Horse trials: Georgia has home on mind

The country's best young riders will converge on Rotorua's A&P; Showgrounds this weekend for the New Zealand Young and Junior Rider Horse Trials Championships.

Ten riders will compete for the young rider (under-21) national title while 18 will contest the junior rider (under-18) class, including Rotorua's Georgia Dufty and her horse Charlton Tabloid.

Dufty, 18, lives just five minutes from the showgrounds and has competed there many times. However, she's not sure if that gives her a home advantage.

"I'll probably be more comfortable being at home but with horses you just never know," she said.

The first-year teaching student - who chose to study at Waiariki to stay with her horses - sits 16th in the Eventing New Zealand junior rider series. She said she hadn't competed in many events in the series as Charlton Tabloid only recently moved up to the class.

She is hoping to pick up some points this weekend and, all going well, challenge for the national title.

"The competition is usually really tough but the horse is going really well," she said.

Dufty's chances may be helped slightly by the absence of two of the series' top three riders - South Islanders who are not making the journey north.

Bay of Plenty Eventing secretary Raewyn Lawrence said the junior event was a strong class and Dufty was one of the contenders. "She is a good, capable rider," she said.

More than 300 riders will compete at the showgrounds over the two days in a range of classes.

Ms Lawrence said a lot of work had been done at the venue in preparation for the event, which is being hosted by Bay of Plenty for the first time.

In the young rider class, defending champions Jessica Woods and Too Predictable (Ohaupo) are out to make it two national titles in a row, but will have tough competition in Ashleigh McKinstry and her part-bred Kaimanawa horse Pioneer Makokomiko (Taumaranui).

The national selectors will be watching with a view to naming their team to defend the young rider trans-Tasman challenge at the South Island three-day event in Christchurch in April.

Dressage and showjumping takes place on Saturday at the showgrounds at Ngongotaha. The cross-country is on Sunday and runs over the adjacent Ngati Whakaue tribal lands, starting and finishing at the showgrounds. Entry is free.