Equestrian: Winning sisters boost North

The three Lammers girls from the Hikurangi swamp were all winners at the national Show Jumping and Show Hunter Series at Barge Park.

Sisters Natasha, Nakeysha and Natalia Lammers all won classes and were at the forefront of a good local effort as Northland riders won 24 of 60 classes at the weekend long event.

Natasha won one of the major classes, the Pro-Amateur Rider Horse Class, riding Pele Star. Her younger sister Nakeysha won the 1.15 Pony Class on Let's Tango and Natalia also had first placing riding Ridgewood Omega.

The sisters also had a number of placings with Nakeysha just missing out on one of the biggest prizes over the weekend - the Northland Pony Grand Prix title - won for the second year in a row by fellow Northlander Tegan Newman on Watch Me Move.

Newman was just three-tenths of a second quicker than Lammers but went clear, with Airborne Magic knocking down one rail trying to record a quick time. Maddison Bult finished third on Mr Black Magic.

As expected the Wilson sisters from Hukerenui also were among the frontrunners in several classes. Vicki Wilson picked up the Showhunter Champion horse title but narrowly missed out on the Horse Grand Prix title.

Wilson sped around the course on Showtym Levado beating the eventual winner, Auckland's Carissa McGregor on Chetterton, by more than five seconds but, unfortunately, she took down a rail and had to settle for second.

Amanda Wilson was second in the Young Rider class. The winner, Rebekah van Tiel from Pukekohe, went clear in 37.59 and Wilson, riding Showtym Viking, was the only other clear rider.

Other local riders to do well were Whangarei's Alannah Jackson riding Diamonds on Ice, who picked up the Ted Hately Memorial Trophy for Sport Horses, with Joy McNeil winning the Amateur Rider on Bella Vie.