ACG Strathallan College, Karaka, winners of the 2025 Secondary School Equestrian Championships for the North Island. (From bottom left) Samantha Jones, Milly Booth, Danica Sands, (middle) Kaitlin Barendregt, Elsa Perrow, (top) Alexia Thomas. Credit Take the Moment.
ACG Strathallan College and Christchurch Girls High School have taken out the overall team prizes at the 2025 Secondary School Equestrian Championships in the North and South Islands.
Hundreds of young riders from148 schools across the country created a whirlwind of a week that came to its sunny conclusion before the weather turned on us at the weekend.
A total of 765 entries included 486 competitors from the North Island and 279 from the South Island who took part in multiple disciplines, also including Mounted Games for the first time.
In the North Island, the overall teams secondary school winners are: 1st Strathallan Blue; 2nd Te Awamutu College White; 3rd Kristin Doves. The overall Yr 7/8 winners are: 1st Huanui Gold; 2nd Iona; 3rd Carmel College Stars.
Christchurch Girls High School celebrates winning the South Island 2025 Secondary Schools Equestrian Championships. (L-R) Grace Stalker, Millie Dolan, Abbie Doncliff, Emilia Immler, Lola Gray and Brooke Wendelken. Credit Bella Maitland Photography.
In the South Island, the overall teams secondary school winners are: 1st Christchurch Girls High School Red; 2nd Rangi Ruru Rebels; 3rd St Andrews College Thistles. The overall Yr 7/8 winners are: 1st Team Blue Mt Aspiring; 2nd Waihi School; 3rd Rangi Ruru Rockets.
The BetaVet Manaakitanga Challenge Award for horsemanship and sportsmanship in the North Island went to Napier Girls High School, with ACG Strathallan runner up; and in the South Island to St Hilda’s Collegiate, with Bohally School runner up.
The New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Best Performed Thoroughbred went in the North Island to LV Unfinished Business (ridden by Laura McNeil), by Pins (AUS) out of Just Be Cos (NZ); and the South Island Best Performed Thoroughbred went to Sabrage (ridden by Abby Donncliff), by Guillotine / Anabaa Bred.
The Secondary School Equestrian Championships are held concurrently at the Fiber Fresh NEC in Taupō and the Dunstan Horsefeeds NEC in Christchurch. They are hosted by Equestrian Sports New Zealand, the New Zealand Pony Clubs Association, New Zealand Mounted Games and School Sport New Zealand. The event is co-ordinated by Equestrian Sports NZ staff and officials, and draws on the expertise of the local equestrian communities and volunteers. Students from year seven to year 13 take part, entering via schools from Kaitaia to Southland.
Full results:
NISS https://www.evoevents.co.nz/resultClass/2135887505
SISS https://www.evoevents.co.nz/resultClass/2135887504
See our Interschools webpage for more at: https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/youth-programmes/