Equestrian: Takapau rider's conquest 'equivalent to GP title'

Reegan Tarrant and Skiberren Legacy after her successful nationals, with judges Jo Jefferson (left), of Britain, and Therese Higgins, of Australia, and Kerrin Beatson, of Livamol NZ. Photo / Pip Hume Photography

It's a familiar weekly occurrence for Takapau's Tarrant family in the summer.

Reegan and her mum Val travel out of town for equestrian events while Reegan's brother Randal and his dad Beatle hit the highways bound for speedway events around the country. While there is plenty of sibling rivalry between Reegan and former Hawke's Bay stockcar champion Randal with their respective events there is an equal amount of encouragement for each other, too.

"You better come home with a title," Randal told his 16-year-old sister before she travelled to the four-day New Zealand National Horse and Pony Show which ended in Feilding on Sunday.

The Central Hawke's Bay College Year 12 student delivered. Riding her 11-year-old Skiberren Legacy, Reegan won the Livamol NZ-sponsored Supreme Champion Saddle Hunter Pony over 138cm and up to 148cm National Title Challenge class.

"I've been going to this show off and on for 10 years. It's the second year I've chased this title with this pony," Reegan said.

"This is like a New Zealand Grand Prix title in speedway. There is only better title and that's a Horse of the Year Show one," her father explained outlining its significance.

There were seven combinations in the class which was judged by Britain's Jo Jefferson and Aussie Therese Higgins. Aucklander Kendra Peart-Anderson riding Willowmead Court Jester was second and Hawke's Bay's Brenna Tait on KS Heavenly Rose third.

This weekend, Reegan will travel to the Levin A&P Show with the aim of winning another supreme champion title. It will be one of several shows Reegan attends in the buildup to the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings in March.

"I really want to do well at HOY and get a top six finish," Reegan said.

She has finished ninth in the Saddle Hunter class at HOY in the past and has also finished second in the New Zealand Riding Pony Saddle Hunter class. It will be no surprise if she has a quick chat with her brother before heading west this weekend.

In fact after Reegan's success at the weekend those chats could become a regular occurrence ... just like those mother-daughter and father-son trips away.