Equestrian: Kumeu rider on wave of success

Kumeu rider Andy Daines, on Spring Panorama, negotiate a water hazard during the first leg of the Eventing Super League at Taupo at the weekend. PHOTO/Barbara Thomson Photography

Andy Daines produced a dashing performance on Spring Panorama to win the first leg of the Eventing Super League at Taupo at the weekend, in their final run before flying to Australia for the Adelaide CCI4* International Horse Trials next month.

The small but classy field of seven starters handled the testing conditions remarkably well, with scores close enough after the dressage to see several changes to the scoreboard following the showjumping on Saturday.

All but one jumped clear across country yesterday despite patches of heavy going.

The two dressage leaders, Donna Edwards-Smith on the diminutive Mr Hokey Pokey and Amanda Pottinger, on the spunky little Just Kidding, who scored 47 and 47.6 penalties, respectively, were less affected by the wet ground than the bigger moving horses, with Campbell Draper lying third on Mr Mancini with 50.8 penalties.

Only two horses produced clear showjumping rounds, both with time penalties, which were the order of the day, only one combination going inside the time.

Mr Hokey Pokey had a rail down and two time penalties to drop to second place behind Just Kidding, who jumped clear but had three time penalties.

Kumeu rider Daines produced the other clear round on Spring Panorama, incurring three time penalties, to improve to third.

These three combinations were all within a few points of each other, so crosscountry time was going to decide the final result.

The big striding thoroughbreds came into their own -- Diane Gilder on her Australian thoroughbred, Your Attorney, producing by far the fastest time for 5.6-time penalties, pulling up from sixth after the dressage and seventh after the showjumping to take second place overall.

Spring Panorama, incurring 17.2-time penalties, had the third fastest round, to take the lead after Just Kidding and Mr Hokey Pokey accumulated 28 and 24.8-time penalties, respectively, while Hokey Pokey hung in for third place.

Campbell Draper filled fourth on Mr Mancini, who had an expensive showjumping round, two rails down and four time penalties, but the second fastest crosscountry round with 15.6-time penalties.

Results, Total Industrial Solutions CIC3*: Andrew Daines (Kumeu), Spring Panorama, 71.7 penalties, 1; Diane Gilder (Matangi), Your Attorney, 75.1, 2; Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata), Mr Hokey Pokey, 77.8, 3; Campbell Draper (Putaruru), Mr Mancini, 78.4, 4; Amanda Pottinger (Havelock North), Just Kidding, 78.6, 5.

Super league standings after first leg: Andrew Daines, Spring Panorama, 42pts; Diane Gilder, Your Attorney, 36; Donna Edwards-Smith, Mr Hokey Pokey, 6; Campbell Draper, Mr Mancini, 6; Amanda Pottinger, Just Kidding, 6.

Virginia Caro