A 16-year-old Kuranui College pupil and a miniature horse standing just 91cm tall did themselves proud at the Horse of the Year show in Hastings last week, placing the closest of seconds in the race for the Carriage Horse of the Year crown.
Jaden Field, of Carterton, and his star charge
Eddie were facing formidable opposition from competitors, many of whom were more than three times their age and size, but they came within a point of winning the national title.
What's more they actually gained the most points _ and the ribbons which went with it _ in two of the three disciplines, cones and hazards, and they were placed about midfield in the dressage, which Jaden readily concedes is not Eddie's speciality.
''He doesn't like to stand round showing himself off, he prefers to be out there going as fast as he can.''
Field was ''stoked to bits'' with Eddie's speed and precision in the cones section, which requires competitors to circumvent a cone-laden course without touching them or, even worse, knocking them over.
He was rapt too with Eddie's effort in the hazards section held over a cross-country course involving several ''pretty tricky'' obstacles. There pace and accuracy were of paramount importance not to mention, of course, the ability of Field to make the right judgement calls in situations which arose along the way.
The smoothness of the partnership between driver and horse didn't come easily though. Field and Eddie have worked together for three years now and their latest showing came after ''hours and hours'' of training, most of it done on a neighbouring farm.
''We probably average about one hour of training every day. You have to keep at it to get it right,'' Field said. ''But even then you can never be too confident things will fall into place when you want them to, it's what happens on the day which counts.''
