Tess Williams and Cadbury. Picture by Paul Rickard
New Zealand drew first blood on the first day of the Trans-Tasman Young Rider clash at the Larsen Sawmilling North Island Jumping and Show Hunter Championships in Gisborne.
All riders are on borrowed horses. The first round ended with the hosts on 12 faults and the visitors on 18, but the second brought more clear rounds, with both teams on zero for their best three combinations and picking up bonus points. New Zealand finished the day with three points and Australia, two.
Chefs d’equipe John Cottle (New Zealand) and Todd Hinde (Australia) were both pleased with the efforts of their young charges and the calibre of horses lent for the competition.
“The second rounds were very good for both teams,” Cottle said.
“They all had a better handle on their horses and did well. This is a great competition. The good thing about team competitions is that they learn to ride under pressure and not just for themselves.”
Hinde echoed those thoughts.
“They’ve got to start young in these team events, to learn as much as they can so that when they get to the second ranks they can ride in a team environment, which is quite different to individual competition.”
Today the teams swap horses and ride two more rounds before the decider tomorrow.
Melody Matheson (Havelock North) and her beautiful Graffiti MH were the victors in the Bayleys Real Estate Gisborne FEI CSI1*.
Sixteen started the class, eight came back for the second round and three of those kept their slates clean.
Matheson’s 45.37-second time was too good for second-placed Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) on Fiber Fresh Veroana, who came home in 45.63s, and Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) on LT Holst Andrea, who stopped the clock at 52.91s.
All three recently featured in the Longines FEI World Cup (NZ series) with Edgecombe winning the final, Burnett-Grant third in the series and Matheson fourth in the final.
But yesterday the glory was all Matheson’s and she was proud of her nine-year-old mare.
“All season we have been going really well in our second rounds,” said the 24-year-old, who said the CSI1* was certainly a goal for the weekend.
“Since the Christmas Classic (in December) she has been feeling so good and jumping well,” Matheson said.
“I thought the time would be tight here so as soon as I landed I turned quickly to make that time.”
Going into the second round, she followed a similar process, aiming to not cover any ground she didn’t need to.
“I was conscious Briar was following me and she’s always dangerous.”
Matheson praised the show.
“The ground is great and everyone has been so welcoming — it is a nice show to come to.”
Tyla Hackett (Waiuku) and The Dreamer made short work of their competition in the Leaderbrand Produce North Island Speed Pony class, finishing more than seven seconds ahead of second-placed Emma Nobel-Campbell (Tuakau), on Whakapirau Cherry Ripe.
Competition was keen in the Leaderbrand Produce North Island Speed Horse class, where Mikayla Herbert (Rotorua) and Snow Storm headed home the 24-strong field with their 61.09-second time.
Bryony Smith (Muriwai) and Ngahiwi Warrior were second in 62.48s, with Megan Schischka (Hibiscus Coast) on the showy Hollywood Wannabe third in 63.2s and Kirsten Worker (Clevedon) on Melanies Choice fourth in 64.59s.
Jakob Pascoe (Amberley) and Waitangi Wifi took the win on the first day of the Bernina Sewing and Crafts FEI Children’s International Classic, which was to continue today. Local rider Jessica McCann and Galaxy Knight placed third in the class.
Results —
Bayleys Real Estate Gisborne FEI CSI1* Open Horse 1.4m: Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Graffiti MH 1; Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 2; Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 3; Tess Williams (Havelock North) Sinatra II 4; Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) AP Ninja 5; Todd Magner (Cambridge) Awatuna Jonesy 6.
Easts Outdoor Work & Leisure New Zealand v Australia Young Rider Test: New Zealand — Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury) BMW Pure Heart (owned by Georgia Bouzaid); Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) Dexter (owned by Mick Gardner); Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) KPH Stowaway (owned by Melissa Strafford); and Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) Casa Lillita (owned by Karen Burnett-Grant) 1. Australia — Lucy Evans, Cormina Obolensky (owned by Karen Burnett-Grant); Cameron Moffatt, Sugarman (owned by Melanie Bridge); Clemency Hughes; All About Fun (owned by Oliver Croucher); and Lucie Aldridge, Sicily (owned by Becky McPhail) 2.
Leaderbrand Produce North Island Speed Pony 1.15m-1.25m: Tyla Hackett (Waiuku) The Dreamer 1; Emma Nobel-Campbell (Tuakau) Whakapirau Cherry Ripe 2; Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) Tallyho Scoundrel 3; Amelia Paull (Gisborne) Envious Edition 4; Dylan Bibby (Ongaonga) Daisy Patch 5; Victoria Mitchell (Kumeu) Showtym Mochachino 6.
Leaderbrand Produce North Island Speed Horse 1.2m-1.3m: Mikayla Herbert (Rotorua) Snow Storm 1; Bryony Smith (Muriwai) Ngahiwi Warrior 2; Megan Schischka (Hibiscus Coast) Hollywood Wannabe 3; Kirsten Worker (Clevedon) Melanies Choice 4; Lucy Olphert (Tauranga) Eve Saint Laurent 5; Donna Atkinson (Te Puke) Dob Em In 6.
Bernina Sewing and Crafts FEI Children’s International Classic 1.1m: Jakob Pascoe (Amberley) Waitangi Wifi 1; Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Tony the Pony 2; Jessica McCann (Gisborne) Galaxy Knight In 3.