Royal Show draws Gisborne riders

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A CONTINGENT of Gisborne riders travelled to Hawke’s Bay last week for the Royal A&P Show of New Zealand and had a successful time.

For some it was their first show out of the district.

In the lead rein class, Rose Webster and Gundagai Moolabulla won several prizes — third in best presented, third in pony suitable for a beginner, fifth in novice pony, sixth in open pony, sixth in novice paced and mannered, and sixth in best rider.

Amelia Samuel, on Pine Hollow Going for Gold, competing in the first year ridden classes, came third in novice pony and sixth in the open pony, paced and mannered, and best rider.

Jessica McCann, on Last Spring, came third and fifth in showjumping. With Kaycee Montego Bay in the show hunters, she came second, third and fourth in the high points and in the saddle hunter, third in novice pony, third in novice paced and mannered, and fourth in open saddle hunter.

Kimberly McMillan, on Tahi Aroha, placed fourth in the novice saddle hunter pony under 148 centimetres. Kimberly placed fourth in the best novice junior rider 16 years and under.

This is Kimberly’s first season of competing at shows, and Tahi is her first pony. A year ago Tahi had never attended any events.

Amelia Paull, on Platinum Play Boy, was second and third in showjumping; second in ESNZ Pony Equitation; and third, sixth and seventh in show hunters. On Classy Lady, Amelia was fourth in 1.15-metre showjumping, eighth in FEI World Challenge, second in 1.15m show hunter, third in show hunter high points 1.10m, third in ESNZ junior high points, and sixth in ESNZ junior rider equitation.

Milly Dever and Bridie, from Wairoa, had a great show. They won the open pony working hunter, champion working pony hunter, open pony hunter and champion pony hunter, and were third in pony hunter and third in rider over jumps.

Sage Harding and Sock It were first and third in the show hunters and first in ESNZ junior rider equitation.

Lidy Loffler and Graceful were fifth in the 1m event.

Lisa Walker, on Mistaken Identity, came second and fourth in the open hunters, fourth in the amateur high points, and fourth and fifth in showjumping. With Miss Serendipity, she was second in the Caledonian amateur, second in the novice working hunter 0-3 wins, second in the novice working hunter 0-5 wins, and second in the middleweight working hunter.

Anna Harris had success in the golden horse classes, winning for the best presented, the adult male and the champion adult golden horse. In the riding horse classes, she was second in the novice paced and mannered, second in the open paced and mannered, fourth in the best presented, fourth in the ladies’ riding horse, and fourth in the senior rider.

Tess Clark, on Sinatra, came seventh in the Grand Prix, which is the first round of the World Cup for this season. She had eight faults in the first round and jumped clear in the second round. The pair picked up six World Cup points.

Tess also rode Merran Hain’s Untouchable to first place in the open working hunter, first in the open wire and brush, and champion working saddle hunter and champion open round the ring.

Leading the points in the Bernina Sewing Centre Showjumping Leaderboard horse section are Sinead Dolman with Kiwi Lansing and Fraser Tombleson with Mea I in equal first place on 21 points. Caroline Richardson is next, on 20 points.

In the pony section, Hannah Wallbank and her ponies Ahi and Splash of Panache are first-equal on 11 points. Harriet Savage with Bold as Brass and Millie Dever with My Geronimo come next, tied on 10 points.

In the LP Show Hunter series, Caroline Coop and Pro Fumo are leading, with 16 points. Lydia Edginton is coming second with 11.

The EJ Gordon Livestock Series for horses is led by Merran Hain and Untouchable on 22 points. Caroline Coop with Budgie and Sinead Dolman with Floriant DHU are coming second-equal on 10.

In the EJ Gordon Livestock Series for ponies, Isabel Bevitt and Wheres Wally are first on 18 points, with Lily Beaufoy and Glenbrook Barney second on 12 points.

Sandra Faulkner and Merchiston Barnaby were first in the open riding horse over 163cm, second in the open gentlemen’s riding horse and fourth in the novice riding horse.