Equestrian: First test ends in controversy

Aussie Young Riders Sophie Ahmat (left), Gemma Creighton, Mykaela Briggs and Zoe Boulton. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

"Controversey ... almost as big as Aussie cricket's underarm bowling incident in 1981."

That's how the New Zealand Young Riders showjumping team chef d'quipe Richard Sunderland, of Tauranga, described his team's 16-12 loss yesterday in the first of three tests being staged as part of the three-day Xtreme Performance Stallions National Young Horse Jumping Championship at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds in Hastings.

Canterbury's Olivia Robertson, the daughter of former All Black Duncan Robertson, was riding Kiwi Sunday during the second of two rounds when the wind blew a pot plant over. Sunderland said when that incident happened a judge should have rung the bell but because there was no bell Robertson continued riding.

"That incident cost Olivia four penalties in time faults and four penalties proved to be the difference at the end of the test. I was fuming at the time but I've recovered now and I must praise Olivia who was very calm and cool about it all," Sunderland said at the post-test press conference.

"This had made the team more determined for tomorrow ... they're fired up now," Sunderland said.

His Aussie counterpart Guy Creighton, of Queensland, a regular visitor to Hawke's Bay-hosted Horse of the Year Shows over the years, said it was one of those occasions where teams had to accept the judges' decision and move on.

"Tomorrow is another day. We had very good borrowed horses today ... tomorrow could be different," Creighton said.

"If the Kiwis win tomorrow [today] that would set up an exciting Sunday. This is no difference to any other Aussie-Kiwi sporting rivalry ... the competition is fierce but we are still very good friends. In fact, I'm off to have a beer with Richard now," Creighton said.

His daughter, Gemma Creighton, who has competed in New Zealand on numerous occasions, was one of two Aussies to post two clear rounds yesterday. She rode Striking Gladiator.

Western Australia's Sophie Ahmat, riding Bellwood Casanova, was the other. Ahmat, who is on her first visit to Hawke's Bay, said she was surprised at how well the Aussies did.

"All the borrowed horses we had performed well. Tomorrow, we will have different horses and we will have to wait and see how we go," Ahmat said.

Robertson produced a clear for the Kiwis in her first round.

Feilding-based former Hawke's Bay rider Emily Fraser, who won gold at the Youth Olympics in China this year, posted a clear in her second round after recording eight penalties in her first on Outward Bound. Te Awamutu's Melanie Weal, on Tresbon, had a clear second round after recording eight penalties in her first.

The sole Hawke's Bay rider in the Kiwi team, Melody Matheson of Hastings, on Lansbury Grosve, collected four faults in each of her two rounds.

Dannevirke's 1988 Olympian Maurice Beatson, a five-time winner of the JB Olympic Cup at the Horse of the Year Show, was among the best of the Hawke's Bay riders during the first of three days for the individual class competitors. He had three clean sheets after six of his rides.

One was on Turbo Touch in class 2 where there were a total of 11 clears. The other two were on Wishing and Mandalay Cove in class 4.

Claire Wilson on Chuck, Oliver Edgecombe, a nephew of Beatson, on Double J Escape, and Kim Best on Popeye, were the other Bay riders to finish clear in class 2.

There were nine clears in class 4 and they also included Wilson on McMillans Fredrika RE and fellow Bay riders Jesse Linton on Sir JK, Georgia Massie on Larinium LS and Bridget Hansen, a niece of course designer Kevin Hansen, on Ulysses NZPH.

Edgecombe had another clear in class 1 on Edinburgh. Two Bay riders had clears on two different horses in this class.

They were Ash Hart on Kiwi Showtime and Kiwi King and Julie Davey on JD Ruby and Ngahiwi Stone. Davey and Hart were also among seven riders to finish with clears in class 3. They rode CentaRoc and Kiwi Lux. .