Eventing: Convincing win for Olympian Johnstone

Olympic Games eventer Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation delivered a class act at the Arran Station Horse Trials during the weekend, winning the Red Snap'r CIC3* class by 20 points.

Much is expected of New Zealand's top eventing combination at last year's Rio Olympics and they didn't disappoint at the Takapau-hosted Central and Southern Hawke's Bay trials which attracted more than 200 riders and horses. Matangi's Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation, who boasts the nickname Ritchie, won the class in 2015.

"It was the perfect final run before we go to Adelaide," Johnstone said.

They placed third at Adelaide in 2015 before going to England where they were fifth at Badminton and subsequently named in the New Zealand Olympic team. He will be hoping to win at Adelaide next month.

Te Puke's Abby Lawrence was thrilled to take second place with Charlton Yamani, having his first 3* start, improving from sixth after the dressage and holding that place overnight despite a showjumping rail down and three time penalties. They added 17.2 cross-country time penalties for a final score of 77.4 penalties.

Matangi's Samantha Felton, third on Ricker Ridge Rui, added 12 cross-country and five showjumping time penalties to their ninth placed dressage score to finish on 80.9 penalties, while Kaukapakapa's Virginia Thompson, fourth on Adelaide bound Star Nouveau, incurred 12.4 cross-country time penalties, and had two showjumping rails down plus a time penalty to add to their eighth placed dressage penalties for a final score of 84.3.

The Silver Fern Farms property was in magnificent order, and the weather held until after the main class, but Chris Ross's cross-country course caused plenty of problems, with only five of the 13 starters completing clear rounds, and none of them inside the time. There were 10 completions, with two electing to retire, and one eliminated for a fall.

The outstanding win puts Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation at the top of the ESNZ Eventing Super League, with the winner of the first leg, Donna Edwards-Smith on DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, not competing. Felton has moved into second place with Ricker Ridge Rui having added completion points from the first leg at Taupo to her Takapau placing.

Felton had a good weekend, as she won the Oaklane Stables CIC2* class with Ricker Ridge Pico Boo, her Oceania team horse having an easy run before also going to Adelaide. She led from go to whoa, adding 7.2 time penalties to her dressage score of 41.3 penalties for a final score of 48.5.

South Islanders Larissa Srhoy on Rockquest and Lydia Truesdale on Allander Rocket finished second and third respectively, making their long trip worthwhile. They improved from 12th and 17th respectively after the dressage with two of the fastest cross-country rounds, incurring 4.4 and 3.6 time penalties for final scores of 60.6 and 62.7 penalties.

Northland's former world and Olympic chamion Blyth Tait was second overnight on his former international horse Xanthus III, who was "semi-retired" to New Zealand early this year to live with Tait's former groom Fiona Fraser. She prepared him for Tait to ride, and despite only being back in the country for a week, he looked like the champion he is until Xanthus ran out at a big brush corner combination near the end of the course.

They completed without further problems.

"He was a bit cheeky today, asserting his own creative input. He needed the run to get back into the swing of things, but I wasn't really surprised as that's his party trick!," Tait said afterwards.

Tait was undoubtedly the star of the show, always smiling, and thoroughly enjoying himself.

ESNZ Evening Standings after two legs:
Clarke Johnstone, Matangi, Balmoral Sensation, 38 pts; Samantha Felton, Matangi, Ricker Ridge Rui, 34 pts; Donna Edwards-Smith, Te Kauwhata, DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, 32 pts; Andy Daines, Spring Panorama, 30 pts; Abby Lawrence, Te Puke, Charlton Yamani, 30 pts; Virginia Thompson, Kaukapakapa, Star Nouveau, 24 pts.