Showjumpers in action at Taupō Spring Show

Oliver Croucher on Waitangi Wi Fi jumping in Class 21 Baileys Equissage Horse Grand Prix Series at the Carlene Reid Bayleys Taupō Spring Show. Photo / Cornege Photography

Sugarman is a horse that has really stepped up and shown his class for young show jumper Elmo Jackson, taking out the coveted FEI NZ Category A World Jumping Challenge class at the Carlene Reid Bayleys Taupō Spring Show over the weekend.

Hailing from Paremoremo, north Auckland, it was a dream result early in the season for 19-year-old Jackson, although the first round of the class didn't exactly go to plan, with a gear malfunction.

"He was awesome but we did have a bit of a mishap in the first round, the breastplate snapped, but we managed to get it together in the second round, got a new breastplate and he was on form and jumped the best he ever has," Jackson said.

Thirty horse and rider combinations contested the class, held over two rounds. All riders came back for the second round, going in reverse order of penalties.

With a speedy clear in the first round, Jackson had the advantage of being late to go in the second and decided to give it a crack.

"It was a situation where you either win or lose, so I went all out and hoped for the best and it worked out."

It was a short wait to see if anyone could better him, but Jackson's clear in a time of 47.91s couldn't be beaten and he was thrilled to take out the class.

"There were only five or six riders after me and a few gave it a shot but had unlucky rails. It was brilliant, he's one of those horses that has never been in the limelight, but he's kept improving and this season he's shown he can be in front. It's a great feeling to get a result like that."

Rotorua's Mikayla Herbert and Snow Storm had held the lead, clear and stopping the clock in a time of 50.31s, for much of the second round but had to settle for second, behind Jackson.

Alyvia James and CoDicea posted a double clear in a time of 51.17s for third place, with Emma Gaze and Woodland Bug finishing in fourth, also double clear, in 51.62s.

Christine Cornege and Varekai SL won the prize for Best Presented, also placing eighth in the class.

The FEI NZ World Jumping Challenge comprises three events held at three different shows
throughout the season and Jackson plans to contest the next two as well.

"A big focus is the FEI competition, for Sugarman it's my focus as it's the perfect class for him and then also doing the Young Rider classes and being competitive in them is a goal this season," he said.

The next event will be held at Equidays, Mystery Creek, on October 12 and the final event will be held at the Auckland Area Show, Pukekohe, on November 19.