Sophie Scott rides Benrose Stellar in the Harrison Lane Premier League at Hawkes Bay A&P – Photo by KAMPIC/Kerry Marshall
Hawkes Bay kickstarted the long weekend in scorching style, in both temperature and competition, at their annual A&P Show. The new format was deemed a great success, with fantastic grassy arenas providing great footing, and smart marquees replacing the historic grandstand that has held many memories for many over the years, all within the vibrant atmosphere of the A&P surroundings.
Kevin Hansen built some strong and technical courses in Ring 1, providing some tense competition. Sophie Scott headed the first Harrison Lane Premier League class of the season, aboard Benrose Stellar. She finished the best of a quality field on a total of four faults over the two rounds.
“I’m so stoked for Stellar to win, she’s come back into this season fantastic and she jumped super for me out there, so I’m thrilled”
Logan Massie and the showy Bravado Ego Z were the only other combination to jump a perfect round in the jump off, but carrying thorough five faults left them in second place, despite being the speedier of the two.
Sofia Williams and Buzzie Bees Max headed a four fault jump off in the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, finishing in 41.15, just ahead of Emily Oliver on Barbie Doll RSNZ in 42.85.
The Brave Pants Company Pro-Am was won in fine style by Katharine Coleman and her ever faithful Double J Sunshine, who is determined not to be retired, with the only double clear.
“Before last weekend, I hadn’t been to a show in nearly two years, and I just thought that Sunny might come out of retirement again for some fun. He just loves it and hates sitting in the paddock!”
Despite both the FMG Young Rider and the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider seeing some good combinations comes forward, both were won on a solo clear round. Chloe Armstrong and Lakota took out the Junior Rider, and Sophia Blackbourn won yet another Young Rider, this time back on board her special unicorn, LT Holst Zalato Blue.
“This season so far is definitely a dream come true! Six Young Rider wins in a row feels unreal. The course this weekend was technical and big, so I’m super stoked to have jumped the only clear round. The beautiful surface and weather at Hawkes Bay A&P made for a lovely few days of jumping”.
The Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider was eventful from the get go. A freak gust of wind whipped its way across the arena, sending objects flying. Fence nine was flattened and the fence number took flight, rolling right into the path of 8C, just as John MacLennon was approaching with his beautiful Tolley. Not many horses would have dealt with this situation, but this pair went on to finish in third place on a double clear. Kaleigh Kent and her infamous Double J Sponge Bob Square Pants raced around the shortened course in 38.84, a time that could not be beaten. The strikingly handsome Haupouri Velocity stopped the timers a fraction behind in 38.98 for second place with Helen Kippen on board.
“I was very happy with the win, as Sponge is certainly not acting his age and seems to thrive once he enters the ring”.
Logan Massie did a great job of piloting Gladiator ECPH (Grand Slam VDL x Phoebe Nimmerdor/ Ephebe For Ever) around the NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction 7 Year Old’s for the only clear round. The Double J Stud owned the East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old’s, with Oliver Edgecombe and Double J Celine (Eurosports Kalaska x Double J Whitney/ Double J Repicharge) and Kimberley Carrington on Double J Joker (Double J Tycoon x Ratamill Ashcott/ Stannic) sharing first place.
From Hawkes Bay, some ventured onto Masterton for the Wairarapa Labour Weekend Championship to finish off the long weekend. Isla Bowley aboard Foxden’s Merlot jumped the only clear to take out the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, and Penny Borthwick on Nikama MVNZ went one better than Hawkes Bay, and took out the FMG Young Rider finishing just ahead of Charlotte Condor and Kiwi Bonus.
The Brave Pants Company Pro Am had a bit of a twist to its finale, with two competitors finishing in equal first place. Both Lucy Fell (Faratona STS) and Kristi Salonius (MF Starbound) flew around the jump off, both stopping the clock in 32.16 seconds!
Lucy was thrilled with her efforts: “It was a very speedy jump off and it’s taken a few shows to find winning form. This (equal first) has never happened to me before, but she jumped very well today, so hopefully we’ll both gain confidence for the run of shows coming up. As always, a lovely show run by the Wairarapa committee”.
Equally as surprised about this twist of the tale was Kristi: “I was last to go in the jump off. The times were very fast from the get go, and I knew Lucy would be very fast – she always is! MF Starbound is very careful but also has longer airtime over the jumps, so I went in planning to keep it as tight and as fast as possible. It was a real surprise to find out we had the same time. I’d also thank The Brave Pants Company for her generous sponsorship of the series..she does such a great job and I really love the messaging of the brand’s ethos!”
The Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider provided a similar scenario. Whilst Nigel Horton and Mandalay Cove had the clear win in 38.77, second place was divided equally between Jo Andrews (Coco Petite) and Mandy Illston (Iguazu) who both stopped the clock in 39.99!!
