Open champion Cookie Clarke riding Cinnamon through the water crossing. Photo / Supplied
The recently run inaugural Hawke’s Bay-Manawatū Cowboy Challenge, Dannevirke Challenge, was a huge success with organisers and competitors left buzzing after the event.
The event was held on a property off Top Grass Rd, tucked under the Ruahine Ranges, and competitors came from as far away as Warkworth, Tauranga, Waikato, King Country, Whanganui, Carterton, as well as a number of local riders. Most of the riders camped on the course throughout the two-day competition.
“As a new participant in Cowboy Challenge I felt instantly welcomed and supported by fellow competitors, organisers, and support crews - and it’s just so much fun,” said Joni Reynolds.
The atmosphere of the challenge was summed up with the crowd cheering on every rider, making it a very special occasion.
“Such a fun weekend with my horse and great people,” said Nicola Smyth.
Cowboy Challenge, although being a Western Riding discipline, is quite separate from rodeo and other Western Riding events. Cowboy Challenge is all about a horse and rider going over, through or performing tasks at 13 different obstacles.
The course includes obstacles like a narrow bridge, a seesaw bridge, water crossing, jumps, picking up a mock sheep, and riding over a tarpaulin. The course has to be completed within a given time, any riders finishing over time are deducted points.
Along with the obstacles, a well-trained horse, and riding skills are required to get a horse going backward (sometimes straight, sometimes an L shape), do a side pass, a figure of eight, changing the leading leg of the horse.
It is all about a horse having total trust in its rider, willing to go over or through an obstacle knowing it will not get hurt. All the obstacles are designed for the safety of the rider and the horse.
Natural horsemanship is to the fore, any rider putting uncalled-for pressure on a horse at any stage is significantly penalised, or in some cases disqualified.
The Dannevirke Cowboy Challenge ran all six classes available for a Cowboy Challenge event, Open, Intermediate, Rookie, Youth, Beginner, and Lead Rein. Riders competing in the Open, Intermediate, Rookie, and Youth all competed for points going towards winning a Cowboy Challenge NZ national title.
The event was run by a small team of people covering the Hawke’s Bay-Manawatū region, Victoria Heath, Cookie Clark, Nicola Smyth and Garry Wills, along with huge support from Warren and Ange Scott, and Margie Wills.
The two-day event could not have been run without a ground crew made up of timekeepers, scorers, obstacle re-setters, and people helping to change the course in between classes.
The naturally designed Cowboy Challenge NZ Hi-Point standard course which utilised the typology of the paddock available, flowed really well, making it possible to run two competitors on the course at the same time.
“I was very impressed with the preparation work that each rider had put into their horses, the standard was very high from Open through to Youth,” said Garry Wills.
Adding extra flavour to the two days was a “Cowboy Challenge” menu barbecue put on by Andre, Lisa and Simon
Cowboy Challenge NZ Hi-Points placings were as follows:
■ Open
1 – Cookie Clarke – Cinnamon - (Waipukurau)
2 – Dave Ritchie – Mia - (South Auckland)
3 – Verily Boulton – Chocolate Kiss - (Waikato)
■ Intermediate
1 - Emma Baker – Dream – (Waikato)
2 – Cole Mitchell – Mega Dude – (Waikato)
3 – Rae Ohara – Duraking – (Tauranga)
■ Rookie
1 - Monique Coman – Cash – (Warkworth)
2 – Neil Rutherford – Faith – (Carterton)
3 – Nicola Smyth – Tennessee Whiskey – (Dannevirke)
4 – Emma Green – Holly – (Hawke’s Bay)
5 – Shaun Mitchell – Bo – (Waikato)
6 – Joni Reynolds – The Vicars Pilgrim – (Whanganui)
■ Youth
Georgie Hogan – Polly – (Dannevirke)
The next step for Hawke’s Bay-Manawatū Cowboy Challenge is to officially form a club and work towards running three challenges in the region next season, one at Waipukurau, one at Whanganui and Dannevirke. There will be a meeting on July 29 if anyone is keen to be involved.
Contact Garry Wills on 027 458 7900 for more details.