Exciting Entries for World Cup Opener (New Zealand)

By: Diana Dobson/ESNZ

One of the most important series in the New Zealand showjumping calendar gets under way at Hawke’s Bay on Show on Friday. 

The Ultramox FEI World Cup Series runs over six different shows – Hawke’s Bay, Mystery Creek November 14-16, Feilding December 5-6, Taupo Christmas Classic December 18-20, Central and Southern Hawke’s BayJanuary 2-4 and the final at Waitemata January 10-11 – with the best three to count.

Friday afternoon’s opener over the Kevin Hansen-designed course has attracted a good-sized field, including former series’ winners Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) and Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek). Both have enjoyed some excellent early season form already.

But also in the mix are ‘newcomers’ Duncan McFarlane and his wife Helen McNaught-McFarlane who moved from the United States to Taupo in July.

Both are completely at home in world cup classes, with numerous victories in California’s qualifying rounds, and other top victories all over the States.

Also entered at Hawke’s Bay is Bernard Denton (Feilding) and his lovely chestnut mare Horsesports Suzuki – they’ve done well in past series and can never be discounted. Melody Matheson (Hastings) and Cheltenham will be keen to make the most of their home-ground advantage, while Lucy Akers (Opiki) and Tinapai, young Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) and Showtym Cassanova, Jaime Campbell (Albany) aboard Socrates de la Vie Z and Sophie Burling (Kerikeri) on LR Ruegar MSH are all in the line-up.

Missing from the line up will be 2013-2014 series victor Samantha McIntosh, who is now head competition rider for the Audi team in The Netherlands, Susie Hayward's (Christchurch) lovely stallion Andretti is in Europe with Philippe Le Jeune, Ross Smith’s (Canterbury) Quite Cassini has also gone, and Luke Dee (Ocean Beach) is staying in the United States for the foreseeable future. All of those combinations have won rounds or featured in the series in recent years.

The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final is in Las Vegas, April 15-19. It is the sixth time the Nevada city has hosted finals, but it hasn’t been there since 2009. The New Zealand series winner has the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the world final in April 2015.

That Stateside location is well-suited for a number of the top Kiwi contenders.

Twenty-eight-year-old Laurie, who will campaign Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark (owned by June Berrington), Dunstan Springfield (owned by Sarah Milne and Laurie), and perhaps too Dunstan Breeze, is already planning to head across the Pacific at the end of the New Zealand season.

The three-time series winner, who memorably finished sixth equal at the world final with the very special Dunstan Delphi in 2011, had her first child in July.

However, after three weeks on baby duty she was quickly back to her riding and winning.

“I was really keen to get back to riding but waited until I felt I was ready – three weeks was long enough,” she said.

“I would love Mark to be able to qualify for the final. We are heading to Canada at the end of the season and going via LA . . . but that is all a long way off yet.”

Mark would be her pick because he is more comfortable jumping indoors, which is what the final would be.

Beatson too says he would contemplate heading to the final – if everything was right. He’s been before so knows the pressures of a world final.

He has three horses in his string who are capable of jumping world cup – My Gollywog, Schimmel Warrior and Conyers.

It will be “aged” Gollywog’s last season.

“He’s like me,” says Beatson, who last won the series in 2012-2013. “We’re aged. His last season will be what it is but he has already had a win this year.”

Conyers hasn’t been around a lot, and the series will be a step up for the horse who was originally imported for dressage.

He’s confident the new two tier grand prix system will lead to more horses coming up to world cup level.

“It’s good for the sport, The three tier system, which we have had for 10 or so years, meant to big a jump between the first and third stars. Now the difference is not so great.”

Both McNaught-McFarlane and McFarlane have won “one or two” world cups while living in California.. They moved to New Zealand earlier this year and are loving it – particularly the format of the shows.

“It is different to what we are used to, but it’s great.”

She has her youngster Carnutelabryere who she is hoping will début well in the big world cup series, while McFarlane has NZ Full Force who is also new to the top grade.

“We are both really looking forward to it all.”

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