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NZ North Island Titles Up For Grabs

Published on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 in General

By: Diana Dobson/ESNZ

Some of the best horses and riders in New Zealand are heading to Gisborne this weekend for the Larsen Sawmilling North Island Jumping Championships. 

And as an added bonus to the popular three day competition, there is also the FEI International Children’s Showjumping Competition which sees New Zealand youngsters pitched against others around the world for global glory.

The competition, for 12-14 year olds, comprises four full rounds over two days. A New Zealand team – Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo), Matthew Irvine (Takapau), Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch), Steffi Whittaker (Christchurch) and reserve Parys Marshall (New Plymouth) – will also post a score to give.

Individuals are vying to be the New Zealand representative at the World FEI Children’s Final later in the year.

New Zealand is one of the first countries to hold the competition each year, so the winner usually faces a long wait to see if he or she has made the final. Back this year will be the 2013 winner Briar Burnett-Grant, who finished in the top 10 at the world final, and the 2013 victor, Maddy Bult (Auckland), who in December represented New Zealand at the final in Brazil.

There are North Island showjumping titles to be won across the heights, as well as the series classes. The show, which includes show hunter and sport horse classes, gets under way on Friday morning.

Sunday is the big day featuring both the horse and pony grand prix classes.

More than 400 horses from both North and South islands are expected at the show, including former Olympians Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) who recently won the New Zealand World Cup final and Samantha McIntosh (Cambridge) who won the series.

Rising young star Lily Tootill, who has just heard that she finished second in world in the 2013 FEI Jumping Challenge, will be here with her string of horses, including her Gisborne-bred Ngahiwi Cruise.

In the ponies, the very in-form Nakeysha Lammers (Northland) will be one to watch, alongside Burnett-Grant and others.

Gary Sinclair (Levin) is the designer in ring one, Glen Brooks (Waikato) in ring two and local Claire Moss in ring three.

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