It is Tauranga equestrian's showpiece, the biggest day of the year when the top riders and horses set out to prove who can go highest and fastest _ only Gerrit Beker, one of New Zealand's leading course designers, isn't there to enjoy the ride.
Beker, a Tauranga civil engineer, has been an integral part of Tauranga-hosted World Cup showjumping qualifying events.
Riders from all over New Zealand are in Tauranga for the competition, with Sunday's World Cup round the highlight and one of five held to determine who will represent New Zealand in the World Cup final in Kuala Lumpur in April.
Beker, 54, should have been at the Tauranga racecourse arena all week building the jumps and laying out a technically demanding course.
But he is in Germany, having been awarded a scholarship by Equestrian Sports New Zealand to attend a course designer's course in Aachen.
Cambridge's Trevor Gregory has designed this weekend's Ring 1 arena in Beker's absence.
Aachen is an intensive course run by the top designers in the world at the ``home of equestrian'', which also hosts one of the few five-star international showjumping events.
Thirty designers from 25 countries are at Aachen and Beker, if successful, will be an accredited international course designer with the FEI (International Equestrian Federation).
He said the opportunity, which he applied for six months ago, was too good to pass up.
"It is a bit ironic and unfortunate I suppose, that I'll be away when the biggest event on the local programme comes to town, but this course will be a highlight and very rewarding."
Beker's love of equestrian was sparked as a child growing up in Holland and, apart from 10 years spent in Africa, he has always ridden.
He and wife Jenny emigrated from Holland via South Africa almost 20 years ago and Beker's first real taste of course design came when sons Robert and Mark started riding at the Otumoetai/Te Puna Pony club.
"It rekindled my interest and, because we were following the children around with their riding, if I was asked to build I would."
Beker's interest in showjump arena design burgeoned and, when he sons left home, he continued to lay out and build quality courses, a speciality that has seen him in demand around New Zealand and Australia. Beker said designing a good course involved more than pulling stands and rails out of storage and putting them together.
"There's a lot of planning and thought goes into it before a show, especially one like Tauranga where there's several arenas and many different classes. You set up your base tracks and make adaptations from there, although never too many changes."
Beker, who lies awake at night mulling over new ideas, said the safety of horse and rider was paramount.
"The most rewarding aspect is the feedback from riders and officials."
Beker leaps at German course
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