Anna Wilson on McMillans Chuck were the quickest of a five way jump off in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, with three combinations going double clear. The TiES Futurity threw the spectators another thrilling jump off, with nine going forward, eight of which jumped a consecutive clear. Topping the leaderboard was Kacy Keating and Treviso V.
The NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction 7 Year Old’s forced an eight fault jump off, with two combinations going on to go clear. Kristi Salonius was the fastest of these aboard the Bini Newsom bred MSNZ Royal Oak (Cervelt MVNZ x Nesha/ Salute the Stars). Heloise Tolo opted for a steady clear with the Warwick Hansen bred Haupouri Incognito (Amant du Chateau x Haupouri Du Jour/Kannan) for second place.
Katie Meredith & Vulcan GNZ winning the Property Brokers Horse Grand Prix at Canterbury Labour Weekend Show – Photo by Michelle Clarke
The Canterbury Labour weekend Show had a rough ride leading up to the event, with heavy rain saturating the South Island, it was unclear if they would be able to go ahead. But soldier on they did and were rewarded with sunshine and great footing. Katie Meredith and Vulcan GNZ had a near perfect show, winning both the Property Brokers Grand Prix (locally supported by Kinloch Farm & Cavalleria Toscana) and the 1.40m warm up class.
Eva Wylaars and Larabelle topped a four way jump off in the AMS Pony Grand Prix (locally supported by Kiwi Conveyancing Solutions) , finishing nearly eight seconds ahead of second placed Mitchell Cowan on Springvale Tama. Mitchell was another to have a great show, as he also took home the red ribbon in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider with My Centastage.
The FMG Young Rider (locally supported by Hussey Paint & Panel) saw four combinations head into the jump off, with three of those producing another clear round. The times were close, but it was Molly Moffat and Kingslea Couture that rode off with the win. Both The Brave Pants Company Pro Am (locally supported by Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts) and the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider (locally supported by PL Performance Horses) saw a single clear round take the win. The former being won by Ashley Konig aboard L’heure du Vin, and the latter by Angela Ruddenklau and Red Rafferty.
Johanna Wylaars and the Amberley House bred AH California Dreaming (Euro Sport Centavos x Lilliana/Littorio) may have being the only combination to contest the NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction 7 Year Old’s (locally supported by Canterbury Saddlery), but solidified their win by jumping a clear round. Two combinations shared the top honours in the East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old’s (locally supported by Canterbury Equine) with a double clear round. Georgie Dormer and the LT Holst bred LT Holst Cambridge (Kentucky van’t Ruytershof x LT Holst Elizabeth/Clinton I) and Harriet Gardner on the S&G Cox bred Bounty GNZ (Candyman GNZ x Cassina K/Cassini I).
Mia Gilbert & Schnapps MH winning the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider at Northland GP – Photo by Jordan McKenzie Photography
Northland Area held their annual Grand Prix Show, and while the weather gods threw everything at them on Saturday, they celebrated a successful show.
“We were slightly down in numbers from last year, but as the saying goes, just kick on, and make sure that those who come to support us have a great time and get good jumping in all rings, which I think we achieved”.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the return of Northland’s former World and Olympic medalist, Blyth Tait. His return to home soil was celebrated by all, especially when he won the boutique Ted Hatley Memorial Young Horse class on Chrissy van der Brink’s ‘Cararra’, based on style and conformation.
Natalia Lammers had a great weekend, riding Puro Crystallo. They not only won The Brave Pants Company Pro Am, where three combinations jumped double clear in a competitive jump off, they also won the Horse Super Series.
Mia Gilbert jumped a “schnappy” double clear in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider to take the win with Schnapps MH, India Causebrook and Rodney were the only ones to perfect the course in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider to head home with the title. Catherine Burden on Breakthrough (Pennsylvania x Aria/Grovener – bred by Janna Mahoney) were the only ones to come forward for the NZPH & A1 Equine Reproduction 7 Year Old’s, but they jumped a solid clear round to prove their worth.
Tanya Davie & Glenbrooke Final Rose winning the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider at Southland SJ – Photo by Elise Ford Photography
Ask anyone who attended the Southland Show Jumping Labour Weekend Show at Gore to sum up the show in a word, and that word would likely be WET! But it would be said with a smile, as the horses were jumping so well that they must not have noticed the weather, and those riders that braved the conditions on Saturday enjoyed a relatively mild, dry and even at times sunny, Sunday.
The Brave Pants Company Pro Am was taken out by Jane Hunt and Rabbit, who were the only clear round, just ahead of Ashleigh Small and PL Diamond in the Rough who had just 1 time fault. Ava Hindrup and SS Windego were the only starters in the Mainland Coachwork Junior rider and there was a two horse jump off in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider between Tanya Davie on Glenbrooke Final Rose and Talia Allison on GP Touch of Magic. Tanya came out on top with a clear jump off in a time of 49.22 ahead of Talia who had a cracking time of 43.74, but had a rail down, relegating her to second.
For full results, go to www.evoevents.co.nz and www.main-events.com
The Jumping Team 29 October 2024