A big weekend of competition, where the sun shone on the South Island while the North Island faced the worst of the weather, but that didn’t stop some fantastic jumping.
Central Districts held the Cartown Spring Fling, and whilst the weather Gods were unkind, the wind and rain didn’t stop the competitors coming out to play.
Tristan Thomas and Maitai Zarité pictured here as at the National YHS. Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Ian Cooper
Tristan Thomas kicked off his season with a win in the Property Brokers Grand Prix – locally supported by Cartown. Three went clear in the first round, Tristan aboard his lovely mare Matai Zarité, Tara Gower riding Riverhills Legend and Maurice Beatson riding Dynavyte Corysian Ego Z, and it couldn’t have been a closer finish in the jump off. All three knocked just one rail down, with Tristan stopping the clocks in 54.90 and Tara coming in hot on his heals in 54.96, Maurice also collected a handful of time penalties on his way round to finish in third place. All in all, a nail biting jump off!
Daniella Jelliman kept up her flying form with yet another win in the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, locally supported by Equivets. In the saddle of Tallyho Scoundrel, she jumped the only clear to take out the class.
Chloe Armstrong had a good win in the FMG Young Rider, she guided Benrose Casino ECPH around the jump off in a time of 40.05, with Olivia Clifton and Gates coming in second place in 42.45. Sofia Williams riding Grassendale Enzo had the fastest time of the jump off, but four faults saw them finish in third place.
The Brave Pants Company Pro Am, locally supported by Kyrewood Saddlery, was the battle of the sisters with Lucy Fell and Chloe Hansen fighting for the top spot. In the end, it was Lucy riding her feisty Faratona STS that took the top spot, with Chloe and Stevenson ECPH in second place. Rounding out the podium was Brigitte Smith and HR Lanardo, with all three jumping a double clear.
The Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider saw a flurry of clears, with eight heading into the jump off and with six of those producing another clear, it was a race to the top spot. Riding Mandalay Cove, Nigel Horton was the quickest by a fair margin in 40.78, second place went to Marcus Rose riding Royal Otis in 44.69, and Hayley Fraser took third spot on Silverstar.
Slow and steady won the race in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, a clear first round and just picking up a couple of time faults in the jump off was good enough to take the win for Campari in the hands of Emily Oliver.
Riding Chicane (Chacco Silver x Ricker Ridge Vittoria/Voltaire II, bred by Merrin Jaquiery), Nicholas O’Leary jumped the only clear to take the win in the NZPH 7 Year Old Breeders Series, and Robert Steele jumped two clears in the New Zealand Warmblood Association 6 Year Old Breeders Series on his homebred Ginny (Centarion x Affinity/Billy’s Dream), but a handful of time penalties in the second round meant they just took home the four points.
The East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old Breeders Series saw two combinations share the first prize. Lucy Fell aboard her homebred gelding, Away Laughing, (Eden du Rouet x Enja MVNZ/Cassini II), and Karen Patrick with the Wendy and Robyn Jacobs bred Double J Williamsburg (Double J Typhoon x Double J Winnie/Bismark).
The TiES Futurity TB Jumping Challenge saw 26 entries with a whopping ten go through to the second round, with four jumping a double clear. Riding the Proisir gelding, Bubbajock, Danielle Tayor was the quickest through the flags.
Sunshine the Pro
Sunshine was the theme at the PGG Wrightson Nelson Spring Show, not only in the form of the yellow circle in the sky, but also in the form of Katharine Coleman’s longtime partner, Double J Sunshine who jumped the sole double clear to win The Brave Pants Company Pro Am.
Katharine Coleman & Double J Sunshine. The Brave Pants Company Pro Am winners – Nelson Spring Show. Credit to Phyn Photography.
Keeping up the trend of solo clears, Mitchell Cowan guided Zactac Cleo around the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, and was the only one to leave all the rails standing to take the win.
Celia Davis also produced the only clear in the TiES Futurity TB Jumping Challenge riding Raise You Five, and Taryn Beattie won the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider on LT Holst Diamond Queen.
Quinn for the Win
Further down the South Island at the Southern Canterbury A&P Show, Quinn Coutts had a good run in the FMG Young Rider, in the saddle of LT Holst Harley, he stopped the clock a couple of seconds quicker than Johanna Wylaars riding Demietta.
It was a good show for the Wylaars sisters, as Eva jumped the only clears to win both the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider and the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, riding Centanna II and Larabelle respectively.
Two combinations headed into The Brave Pants Company Pro Am jump off where both left one rail on the floor. Harriet Gardener and Endeavour T finished just a fraction quicker than Amy McMullan riding Haupouri Chantilly NZPH to take out the class.
Molly Buist Brown was unlucky to pick up four faults in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider jump off, as her time on SLE Limoncello was good enough for the win, they ended up in third place after two combinations had a clear jumping round. Kate Perry and Chronos QSH picked up one time penalty to finish at the top of the leaderboard, and Sonia McKercher riding Haupouri Jellicoe finished in second with three time faults.
For full results go to:
The Jumping Team
16/10/25