Rangiora's Lyndon Morris has lived a lifetime with horses

Horse convener Lyndon Morris (right) chats to fellow Northern (Rangiora) A&P Association committee members Duncan Lundy (left), this year's president, Morris Harris and Jeffrey Miles at a past show. Photo: Shelley Topp

Horses have played a big part in Lyndon Morris' life.

Mr Morris has been the convener of the horse section at the Rangiora Show for three decades, as part of a lifetime of involvement with horses.

''My life has been horses. I'm obsessed with them.

''I had an old book as a kid, which had pictures of different animals and when I turned to the picture of a horse I decided I wanted one of my own.''

In his younger days, Mr Morris rode and competed in show jumping and hunter jumping and he continued to break in and train horses at his property at Whiterock, north of Rangiora.

Both of his daughters are also competing at the Rangiora Show.

''The best thing for girls is getting a pony. It keeps them off the streets and gives them something to do and it keeps their lives straight.

''I've never seen one go bad, but they're not cheap and unfortunately not everyone can afford them.''

Mr Morris said he first joined the Rangiora Show's horse committee 30 years ago and learned the committee chairman was moving to Ashburton.

''I asked him 'who's going to be running the horse committee now' and he looked at me and said 'you are'. I was left standing there staring at him.

''But I've enjoyed it. I look it as another form of community service.''

For this year's show Mr Morris was looking after the hacks and hunters in the main oval, while Brent Snellex was in charge of ponies and pony hunters at the northern end of the showgrounds.

The equestrian schedule has been revamped this year to make it ''more user-friendly'' and the timetable more manageable over the two days, on Friday and Saturday.

There was free entry to the showgrounds on Friday, with horse competitions getting under way at 8am.

The premier competitions will be held on Saturday, including the pony hunter and hack hunter championships and qualified hack hunter events.

There was also a new trophy donated by the Morris family for the champion hunter over-wire jump event.

''The horses jump three wires, one going away and then they swing around the corner and jump the other two coming back,'' Mr Morris said.

''It sounds easy, but clearing all three jumps cleanly, not clipping a wire, can be quite demanding for both horse and rider.''

There were also a number of classes for the different breeds including Clydesdales, warmbloods, Arabs, Connemara, thoroughbreds, cobs, gypsy cobs, pinto, Shetland, Welsh, golden horse and miniature horses, as well as donkeys and mules.

-By David Hill

Central Rural Life