Relocation pays off in placings for several Gisborne showjumpers

Up and over: Sam Brooks and his pony The Tontonator clear a jump. They have had several first placings in recent North Island competition. Picture by Clare Brooks

Several Gisborne showjumpers have been out and about over the past couple of months making the most of the shows that have been on offer. They have been different this year as organisers did their best to adhere to Covid restrictions.

Larina Dolman and her three-horse team relocated to Feilding for six weeks to be closer to competition and were rewarded for their efforts.

The star of her stable, Kiwi Lansing, performed consistently. Dolman and Lansing were placed third in the Pro Am class at the Wanganui A&P Show, first in the Pro Am at the Central Districts Show Jumping and Show Hunter Championships, second at the Taranaki Spring Jumping Show, first at the Feilding Show and first at the National Young Horse Jumping Championships held in Hawke's Bay.

Dolman also had success with The Boss (owned by Fraser and Warwick Tombleson), picking up first-equal placings in the five-year-old series and placing fourth-equal in the five-year-old class at the Young Horse Show.

With Floriant DHU, Dolman was fourth in the 1.30-metre class at the Young Horse Show.

Several other Gisborne riders had success at the Young Horse Championships. Caroline Coop and Central City were first-equal in the five-year-old showjumping qualifier, first in the 1m show hunter and third in the five-year-old show hunter championship. Lidy Loffler and Parafino were third in the amateur rider class and Cindy Kershaw was third in the open high point 1.10m show hunter on Kiwi Vision.

Jess McCann had a fantastic start to 2022. She and her pony Lay Z Lad competed in their first pony grand prix at the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay Show Jumping and Show Hunter Championships and finished fourth.

At the Feilding Show, she and her other mount, Kabo Fortune Cookie, were first in the horse 1.15m showjumping.

Sam Brooks has been having a successful time with his pony The Tontonator. At the Tauranga Show Jumping he was second in the 80-centimetre showjumping and first in the 90cm.

At Feilding he was second in the 75cm showjumping, fourth in the Category C show hunter high points and fifth in the Category C Horse of the Year qualifier.

At the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay Show Jumping and Show Hunter Championships, he was fifth in the Category C show hunter high points, first in the 90cm showjumping and first-equal in three 80cm showjumping classes.

Ella Rouse, with Ruby Tunes, was placed in several of her Category B show hunter classes at the Wanganui A&P Show and at the Central Districts Show Jumping and Show Hunter Championships.

With MJK Isle of Skye, she won the pony 1m showjumping at the Wanganui A&P Show.

Molly McEwan made the trip to the Feilding Show worthwhile. With Buffalo Man, she was second in the Category A show hunter 70cm, third in the Category A high points, fifth in the 12-years-and-under equitation and third in the Category A champion pony hunter.

With Galaxy Firefly, she was third in the Category B 70cm.

The Wairoa Show has been cancelled, so riders' attention turns to the Larsen Sawmilling Show Jumping and Show Hunter Championships in Gisborne on January 21, 22 and 23.