Adison Hall (Waimauku) and Crystal Clear, PGP winners at Woodhill Sands.
Photo by Shots Photography
A busy weekend of showjumping from all over the country saw a mixture of thunder, lightning, rain and sunshine, but all provided some fantastic competition.
Marlborough
Luci Askin was the queen of the Marlborough Area Waitangi Show Jumping weekend, jumping the only double clear to win the Property Brokers Grand Prix with the lovely Flying Dutchman DHU.
“The Unicorn was very good, after a competitive first round six riders came back for the second round, with three sitting on zero faults. Flying Dutchman was in top form and jumped the only double clear for the win. Emma Barker built lovely courses, allowing the riders to ride positive and forward. He has been very consistent in Grand Prix classes and we are looking forward to competing in the Canterbury Championships and Nationals. It was great to see Young Riders stepping up to this level”
Luci gave full credit to the hardworking Marlborough committee and said that the grounds were beautiful and the facilities and brand new covered yards were much appreciated by all.
Sophie Fountain and TC Pianoman won the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix and Makenzie Causer won the NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction 7 Year Old Breeding Series. Two combinations made it through to the jump off in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider, the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider and the Harrison Lane Pro Am (locally supported by Ashwood Park), with Haupouri Heidi NZPH & Sophie Townsend, Kingslea Couture & Molly Moffatt and Carpe Diem & Steffi Whittaker coming away with the red ribbon respectively in each class.
Johanna Wylaars jumped the only double clear in the FMG Young Rider aboard Campari and Frances Buckley won the TiES Futurity qualifying round with Enticement II.
Dannevirke
Making our way up the country, Dannevirke hosted their annual A&P show. Long term committee member Brenda Massie said that Saturday tested all competitors, officials & organisers, in fact anyone on the grounds. Mother nature dished up thunder, lightning, wind, and very chilly sideways rain. Only due to the quick construction of many tyre sandbags did they manage to keep the jumps up, but as they say the “show must go on”, and that it did. Sunday dawned a complete contrast to the previous day. Perfect for the business end of competition where Sophie Scott scored another Property Brokers Grand Prix, locally supported by Kelso Genetics, win with Benrose Stellar, jumping the only double clear.
“She (Benrose Stellar) jumped super out there; she was a little fresh but that worked in our favour as we had some competitive combinations to follow us. Thanks to Heather McDonald for building great courses over the weekend.”
Foxdens Merlot may not be a stranger to the GP winners circle, but it was a first with Isla Bowley in the saddle. This new combination stopped the clock marginally quicker than Sofia Williams & Buzzie Bees Max to take the win in the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, locally supported by Vet Services Dannevirke.
Eliza McDonald & Mista Frosty were the quickest of two double clears in a six horse jump off in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, locally supported by Vet Services Dannevirke, stopping the timers just under a second quicker than Penny Borthwick and her new ride Nikama MVNZ. Penny kept up her great form by winning the FMG Young Rider, in the saddle of Double J Breeze On who narrowly beat Annie Moffett and Samantha the Dachshund.
The wins kept coming for the Double J Stud, with Kayleigh Kent taking out the Dunstan Horse Feeds Amateur Rider with her faithful steed Double J Sponge Bob Square Pants, jumping the only double clear. In the young horse classes, Kimberly Carrington & Double J Saga (ES Centavos x Double J Barmaid/Double J Repicharge) shared equal first place with Logan Massie & Gladiator ECPH (Grand Slam VDL x Phoebe Nimmerdor/Epebe For Ever) and Brooke Edgecombe & Inca NZPH (Upto You x Cinnamon NZPH/Pezetas du Rouet) in the Equitak Excel 6 Year Old Breeding Series. There were two double clears in the East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old Breeding Series, with Vicki Wilson & her homebred Columbus VWNZ (Cappaccio BDNZ x LC Showtym Cassini/ Casini II) sharing first place along with Ash Hart & the Fernhill Stud bred Kiwi Rock II (Kiwi Gunman x Kiwi Might/ Kiwi Emillon).
Eastern Bay (Te Teko)
Eastern Bay Showjumping and Show Hunter Show was held at the Eastern Bay District Trust grounds. Secretary Brooke McEwan said:
“This is our Annual show with series classes for both show jumping and show hunter and is also a HOY qualifier show. We also held a memorial class for a long-time committee member Barry Liddle. This was for eligible BOP pony club members only who haven’t competed over 80cm. This was a very special class as not only was Barry a member of our committee, he was also very well known within the BOP Pony Clubs. Sadly, he passed away two years ago. The class was held in Ring one and was won by Ryder Ballingall and Texas. Saturday morning started off with perfect jumping conditions, however it then became four seasons in one day and we had to stop the show briefly due to a heavy downpour, big thunderstorm and high winds! But thankfully it passed and we were able to carry on with Sunday being picture perfect, a beautiful sunny day.”
