Early test lead to NZ

PERFECTLY POSITIONED: Cambridge rider Michaela Kennedy, whose grandmother Pam Schultz lives in Gisborne, and Smoken Up show the form that earned second place in the Ngahiwi Sport Horses open horse 1.15-metre class for horses over seven years old.Picture by Diana Dobson/The Black Balloon

New Zealand took the early lead in the Trans-Tasman Young Rider Test on the opening day of the Larsen Sawmilling Gisborne Showjumping Championships Premier Show.

The Kiwis — Lucinda Askin (Ashburton), Matt Irvine (Takapau), Nakeysha Lammers (Taranaki) and Oliver Croucher (Rotorua) — picked up bonus points in both rounds, thanks to three clears in each, to sit on seven points.

Australia — Jamie Priestley, Jessie Rice-Ward, Madeline Sinderberry and Jessica Tripp — picked up a single bonus point for their efforts to finish the day on four points.

New Zealand chef d’equipe and trainer John Cottle won the toss yesterday and opted to let the visitors go first.

The competition continues today and tomorrow with two rounds each day. All riders are aboard borrowed horses, with the pools being switched throughout.

It was a great first day of competition at the premier show. Course designer John Vallance, of Australia, tested riders in Ring 1, with some exciting jump-offs.

Local riders were on fire. Fraser Tombleson and his home-bred horse Mea I took out the open horse 1.4-metre class.

Sinead Dolman will be happy after Day 1 of the show with a win in the open horse on Kiwi Lansing, a fourth in the open horse 1.15m for horses over seven years old on Ngahiwi Prince and a fifth in the open horse 1.1m on the same horse.

Amelia Paull found good form in the show hunter classes. She was second in the Horse-of-the-Year-qualifying pony 70-centimetre, with Pine Hollow Alpha Gold, and on Pine Hollow MJK Swiper she was second in the ESNZ pony rider equitation 80cm, fifth in the HOYQ pony 80cm and sixth in the HOYQ pony 80cm (with points restriction), HOYQ pony 90cm and open pony high points 80cm.

Jessica McCann and her horses Kaycee Montego Bay and Last Spring did well in both showjumping and show hunter classes.

ResultsShowjumping

Trans-Tasman Young Rider Test: New Zealand 7 points, Australia 4.

Open horse 1.2m — horses seven years and under: Leeshelle Small (Auckland) AMS Mr Muscles 1, Julie Davey (Hastings) JD Ruby 2, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Henton Exchequer 3, Emelia Forsyth (Auckland) Henton Serenade 4, Shelagh Nolan (Gisborne) Ngahiwi Eyeza Blue 5, Oliver Croucher (Rotorua) Cirrius GNZ 6.

Open horse 1.2m — horses over seven years old: Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Maddox Kiwi Silverkee 1, Brooke Hawthorne (Cambridge) Sole Low 2, Leeshelle Small (Auckland) AMS Ajaccio NZPH 3, Karen Riddle (Rotorua) LC Talent 4, Karen Riddle (Rotorua) LC Telepathy 5, Rebecca Porter (Napier) Mr Harrison 6.

Open horse 1.3m: Sinead Dolman (Gisborne) Kiwi Lansing 1, Matt Irvine (Takapau) Wall Street III 2, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) AP Ninja 3, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Dicavalli Don Quattro 4, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Madam Coco 5, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Kapattack 6.

Open pony 1.15-1.2m: Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Maddox Fun House 1, Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) Redcliffs Bill 2, Brooke Hawthorne (Cambridge) Easy As 3, Brett Horsburgh (Cambridge) Showtym Endeavour 4, Tyla Hackett (Waiuku) The Dreamer 5.

Open horse 1.4m: Fraser Tombleson (Gisborne) Mea I 1, Leeshelle Small (Auckland) Pasir Ris 88 2, Jasmine Sketchley (Whangarei) Bravado Ego Z 3, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) Belischi HM 4, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Banderas C 5, Danielle Maurer (Kaukapakapa) Dicavalli Don Quattro 6.

Open pony 1.1m: Grace Stevenson (Hastings) Tallyho Reuben James 1, Skye Edwards (Opotiki) My Heekin Special 2, Phoebe Williams (Gisborne) Mr Ernesto 3, Michaela Kennedy (Cambridge) Kala Bella 4.

Open horse 1.1m: Lucy Win-Hewetson (Gisborne) Karakia 1, Brett Horsburgh (Cambridge) Atlantis NZPH 2, Graeme Isaacson (Waipukurau) Pokere 3, Jennifer Roe (Ngongotaha) Kingcroft Flynn 4, Sinead Dolman (Gisborne) Ngahiwi Prince 5, Niamh West (Auckland) Ballytruckle Riley 6.

Open horse 1.15m — horses over seven years old: Deanna Horsburgh (Cambridge) Ngahiwi Possum 1, Michaela Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up 2, Lucy Win-Hewetson (Gisborne) Karakia 3, Sinead Dolman (Gisborne) Ngahiwi Prince 4, Oliver Croucher (Rotorua) Twinkle 5, Robbie McKay (Opotiki) Three Oh Eight 6.

