Grand Prix stunner

Picture by Paul Rickard

Dreams do come true. Just ask Gisborne teenager Amelia Paull (pictured) who won the Country TV Pony Grand Prix on debut at the Poverty Bay A&P Show on Saturday.

The 15-year-old has only had pony Envious Edition since August and this was only their third show together.

You wouldn’t have known it. They owned the course and, much to the delight of many, triumphed in a nail-biting jump-off against Phoebe Burns (Hastings) aboard the more experienced Galaxy Masterpiece.

Paull was out first and dropped two fences.

It proved enough as Burns knocked down several fences before failing to complete the course.

Paull was lost for words and there were plenty of tears, not just by her, but her proud mum Jacqui and friends.

“It is just awesome,” Paull said. “I wasn’t even sure I wanted to start after walking the course. It just looked so big.”

But the horse had been jumping well, and with a little encouragement from stepsister Lucy Bond, backed up by trainer Andrew Scott, she decided to step up.

The weather was challenging at times, with chilly strong winds and rain squalls, but the riders were vocal in their appreciation of a show well done.