Ciara O’Rourke Nicholson was the clear winner of the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, galloping through the finish flags on Expozay KCE over seven seconds quicker than second placed Regan Collins & Triple Star He’s Sweet As.
Donna Atkinson won the Dunstan Horse Feeds Amateur Rider, locally supported by Thompson Performance Horses, on The Joke Maker with the fastest double clear, and Olivia Newsom won the FMG Young Rider with the only clear round aboard Royal MVNZ. It was a good weekend for this combination as they also won the FMG 1.30m Mini Prix.
Woodhill Sands
The Veterinary Associates Equine Auckland Showjumping Championships was hosted by Woodhill Sands and whilst the weather brought high winds and challenging conditions on the opening day, the 310 horses competing, combined with great footing on the grass and sand arenas, resulted in some thrilling jump offs and outstanding competition. Roger Laplanche built in ring one, Heather Dean in ring two and Edward Bullock in ring three.
Francesca Corich van der Bas & Bannockburn ECPH may be newbies at this height, but that didn’t stop them from taking out the Property Brokers Grand Prix, locally supported by Fiber Fresh, in only their fourth Grand Prix start. Fran said “Thank you to Property Brokers, GP Series sponsors, and Fiber Fresh for sponsoring this class. It’s a really special win for Bill and I, it was our 4th Grand Prix start and I couldn’t be happier. He is feeling great, and our partnership is strengthening as we work together. I am grateful that we can compete at Woodhill Sands, supported by organisers, judges, course builders and ESNZ who make this great sport possible.
The AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, locally supported by Alltech NZ Ltd, was won by Adison Hall & Crystal Clear whose four-fault effort was good enough to take the top of the leaderboard.
The Harrison Lane Pro Am, locally supported by Canter for Cancer, provided a fast and furious jump off. Caira Manson & TP All Class and Vicki Ridley & Mosaic II were by far the quickest, but sadly a rail relegated them to third and fourth place respectively. Paula Mussen & Deja Vu NZPH won the class with Anne Marie Styles & Tamburo coming in second place.
Sophia Blackbourn had a great comeback after a freak fall in November, winning the FMG Young Rider, locally supported by Fiber Fresh, with Roxette ECPH.
Liv Teixeira had a weekend to remember, she was the quickest in a six way jump off in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, locally supported by Burmester Realty, with Yalambi’s Cassini Rosso and she was also the overall series winner of the Veterinary Associates Equine Horse GP Super Series with Lafayet Ego Z.
Jeremy Clark was the only double clear to take the win the Dunstan Horse Feeds Amateur Rider, locally supported by Sport Horse, with his faithful companion Dynavyte Ipso Facto.
The popular local series concluded over the weekend and Overall series Winners are:
Horse GP Super Series:
1st Liv Teixeira on Lafayet Ego Z
2nd Michelle Wakeling BMW Chaccolilli
3rd Maddison Greatorex on Groove Girls PSH
4th Vicki Ridley on Mosaic II
5th Natalia Lammers on Puro Chaccola
6th= Edward Bullock on Kiwi Sundance, Paula Mussen on Deja Vu NZPH
GP Pony Super Series:
1st Bella Keane on Miss Mary Possum
2nd Sophie Ferguson on Our Dixie Chic
3rd Adison Hall Flaxhill on La Rocco
4th Leah Harre on Tallyho Rainman
5th = Caitlin Wilkin on Showtym Mochachino, Samantha Lee Wakeling on BMW Sharpshooter & Sienna Stevens on Redcliffs Colour Me In
Pony Futurity 85cm Series:
1st Abby Johnson-Newton on TCP Idaho
2nd Brooke Wilkin on Galaxy Night Fever
3rd Emelia Howes on Starlight Ignite
4th Zoe Tyler-Whiteman on Miss Chief of Renton
5th Zoe Tyler-Whiteman on Starstrike
Masters League Series:
1st Celia Pickens
2nd Penny Hart
3rd Emily Keane
For full results for Woodhill & Eastern Bay Showjumping and Showhunter Show go to www.evoevents.co.nz
For full results for Dannevirke & Marlborough go to www.main-events.com
Jumping Team
6 February 2024