Medal class for horses, 1.15m — riders not competing in pony medal C: Shelley Ross (Helensville) Untouchable 1, Georgina Forsyth (Auckland) Joia Hara 2, Dylan Bibby (Ongaonga) Whistler II 3, Georgia Ross (Manukau) Marokopa Toku Moe 4, Brianna Donlon (Rotorua) Weiti Drama 5.

Introductory pony A1 70cm: Abbie Garwood (Rotorua) Letti, Angus Prenter (Havelock North) Harley Farley, Brooke McEwan (Ngatapa) Ahi, Aleisha Bradly (Whakatane) Paint by Numbers II, Sophie Petro (Gisborne) Wainui Soda Pops, Jessica Moore (Rotorua) RHL Talk of the Town, Katelyn Peterson (Whakatane) My Sweet Nevaeh, Ella Rouse (Gisborne) Ruby Tunes, Oliver Bevitt (Ngatapa) Hot Ice, Laura White (Masterton) Hot and Frosted, Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Kaycee Montego Bay, and Kavahn Matenga (Ngatapa) Mr Monochrome equal 1.

Introductory pony 80cm: Jessica Moore (Rotorua) RHL Talk of the Town, Sophie Petro (Gisborne) Wainui Soda Pops, Aleisha Bradly (Whakatane) Paint by Numbers II, Kavahn Matenga (Ngatapa) Mr Monochrome, Willow Barker (Dannevirke) Boy, Katelyn Peterson (Whakatane) My Sweet Nevaeh, Angus Prenter (Havelock North) Harley Farley, Jaime De Costa (Gisborne) Simply Sassy, Ella Rouse (Gisborne) Ruby Tunes, Rachael McLanachan (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow Bucket List, Chloe Browne (Ohaupo) Venus, and Monica McConnell (Tauranga) Dakota equal 1.

Open pony 95cm: Hannah Wallbank (Te Karaka) Splash of Panache, Paige Green (Reporoa) Magic Mojo, and Willow Barker (Dannevirke) Boy equal 1.

Open pony 1m: Paige Green (Reporoa) Magic Mojo, Aleisha Bradly (Whakatane) Pigs Can Fly, Skye Edwards (Opotiki) My Heekin Special, Phoebe Williams (Gisborne) Mr Ernesto, Dylan Bibby (Ongaonga) My Funky Monkey, Abigayle Martin (Rotorua) Jubille Bittermint, Lilly Green (Reporoa) Bush Gold, and Phoebe Howson (Napier) Aorangi Ragtime equal 1.

Show hunters

HOYQ pony 80cm — restricted to 30 points or less on current sticker C: Annabel Kerr (Hastings) Wembleybrook Liberty 1, Kitty White (Masterton) Tallyho Beethoven 2, Pia White (Masterton) Lipnicki 3, Skye Edwards (Opotiki) My Heekin Special 4, Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Last Spring 5, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow MJK Swiper 6.

HOYQ pony 80cm C: Kitty White (Masterton) Tallyho Beethoven 1, Pia White (Masterton) Lipnicki 2, Annabel Kerr (Hastings) Wembleybrook Liberty Fair 3, Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Last Spring 4, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow MJK Swiper 5.

ESNZ Pony Rider Equitation 80cm: Kitty White (Masterton) Tallyho Beethoven 1, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow MJK Swiper 2, Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Last Spring 3,

HOYQ pony 90cm C: Kitty White (Masterton) Tallyho Beethoven 1, Dylan Bibby (Ongaonga) Daisy Patch 2, Pia White (Masterton) Lipnicki 3, Annabel Kerr (Hastings) Wembleybrook Liberty Fair 4, Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Last Spring 5, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow MJK Swiper 6.

Open pony high points 80cm C: Kitty White (Masterton) Tallyho Beethoven 1, Dylan Bibby (Ongaonga) Daisy Patch 2, Annabel Kerr (Hastings) Wembleybrook Liberty Fair 3, Pia White (Masterton) Lipnicki 4, Skye Edwards (Opotiki) My Heekin Special 5, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow MJK Swiper 6.

HOYQ pony 70cm — restricted to 30 points or less on current sticker: Janey Pease (Piopio) Pied Piper 1, Amelia Paull (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow Alpha Gold 2, Harriet Savage (Te Karaka) Bold as Brass 3, Brooke McEwan (Ngatapa) Ahi 4, Lucy Browne (Ohaupo) Awhero Awatea Idaho 5, Katelyn Peterson (Whakatane) My Sweet Nevaeh, and Janey Pease (Piopio) Barney Rubble equal 6.

HOYQ pony 70cm B: Janey Pease (Piopio) Pied Piper 1, Rachael McLanachan (Te Karaka) Pine Hollow Bucket List 2, Katelyn Peterson (Whakatane) My Sweet Nevaeh 3, Lucy Browne (Ohaupo) Awhero Awatea Idaho 4, Ella Rouse (Gisborne) Ruby Tunes 5, Brooke McEwan (Ngatapa) Ahi 6.