EQUESTRIAN: Sixth-placed Flyers battle

ANENDRA SINGH
It had something to do with the mugs missing the poles, Moose doing a goose step near motorcycle tyres and a train on track for everything but a Kracker result.
The upshot of it all is that Flaxmere Pony Club team didn't come any where near winning the Horse and Pony Magazine Mounted Games zone three finals in Carterton last Sunday.
In fact, the Flaxmere Flyers team of Amy Wiltshire on Moose, Robert Wellwood (captain), on Danny, Amanda Tonge, on Betty, Lauren Dean, on Vanda, Arabella Gregory, on Kracker from the 30-member club finished sixth overall.
The Havelock North Hiltons team of Amie Bentall (captain), on Mauku Hi Interest, Michele Stowe, on Summer Breeze, Ashleigh Forde, on Mauku Crystal, Ashleigh White, on Sea Mist, and Emma Jarden, on Flicker, stole the thunder with a top placing.
To add to Bay clubs' success, Havelock North horses were judged best mannered and Puketapu Panthers took the accolades for turnout.
Twenty teams, including with five from Hawke's Bay, competed against Wairarapa, Wellington, Manawatu, West Coast, Taranaki hopefuls.
However, manager Anna Wellwood told SportToday two riders and three mounts from Flaxmere were making their debut in the games.
Nine-year-old Maraekakaho pupil Wiltshire is the youngest. Lindisfarne College's Wellwood, 12, Hastings Girls' High School's Tongue, 14, and Woodford House's Gregory and Sacred Heart College's Dean, both 16, make up the spread. "Other teams had experienced riders who are up to 20 years old so our girls did very well," Wellwood said.
Boasting accomplished such as Daniel Meech, Travis Morgan and the Carey sisters Carey and Letice, the club proudly claims having five of their members in the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs horseback production.
Last Sunday, the team twice missed getting the mugs on the bending pole and Moose shying away from his mount during the tyre threading exercise, making it hard for the rider to vault back on.
Kracker was too hyped up from the noise earlier on, thanks to the train and the rest is history.
However, Wellwood said despite Flaxmere's lack of consistency they took some satisfaction in beating Havelock in two A finals out of four.