spurs of counties waerenga horse trials

11:17am, Monday 14th of November 2011, by Simone Kann

  

Spurs of Counties Waerenga Horse Trials

www.topnotcheq.com

Highlight building upto the horse trials was Donna and I having races on Mowing the xc track on our yellow ride on’s for all of the divisions, followed closely by Paddy on the tractor.

What a weekend!!! We mostly ran our young ones in the baby classes plus 1 pre novice, 1 novice and an intermediate.

One of the highlights of the weekend for us was our young 4 year old who we have called Henton Balmoral having his first start in the pre Training and finishing 4th. He is by Contendro 1 out of a Distlefink mare. He is owned by Donna and Myself, Diana Smith and Sue Clarke. Also in the Pre Training we had our own and Sue Clarkes Balmoral Nashville in 2nd place, Vicki and Steve Jacks beautifull Mighty Hights mare Trilly having her first start as well in this class . Paddy rode Tracy Smiths 4 year old mare, who has plenty of scope over a fence as well as John and Vicki Lawsons two young 4 year olds Zena and John.

The Training we had Red doing a great dressage then me jumping the wrong fence in the show jumping(yes i had help build it on Thursday)!!!!! Donna rode Cate Wilsons T/B gelding Kaluha who Donna rates quite highly for a canter around with ease. Paddy rode Cara Goodmans Landition as well for an easy canter around.

In the Pre novice Donna rode Danni Lodders stunning Bay gelding Airtime who convincingly led the dressage(In Donnas words “i had so many tools in the dressage but i didnt need them he was schooled to perfection") In a very funny twist Donna had a prolonged look at the water to get a 20.........I dont think Danni had ever had a xc penalty on him!!!!

Sheena and Dermot Ross’s Winston SW also lead the dressage, we didnt run him xc deciding to save him for Richfields. But the great news on this class was Frank Phillips and the consistent partnership of him and Mythy took the win.

The Intermediate feature class wich Balmoral Eventers sponsored was awsome to watch out o

n the xc, we had $1000 up for grabs to the winner of the class plus good prize money to 4th. The class was always going to be won out on the challenging xc, with time hard to get.

The spectators certainly had a lot to see out on the xc with the riders coming at 2 and half minute intervals. The contraversial Gumbut complex caused a few concerns between the riders on Saturday as to wether from the tall Gumbut stumps with a flower bed in front off quite a large drop down the undulating ground was 2 or a 3 stride to the skinny Gum stump at the bottom...........Time will tell on Sunday.

First horse out Aleisha Burton’s Classic Goldrush scorched around the xc but taking the option at the stumps to come home clear but with time and they eventually finish in 4th place after a clear showjump round. Tom Lane and At the Limit(this years Taupo 1* winner) took a dislike to the ditch out the back but came into the Gumbuts with a perfect ride for an easy two strides and nails it!!!!Horns are tooting and the crowd is getting vocal. Word quickly gets back to the other riders that Tom has done the 2 strides.

Hayley Pickmore and Irishmore chooses to stay safe for a clear round and finishes in 6th place. Dannie Lodder and Interflora of Renton next out, this little mare who is by Internet is a jumping machine and always worth watching, Danni comes into the complex, set up through the turn to get a nice distance to the first and does a perfect 3 to the stump skinny. They are really travelling and chasing the time, they were going to be hard to beat. Danni Eventually finishes just 1 point behind the lead in 2nd place. Edward Ewbank and Clifton Zander are not having the best of days but Edward will not give up and they get home with a few penaltys. Kristy Smyth and the soft jumping Skibbereen look great at the Gumbut but just taking the option after an earlier hickup. The Felon and Kelsey Rothery have an awsome partnership going on, they looked amazing all the way around they come into the Gumbut, Kelsey sets up like a treat, The Felon im sure has 5 legs and goes deepish at the first and does the three perfect and gallops away. Kelsey was the only rider to make the time and they moved up from 16th after the dressage to eventual 3rd place. Alana Alexander and Fibre Fresh Clifton Maserati are looking good, they come into the water and Alana just gets a little unseated but climbs out the C and away they go, in they come to the Gumstumps, Alana sets up Maserati who does a massive leap over the first and Alana is on the ground. No worse for wear and they are quickly back on and finish with a bruised pride.

Chrialka Stonehaven/Louise Leonard and Petra Easton/Moochi both super cool horses, but today they are having their own little battles out in the water, but both combinations regrouped for good rides through the Gumbuts.

Nicola Peat on Varzuga have a moment at the new splash complex and then pull out all the gears to come home looking super the rest of the way.

Donna is next out on the big Henton Executive he is giving Donna a little bit of a hard ride today, I think Dave Riddell and Aunty Bronwyn on the motorbike(Dave Riddell collects the score sheets.....and does it VERY FAST, in fact he’s never been overtaken untill today) would vouch for this as they got up close personal with Donna and Executive in the bush.......who was going to come out first!!!! In aunty Bronwyns words “I could of touched Executive at the gallop!!!!!” Donna’s plan was to always go for the 2 strides in the Gumbuts as Executive is a big jumping horse who likes to be left alone. They pop through the water and are chasing the time down, Donna sets him up for the Gumbut and kicks for the 2 and does it(she makes Daddy Smith....course builder with John Evans very proud) Donna and Executive are the eventual winners climbing up from 7th after the dressage to take the lead just from Danni and Kelsey. Sam Felton and the lovely Ricco Ridge Picoboo lead the dressage and are looking good to the water, but unfortunately they just dont get their landing gear down in time and both horse and rider get wet!!

Alycia Burton and her 2nd ride Classic Reaction are having a good ride as they come into the stump and elect to stay safe and take the option, they eventually finish in 5th place with jus 1 down in the showjumping.

Tom Lanes 2nd ride In the Groove 11 owned by Krisy Guilfoyle last to go in this class but unfortunately retiring at the big pallisade and calling it a day.

The Advanced Intermediate riders rode the same course with Jock Pagent using some serious stickability at the Gumbut complex, Jock not quite getting the 2 or the 3 on Airtight and get a little up close and personal with the skinny Gumbut...........their down....no their not....Jock is.....no hes not hes back on and in all of that loosing no time at all as airtight keeps galloping through the creek crossing.

Jock being the Winner of the advanced Intermediate on Clifton airtight Followed by Summer Phillips on Clifton Tasman the Karen Niederer on Cap Palliser.

Open Novice was won by Heelan Tompkins on Up n Go.

Novice Frank Phillips on Mythy.

Pre Novice A Tania Greenwood on Sunshine Superman

Pre Novice B Antonia Baillie on J B Cosby

Pre Novice C Emma Broughton on Lochinvar 11

Taining A Michelle Baillie riding Mr Wicked

Training B Jenna Mahoney on Biarritz

Training C Geotgina Llewellyn on Tallouse

Pre Training A Brooke Doritch on Mr Cheecko

Pre Training B Sophie Wilkinson Wainui Woodflute