COOL CUSTOMER: Clarke Johnstone on Aqua at Arran Station, Takapau, yesterday during dressage. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
COOL CUSTOMER: Clarke Johnstone on Aqua at Arran Station, Takapau, yesterday during dressage. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
HAVING had his late entry accepted, Clarke Johnstone and his special horse Balmoral Sensation demonstrated why they are the only New Zealand-based combination in the high performance eventing squad, winning the National Eventing Championship at Takapau yesterday by a huge margin, in preparation for his trip to Adelaide for theAustralian CCI4* next month.
Johnstone, from Matangi, came to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) event to do the dressage phase only but found the ground conditions at the venue, the Silver Fern Farms property Arran Station, so good he sought and was granted permission to compete in the Red Snap'r CIC3* class for the Forest Gate Trophy.
They had a healthy lead after the dressage phase, where they scored 39.7 penalties, then produced one of only two clear showjumping rounds to extend their overnight lead, and cruised round the cross-country course without appearing to hurry, but still had the fastest time of the day with 12.4 time penalties, for a final score of 52.1 penalties.
Katharine Van Tuyl, of Woodville, pulled up to second place on Double J Sunshine after being fifth in the dressage and having a fence down in the showjumping to be third overnight. The relatively inexperienced 8-year-old horse, bred by the Jacobs twins at Norsewood, looked impressive across country, finishing with 14 time penalties for a final score of 70.8.
Virginia Thompson, of Kaukapakapa, and Star Nouveau finished third on 74.5, also with a showjumping rail down, incurring 16 time penalties across country, to improve from seventh.
Waipukurau rider Amanda Pottinger was fourth on Just Kidding, having been second after the dressage, but three rails down in the showjumping proved costly, and they added 23.2 crosscountry time penalties to finish with a total of 81.5 penalties.
The Wai teko Trophy for the Bayleys CIC2* title went to Kate Wood and Wolf Whistle II, from Whangarei, while the BEL Group CIC1* title for the Ferndale Salver was won by Bryce Newman, Bulls, on Bates Midnight Blue.
The NRM-sponsored CNC 105 title for the Blyth Tait Tophy went to Simone Kann, Auckland, on Luminous.
