Brooke Edgecombe and LT Holst Andrea at the Waikato World Cup – Photo by Cornege Photography
It’s a small but competitive field lining up in the third FEI World Cup Qualifier at the Taupo Christmas Classic on Saturday.
The in-form Julie Davey (Hastings) spearheads the six strong field with her mares Just D and LT Holst Freda, alongside Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) with LT Holst Andrea, Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) aboard Waitangi Skynet, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) on Central Park, and World Cup debutant Charlotte Wear (Taupo) with Double Shot NZPH.
Brooke leads the New Zealand League on 37 points, with Sophie on 33, and Julie on 30. It was Brooke and 15-year-old Andrea who won at Waikato in the latest round, and she’ll be dead keen to take the win in the series that has so far eluded her – despite twice winning the final.
Julie Davey rides LT Holst Freda, National Young Horse Jumping Show 2023, Sunday, December 10, 2023 Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
Julie and her mares have been in searing form this season and finished just behind Brooke at Waikato so will certainly be looking to go one better.
Pip Howells has been tasked with designing the course for the top class, that is scheduled to go late Saturday afternoon in the McIntosh Global Equestrian Indoor Arena at the Fiber Fresh NEC in Taupo.
The New Zealand league is run over four qualifiers and the final, with the best four results from each rider to count to their final series tally. The opener was in October in Hawke’s Bay, followed by Waikato last month. The Dannevirke qualifier runs early January with the final hosted by Waitemata Showjumping at Woodhill Sands on January 14.
The winner of the series has the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the world final in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in late April.
WHAT: FEI World Cup (NZ League)
WHERE: Fiber Fresh NEC, Taupo
WHEN: 2pm Saturday, December 16, 2023
LIVESTREAM: https://www.facebook.com/TaupoNECJumping
START LISTS AND RESULTS: www.evoevents.co.nz
Diana Dobson
13 December 2023