'Horse of a lifetime': Edgecombe wins final, Fitzsimon clinches series

WINNING RIDE: Brooke Edgecombe, on LT Holst Andrea, on her way to winning the FEI World Cup New Zealand League Final yesterday. She finished second in the series won by defending champion, Tegan Fitzsimon. Kampic/Sarah Lord pictures

Tegan Fitzsimon and Brooke Edgecombe showed their class once again as they topped the FEI World Cup New Zealand League in Dannevirke yesterday.

Christchurch rider Fitzsimon, on Windermere Cappuccino, clinched back-to-back series wins by finishing second in yesterday's final to Waipukurau rider Edgecombe, on LT Holst Andrea.

Edgecombe, who won the same event last year, was runner-up to Fitzsimon in the series.

The final and series went down to the wire.

Nine combinations took on the Gary Sinclair-designed course at the Goldengrove Stud Central and Southern Hawke's Bay Showjumping.

Those who completed clear opening rounds each earned a certificate of capability to go towards meeting requirements for the Tokyo Olympics.

Taupo teen Annabel Francis, in her World Cup debut, guided Carado GHP to a stunning clear.

The next clear came from local farmer Logan Massie, on Intellect, followed by clears from the three at the top of the leaderboard — Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) on Fiber Fresh Veroana, Edgecombe on LT Holst Andrea and Fitzsimon.

Joining the clears for the second round was Drew Carson (Putaruru) and Winston V Driene, who picked up four faults on the treble in the opener.

Burnett-Grant and Veroana dropped the last fence to finish on four faults in 57.1 seconds.

Edgecombe nudged a fence or two but kept her slate clear in 66.93s to win the final for the second time on the trot.

Fitzsimon put a rail down at the first but flew around to stop the clock at 56.82s to earn runner-up spot and secure the series — by just two points — for the second consecutive year.

Burnett-Grant were third in the series, replicating her result of last season.

Fitzsimons, 29, said she was proud of her warmblood gelding.

“He is the horse of a lifetime. He felt on form in that first round, so I knew I just had to keep that up. It worked to my advantage having that first fence down as I knew I had to be second if Brooke won, so I just put my foot down.”

The combination were on the podium in four of the five World Cup rounds this season. Two of those were wins.

As series winner, Fitzsimon has the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the world final in Las Vegas in April, but says she will talk more about that when she gets home next week.