EQUESTRIAN - North rider takes minor placings

Hukerenui's Vicki Wilson had to settle for the minor placings in the major event at the Northland area two-star showjumping event at Barge Park yesterday.
Wilson was one of the favourites in the most prestigious event - the 1.5m Two Star Horse Grand Prix - with three horses entered in the event but she had to settle for second and third places behind Rachael McGregor, of Dairy Flat.
McGregor, riding Premium Kabo Benny Boy, won the title after she went clear in the jump-off after she was tied with two of Wilson's horses on eight faults after the initial round of competition.
Wilson's mounts Zulu and Wurlitzer went through to the jump-off but Zulu picked up one rail to finish second while Wurlitzer was eventually retired from the jump-off but still finished third overall.
McGregor led the first round of the competition with the quickest time of 95.44 seconds but had to hold her nerve in the shortened jump-off, held over six fences.
Benny Boy once again finished with a slightly faster time than both of Wilson's mounts - but most importantly went clear.
The event was marred by the heavy fall of Aucklander Carissa MacCall, whose horse ploughed into a jump sending her flying metres through the air before she hit the ground. The fall knocked her out and when she regained consciousness she was unable to be moved until an ambulance arrived.
The round was delayed for 40 minutes and two riders had to wait to complete the first round, before the jump-off could take place.
Wilson also finished in fifth place riding the Mary Thorburn-owned horse With Ease, while another Northlander, Jasmine Sketchley, finished sixth.
There were 60 individual class champions over the two-day event, with Northlanders cleaning up in the national competition, the Young Rider Series.
Wilson took out the most points towards the national title, with Sketchley second, but Nadine McFadzien finished third and another local rider Samantha Peters was fourth.
Northland riders were also well represented in the Junior Rider Series for under-18 riders, with Paparoa's Laura Dempster taking out the title.
Three Auckland riders - Lydia Randall, Robyn Bevis and Ryan Lim - took out the minor placings but Towai's Carla Frost was fifth and Daniel McBeth sixth.
The result rounded out a good weekend for Dempster after she placed second in the Horse Derby on Saturday evening.
The derby is set around a slightly larger show jumping arena with a couple of cross jumps thrown into the mix and is one of the more light-hearted events in the more serious showjumping discipline.
Towai's Rochelle Frost won the horse derby event on Mizprint.