Equestrian: Gordon grabs super league lead

Simon Gordon and Fletch.com were rewarded for their consistency after they placed second in the CIC3* class at the Kihikihi Horse Trials.

Following their win in the title class at the Horse of the Year, the combination moved from third place in the Bell Tea Super League to take the lead, ahead of Ashleigh McKinstry and Pioneer Makokomiko, who did not add to their points total at the weekend after parting company on the crosscountry.

Donna Smith on Tim and Sarah Varley's Just Chocolate and Bryce Newman on Fay McSweeney's Bates Trademark, neither of whom started at Kihikihi, hold third and fourth place, while Dannie Lodder, who had the biggest win of her career on Petra Eatson's Moochi, has moved into fifth place a mere 0.5 of a point behind Newman.

Waipukurau's Monica Oakley and Fontain, fifth at Kihikihi, drop one place to sixth in the series, while Smith moves into seventh with Balmoral Tangolooma.

The next event in the super league is the CIC3* (short format) at the South Island Three-day Event in Christchurch from April 18-21, followed by the advanced class at Woodhill Sands (Helensville) on April 27-28.

The New Zealand Transtasman team will be entitled to earn super league points at the Sydney CCI3* (long format), worth double points, that same weekend. The team named today is Gordon with Fletch.com, Newman with Bates Trademark, Smith with either Just Chocolate or Balmoral Tangoloom, and Melbourne-based Joe Waldron with Springvale All Black.

Dannie Lodder was named non-travelling reserve with Moochi.

Standings : Simon Gordon (Karaka), Fletch.com, 214 pts; Ashleigh McKinstry (Taumaranui), Pioneer Makokomiko, 205.5; Donna Smith (Te Kauwhata), Just Chocolate, 188; Bryce Newman (Bulls), Bates Trademark, 101.5; Dannie Lodder (Auckland), Moochi, 101; Monica Oakley (Waipukurau), Fontain, 93; Donna Smith, Balmoral Tangoloom, 85.5.