19th Annual NZ National Jumping and Showhunter Championships - Aussie Jumps to Lead

Alison Rowland and Bickley Brook Bella (photos: Annie Studholme)

Melanie Weal on Hopeful Illusion

Australian Alison Rowland has ridden her way into the lead in the NZ Senior Horse Grand Prix Championship at the NZ National Jumping Championships in Christchurch today with two perfect clears aboard Bickley Brook Bella, but it’s far from over.

Rowland will head into the final round on Sunday on 0.04 faults, with less than a rail separating the top seven combinations.

Fourteen started today’s competition with Kiwi golden girl Katie McVean holding pole position after winning the opening speed round with Dunstan Daffodil, but after producing a lovely clear in the first round, four faults in the second proved costly, dropping her to seventh overall.

Billy Raymont (Australia) aboard his stunning Grosvenor gelding Stardom came out today’s class victor with a double clear and the fastest time in the second round, moving him up to second in the overall standings, while local Ross Smith (Burnham) continued his impressive run on Quite Cassini to lie third overall.

The Fiber Fresh Feeds NZ One Star Grand Prix is also proving a tough battle. Eighth after yesterday, Dannevirke young rider Logan Massie moved up to take the lead on Kiwi Ludo with two foot-perfect rounds today, just ahead of Australians James Arkins on Dreamtime Invader and Raymont on Tyrone Latham’s Watermark Farm Ducatti, second and third respectively. Overnight leader Australian Jack Maunder on Cyra picked up 12 faults dropping him out of the running.

Today also saw the other championship classes get underway, as well as the Caledonian Amateur Rider and both the five and six-year-old championships.

Te Awamutu’s Melanie Weal shot to an early lead in The Press NZ Open Pony Championship after a speedy performance against the clock in the 16-strong class. Despite a rail down, Weal goes into the second competition tomorrow on zero faults, less than two faults clear of local favourites Steffi Whittaker (Halswell) on Moonlight Glow and Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) on Miss Mae West, lying second and third respectively.

Maurice Beatson was to the fore in the Fernhill Stud Five-Year-Old Championship with Mandalay Cove, while Brad Cunningham on Kiwi Crusher were successful in the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Championship. The Caledonian Amateur was taken out by Outram’s Jacquita Farquhar on Rustic Moonlight.

RESULTS:

NZ Community Trust Second Competition NZ Senior Horse Grand Prix Championship: Billy Raymont (Australia) Stardom 1, Alison Rowland (Australia) Bickley Brook Bella 2, Ross Smith (Burnham) Quite Cassini 3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog 4, Jamie Kermond (Australia) Colthaga 5, Rory Hovell (Australia) Yalambi’s Val D’isere 6.

NZ Community Trust NZ Senior Horse Grand Prix after two rounds: Alison Rowland (Australia) Bickley Brook Bella 1, Billy Raymont (Australia) Stardom 2, Ross Smith (Burnham) Quite Cassini 3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog 4, Jamie Kermond (Australia) Colthaga 5, Rory Hovell (Australia) Yalambi’s Val D’isere 6.

Fiber Fresh Feeds Second Competition NZ One Star Horse Championship: Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Kiwi Ludo 1, Billy Raymont (Australia) Watermark Farm Ducatti 2, James Arkins (Australia) Dreamtime Invader 3, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Springfield 4, Mathew Gilmour (Auckland) Belize Di Cantero 5, Jesse Linton (Napier) Bessette 6. 

Fiber Fresh Feeds NZ One Star Horse Championship after two rounds: Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Kiwi Ludo 1, James Arkins (Australia) Dreamtime Invader 2, Billy Raymont (Australia) Watermark Farm Ducatti 3, Jesse Linton (Napier) Bessette 4, Jamie Kermond (Australia) Yandoo’s Laughton’s Legacy 5, Mathew Gilmour (Auckland) Belize Di Cantero 6.

NZ 1.30m June Cresswell Memorial First Competition: Melody Matheson (Hastings) Cheltenham 1, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Zehrenland 2, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Kapattack 3, Georgina Power (Little River) Waldorf 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Lenarc 5, Rory Hovell (Australia) Yalambi’s Carpino Z 6.

The Press First Competition NZ Open Pony Championship: Melanie Weal (Te Awamutu) Hopeful Illusion 1, Steffi Whittaker (Halswell) Moonlight Glow 2, Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) Miss Mae West 3, Emily Fraser (Takapau) Tony The Pony 4, Emily Fraser (Takapau) Tiger Tale LS 5, Lucy Turner (Broadfields) Tallyho Mystic 6.

Lysaght Horsecoaches of Canterbury First Competition 1.20m Horse Championship:

Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Lucca 1, Jacquie Crutchley (Christchurch) 2, Ross Smith (Burnham) Wilma II 3, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Uranda 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Victorias Secret 5, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Parker 6.

Equine Trader First Competition NZ 1.10m Horse Championship:Lisa Milliken (Queenstown) Picollo Matteo 1, Emma Pilcher (Blenheim) Snazzy As 2, Kathryn Manson (Nightcaps) Ginseng 3, Rebecca Kerr (Outram) Tiramuea Curious George 4, Kimberley McCabe (Invercargill) Kace 5, Georgia Urquhart (Fairlie) Saddlery Barn Midway Too Much 6.

Christchurch City Council First Competition NZ 1.10m Pony Championship:Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) Pull The Trigger II 1, Jamiee Bird (Rakaia) Showtym Image 2, Steffi Whittaker (Halswell) Bexley Lodge Tinkerbella 3, Jamiee Bird (Rakaia) Bucc-a-boo 4, Becky Harkerss (Leeston) Brooklee Monopoly 5, Josh Whittaker (Halswell) Silver Dunn 6.

Taylor Coal in association with Caledonian Amateur Rider:Jacquita Farquhar (Outram) Rustic Moonlight 1, Jenna Walls (West Melton) Baltimore 2, Kate Taylor (Kurow) Next 3, Jacquie Crutchley (Christchurch) Hot Chocolate II 4, Amanda Brown (Rangiora) Glenmark 5, Kirsty Sharapoff (West Melton) Shoot The Breeze 6.

Prydes Easifeed in association with Fernhill Five Year Old Championship:Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove 1, Chris Harris (Alyesbury) Zilco Glenbrook Archie Bunker 2.

Betavet in association with Mitavite Six Year Old Breeding Championship:Brad Cunningham (Christchurch) Kiwi Crusher 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Victoria’s Secret 2, Amanda Brown (Rangiora) Glenmark 3, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Lucca 4, Angus Taylor (Ohoka) Dunstan Wirey 5.

By: Annie Studholme