Showjumping: Katie Laurie in Hawke's Bay for World Cup opener

Katie Laurie has returned from Australia for today's first round in the World Cup series. Photo/File

Six-time winner of the New Zealand leg of showjumping's World Cup Series, Katie Laurie, has returned from Australia for today's opening round at the Hawke's Bay Show in Hastings.

New Zealand's best-performed at a World Cup final with her sixth placing, Laurie, has two horses entered and will join the cream of the country's crop in a series where the overall winner will have the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the World Cup final in Paris next year. She lines up her well performed 12-year-old mare Breeze, as well as Carissa McCall's New Zealand-bred warmblood Esteban MVNZ.

"I was coming back [to visit] and it seemed a good idea to do a show as well," Laurie said.
"Mum, dad and Tash [Brooks] have been keeping Breeze in work but I won't be pushing her if she isn't fit enough. I will just see how she jumps on the first day of the show."

She is expecting Esteban, who she is riding while McCall recovers from injury, to be fit and ready to go. The 10-year-old has had five World Cup starts, with his best effort a second at Taupo with McCall.

It is the first time in seven months former Waikato rider Laurie has been back to New Zealand.

"I am happy to be back but I do love it in Australia, it really feels like home."

Among Hawke's Bay's best hopes in the Bayleys Real Estate-sponsored qualifier will be former series winner and World Cup finalist Maurice Beatson of Dannevirke who has Mandalay Cove and Schimmel Warrior entered. Beatson usually has several horses in the series and is almost always inside the top 10, and often on the podium.

The homebred Mandalay Cove had three World Cup starts last season, while Schimmel Warrior made his debut in 2011 and has been solid ever since.

Rio eventing Olympian Clarke Johnstone of Matangi makes his first foray into World Cups with Quainton Labyrinth. Johnstone was New Zealand's best placed individual at Rio with his sixth place and he's made no secret of his desire to chase similar honours in showjumping.

Karaka's Lily Tootill and Ulysses NZPH, the current holders of the Olympic Cup, will be looking to back up their excellent debut season of 2016-2017 that saw them notch a win, two fifths and a six in their five starts.

Young gun Emily Hayward of Te Awamutu and AP Ninja are back after two starts last year, that saw them place fourth and eighth, as is Tauranga's Samantha Morrison with Biarritz who holds the honour of winning his first-ever World Cup start in Hawke's Bay in the 2015-2016 series. The chestnut is consistent and rarely out of the top 10 from his 12 starts.

There are a number of first-timers lining up - Taupo's Geordie Bull aboard Forest Hill, Tauranga's Lucy Olphert on Eve Saint Laurent, Melody Matheson of Hastings and Graffiti MH, Dannevirke's Robert Steele on LT Holst Bernadette and Waipukurau's Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) aboard LT Holst.

Andrea Olphert will arrive in the Bay on a high after a win in the Grand Prix at the Poverty Bay A&P Show. Bull's Forest Hill may be on debut at this level, but the rider has done the miles before - albeit decades ago.

Steele is not stranger to World Cup level either - he's won the series final and was constantly in the money with the lovely Gospel. Matheson's Graffiti MH is new to the World Cup but the rider has had one previous start in 2014, as is the case with Edgecombe.

Auckland's Daniel Blundell and his former eventer Lavello did a couple of rounds last season, while Leeston's Rose Alfeld and My Super Nova had their first start in October 2015 at the season-opener in Hastings.

Taranaki's Mathew Dickie and Quango did five rounds last season and placed third in the final. Gisborne's Tess Clark and Sinatra II had their first taste of World Cups last season too and managed a fourth at Taupo. Longburn's Lucy Fell and her 19-year-old former racehorse Tinapai did their first World Cup in 2010 and have two wins to their credit. They are often in the top 10.

Whangarei's Samantha Peters and Zabambi did their first World Cup together last season, but the rider has previously competed at this level aboard Likeable NZPH back in 2009.
The New Zealand league has seven qualifiers - Hawke's Bay, Waikato from November 7-12, Hawera from November 17-19, Feilding on December 1 and 2, Taupo from December 14-17, Dannevirke from January 5-7 and the final at Waitemata from January 9-14.

Just the four best rounds will count for each rider. Combinations with no penalties in the first round of two selected FEI World Cup events, can gain their qualifier for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.

Today's round on a course designed by South Islander Roger Laplanche will begin at 3pm.