‘Zari’ (Euro Sport Centavos x Matai Pedogree Moon/Corofino II) as a yearling, directly from her breeder Carin Degroot. Being Tristan’s only horse out competing and having produced her himself, makes this win even more special. This consistent pair have placed in all their Pro-Am and 7-Year-Old starts so far this season and they plan to see how far they can go in the future.
Daniel Webb continued his good season with his homebred WSJ Cartalusa (Cartell GNZ x Calusa/Euro Sport Centavos), finishing just one fault behind Tristan on a total score of five faults for second place.
Levi Xtreme (Corofino II x Lanzstar GNZ/Lansing) & Isabelle Jameson were awarded the Hawke’s Bay BMW Style Award.
Euro Sport Centavos (Escudo I x Anabell/Argentinus – bred by Heinz Schuette) deservedly won the Leading Stallion for the third time. “We are very proud of Centi, he consistently produces horses who are very typey to himself, even from a wide variety of mares. They are bold, honest and have excellent rideability and all the scope” said owner Claudia Hay.
Vicki Wilson and Daminos TWS – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Jaimee Whittaker
Vicki Wilson is no stranger to the winners’ circle at the National Young Horse Show. With her striking ten-year-old imported stallion Daminos TWS (Diarado x B’Lanca Nieve/Cashas) she won the six and seven year Old title, and this year they won the Shirley Wood & Webb Show Jumping FEI CSI1* 1.40m. Thirty-two combinations started with twelve fronting up for the second round, out of which four went double clear. Vicki and Daminos set off around the shortened track, flying well above the stands and taking the shortest route to every fence gave them a slick time of 58.21. The legendary Maurice Beatson was next to go aboard Central Park (Euro Sport Centavos x Silk and Spice/Omnicorp) and while they gave it a good shot, they fell just short, stopping the timers in 58.58.
Since he was imported with high hopes for his competitive career, Daminos has won and been placed in most age classes in NZ and Vicki is “incredibly excited to have Daminos back in the competition arena after a three-year holiday – after a paddock accident. He won the 1.30m warm up and then the wonderful 1* FEI class that had a super competitive jump off (thank you riders), we will continue to play with him and let him show everyone how special he is.”
Julie Davey rides LT Holst Freda – Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
Julie Davey’s LT Holst Freda (Colman x LT Holst Andrea/Casall) has quite the record at the National Young Horse show, placing in every age group championship including winning the four and seven-year title and style prize. Now, aged just nine years old, she won the Property Brokers Horse Grand Prix, locally supported by Isaacs Plumbing, Pumping & Electrical. “It was a nice course, Heather (McDonald) built nice courses all weekend. The ground was good, and it was nice to have some bigger fences in the lead up to Taupo World Cup. I didn’t go too quick, just kept tight everywhere,” said Julie. Laura Inkster and the Wendy Keddell bred Rodrigo MVNZ (Leopoldo MVNZ x Evita MVNZ/Landlord) were awarded the best performed eight old prize, after their four-fault effort landed them in a very respectable 4th place – they also had a top ten placing in the FEI 1*.
In the other series classes, Brigitte Smith on HR Lanardo won the Harrison Lane Pro Am, locally supported by Sven & Friends, Emily Ramsden aboard Euro Champagne won the FMG Young Rider, locally supported by The Rider Shop, Tara Gower with Double J Image won the Mainland Junior Rider, locally supported by Equus Auctions, Lara Quinn on Outlander won the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider and Eden Craine and Snoop Dogg Double G won the TiES Jumping Futurity series class.
Across in the Show Hunter ring Kate Fleming and the lovely Janelle Van Roon bred FF Laboni (FF Lisandro x FF Falenciaga/ Dolany) were crowned the four year old champions, Sara Hilhorst with Eye See Eyela (Ngahiwi One Eye x Huia) were the the five year old champions. Zoe Strawbridge and the Kylie Little bred My Chipmunk (Repicharge x Belvedere Petal/ Belvedere Pure Magic) topped the six year olds and Shanae McKay won the seven year olds on her mother Gemma’s homebred M.E Centeni (Centaros x M.E Iceni/Thano).
Dirk Waldin finished by saying that he “is very proud of our little group, it’s a big effort to run a show over four days, so a big shoutout to Northern Hawke’s Bay Jumping group. Jumping Chair Penny Tapley was a guest speaker at the awards dinner, and she also gave us the good news that the National Young Horse Show will be staying in Hawke’s Bay for the next few years, and we are always looking to evolve and do things better.”
For full results go to www.evoevents.co.nz
The Jumping Team – 12 December 2023