Wild weather tests riders

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

Gisborne riders made the most of what was on offer in one of the most challenging seasons for equestrian organisers and competitors.

Wild weather forced the cancellation of many shows in the 2022-23 show jumping and show hunter season just ended.

Several Gisborne riders placed well in national series. Ella Rouse was fifth in the Equestrian Sports New Zealand Show Hunter Junior Equitation Series, while Georgie Coop placed sixth in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Show Hunter Group 12-years-and-under Equitation Series.

The Eastern Bay of Plenty Show Jumping and Show Hunter Group hosted a successful event in late March. It was third time lucky for the group — their previous two dates were postponed due to wet weather.

Ella Rouse picked up several placings with Let’s Rumble Bumble in the show jumping. They were third in the 90-centimetre and one-metre jumps.

In the show hunter events they were first in the Aniwell Category C Highpoints, first in the 80cm Category C, second in the Category C 90cm and fourth in the Big on Writing pony equitation.

Iyve Spiers and Ace were first in the pony 1m and 1.10m show jumping and second in the pony mini prix.

Georgia Hulme-Moir and Chica Caliente were second in the pony 1.10m, third in the pony 1m and fourth in the pony 1m.

Maria Atsalis and her pony Nellie were fourth in the Category B introductory pony show hunter 70cm.

Georgie Coop had a successful time with her two ponies.

Riding Gaucho, she was third in the pony 90cm show jumping and with Barney Rubble she was first in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Show Hunter Group 12-years-and-under equitation, first in the 80cm show hunter, first in the Fiber Fresh Category B High Points Show Hunter, first in the 1m show jumping and third in the 1.10m show jumping.

Mollie Douglas and Twiggy were third in the Category B introductory pony show hunter 70cm and third in the Category B 70cm show hunter.

Isobel Bevitt and Fire Bandit were first in the Pony Mini Prix and with Mr Monochrome she was second in the Pony Grand Prix.

Molly McEwan and Wembleybrook Giovanni had a show to remember. They were second in the pony 1m show jumping, second in the pony 90cm show jumping, second in the Category C introductory pony show hunter, third in the Category C 80cm show hunter, first in the Big on Writing Pony Equitation, first in the Category C 90cm and second in the Category C high points show hunter.

They then went to the Tauranga Show Jumping show, where they were first in the pony 1m, and picked up a first and a second in the pony 1.05m events.

Meanwhile, Jess McCann has been competing at the southern end of the North Island with her pony Kabo Fortune Cookie. They were third in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix at the Horowhenua AP&I Show and were fourth in a pony 1.20m class. At the Cartown Central Districts Show they were placed fifth in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix.