Constantine rises to occasion

Martinborough horsewoman Anna Stephen was delighted with the form of her star show jumper Constantine at the New Zealand Horse of the Year Show at Hastings last week.

Constantine's major placings were a win in the 1.30m jump and fourth in the New Zealand Speed Series, proving yet again that the bigger the occasion the better the 11-year-old tends to perform.

"He loves the Horse of the Year ... the atmosphere, everything about it," Stephen said.

A past winner of the Speed Series title on two occasions, this year's assignment was something different for Constantine as it was the first time he had competed under lights and at the relatively late time of 9.30pm.

"He can be a bit spooky at times so I didn't quite know what to expect but he handled it like it had been doing it all his life. I was just so rapt in him," Stephen said.

Speed series racing is, as the name suggests, all about completing a course in the quickest possible time while jumping clearly as well and Stephen said it suited Constantine's temperament, and that of his rider too.

"It's serious but it's good fun too, you go as hard as you can and take a few calculated risks along the way. And if you take a rail or two down so be it."

At the same time, however, Stephen said it would be wrong to regard Constantine as nothing more than a speed demon. He is also a proficient performer in the more circumspect show jumping events; a point proved by his second placing in the New Zealand Grand Prix last year. Currently, he competes at two-star level but Stephen is now giving serious thought to stepping him up to three star where the fences are bigger and the competition more formidable.

"He's only small as show jumpers go so the bigger the fences the more it takes out of him but he's so game I think he'll be OK."

While Constantine is clearly the headline act, Stephen has a number of promising youngsters in her 11-strong team although it could be a season or two before they start making a decent impact.

"A lot of them are still babies but there's quite a few showing promise, fingers crossed they'll go on with it."

Stephen was by no means the only Wairarapa entrant to place highly at the Horse of the Year with other features being the wins of Nicki Booth of Masterton on Ngahiwi Emillionaire in the 6-year-old show jumping championship and Sarah Dalziell of Masterton on Benrose Super Star in the eventing novice championship; a class in which Natasha Edwards of Featherston placed third on Runner Bean.

Notified results for Wairarapa competitors are:

Show Jumping

Horse 1.30m: Anna Stephen (Martinborough) on Constantine 1.

Horse 1.10m: Henry Booth (Masterton) on Getmshorty 4.

Pony 1.20m: Morgan Percy (Masterton) on Surprise Illusion 3.

Junior Rider: Henry Booth (Masterton) on Getmshorty 4.

Saba Sam Shield: Morgan Percy (Masterton) on Surprise Illusion equal 4.

Horse 1.20m: Henry Booth (Masterton) on Cheltenham equal 5.

Pony Championship Stakes: Morgan Percy (Masterton) on Surprise Illusion equal 4.

Junior Rider of the Year Championship: Jane Warren (Featherston) on Darkages 5.

6-year-old Horse of the Year: Nicki Booth (Masterton) on Ngahiwi Emillionaire 1.

1.00m Pony Championship: Phoebe Tapp (Martinborough) on Lipnicki equal 3.

New Zealand Speed Horse of the Year: Anna Stephen (Martinborough) on Constantine 4.

Eventing

Novice Horse of the Year: Sarah Dalziell (Masterton) on Benrose Super Star 1, Natasha Edwards (Featherston) on Runner Bean 3.

Show ring

Working Hunter-Rider: Henry Booth (Masterton) on Moonwalker 5.

Large Working Hunter Pony of the Year: Henry Booth (Masterton) on Moonwalker 2.

Led showring horse over 148cm: Dana Sutton (Eketahuna) on Volturi 8.

In hand Adult Pony of the Year 4yrs and over: John Brown (Woodville) on Desert Road's Painted Rough 2.

Best presented First Ridden Pony and Rider: Nikiti Lamb (Carterton) on Amberley Falkor 3, Alyssa Fox (Carterton) on Fortification Scuse Me 8.

First Ridden Rider of the Year: Alyssa Fox (Carterton) on Fortification Scuse Me 4, Nikiti Lamb on Amberley Falkor 6.

First Ridden Pony of the Year: Alyssa Fox (Carterton) on Fortification Scuse Me 4.

Debutante Show Hack of the Year over 158cm: Dana Sutton (Eketahuna) on Volturi 8.

Best presented horse and rider over 148cm: Sarah Liardet (Carterton) on Phoenician Galaxy 4.

Paced and mannered Park Hack of the Year over 148cm: Sarah Liardet (Carterton) on Phoenician Galaxy 8.

Supreme Park Hack of the Year: Sarah Liardet (Carterton) on Phoenician Galaxy 5.