Sally Steiner from Tauranga is one of the top New Zealand riders heading to the Waikato for the weekend's annual APL World Cup Show.
Organisers are expecting entries to top 500, and include Olympians Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke), who are both former winners of the UltramoxFEI World Cup New Zealand series, as well as the very in-form Bridget Hansen who has won her last three grand prix starts, and has an early lead in the world cup series.
New to the Kiwi showjumping scene is Brit turned American Helen McNaught-McFarlane, who with her husband Duncan McFarlane, moved to Taupo this year. Both are top-flight competitors, having competed successfully through to world cup level in the United States. Also entered are the very popular and talented Wilson sisters from Hikurangi. The world cup round on Sunday will see series victor Steiner (Tauranga), Beatson, Laurie, Hansen and McNaught-McFarlane go head-to-head with former series final winner Bernard Denton (Feilding), and sisters Vicki and Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi).
The series is run over six shows, with the best three results to count for each rider. The series winner will represent New Zealand at the world final in Las Vegas in April.
Saturday's Grand Prix Gala Evening's APL Grand Prix Classic is followed by the Waikato Hospice Rainbow Place Celebrity Ride and Drive class - featuring world leading rowers Eric Murray and Hamish Bond as well as top jockey Lance O'Sullivan, among others.
In a real coup for event organisers Showjumping Waikato, Germany's Frank Rothenberger, who has designed courses at Olympics, world champs and other top events, will challenge the nation's best at the three day show which starts today at the Mystery Creek Events Centre.
