Campbell & Mr Mancini had a comfortable win at Hastings recently.
Campbell & Mr Mancini had a comfortable win at Hastings recently.
The first leg of the year-long Eventing Super League will be staged at the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre near Taupo this weekend.
Dressage and showjumping will be held on Saturday and crosscountry on Sunday. The Total Industrial Solutions CIC3* class has attracted a field of eight, most of whomhad an early season run at Hastings last weekend.
Putaruru's Campbell Draper on Mr Mancini, winners of last year's Equestrian Entries Pro-Am series, had a comfortable win at Hastings, ahead of Matangi's Samantha Felton in second and third place on Ricker Ridge Pico Boo and Ricker Ridge Escada respectively. They then headed home for a few hours sleep before flying out of Auckland for an Australian build up to the Adelaide CCI4* in November.
Matangi's Diane Gilder was fourth with her Australian thoroughbred, Your Attorney, returning from time out because of injury. Waerenga's Donna Edwards-Smith was fifth on the diminutive palomino, DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, who led after the dressage, but cruised carefully around the crosscountry, as most did, collecting a fistful of time penalties.
Hawke's Bay hope Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding, the NRM National Three-day Event titleholders, were eliminated in the dressage phase after a dramatic show of resistance by the horse, who is obviously over-excited to be out competing again. Needless to say much interest will focus on them this weekend as they return to the scene of their big win.
The winner of last year's Super League, Katharine Van Tuyl of Woodville on Double J Sunshine, who was also planning to contest the Adelaide CCI4*, has had to put her plans on hold as "Sunny" has suffered an injury in his preparation, and will not be out this season. However he is young to be competing at this level, so has time on his side, and as Van Tuyl said, "He will be back!"
Kumeu's Andy Daines, is another heading across the Tasman to tackle the Adelaide 4* with Spring Panorama, who he bought as a youngster while working in England. They will be hoping for a good run at Taupo to kick off their campaign. Spring Panorama is by Porter Rhodes (USA) who stood at Seattle Lodge in New Zealand before being sold to stand in Ireland.
