Grayling Victorious at Puhinui

By: Diana Dobson/ESNZ

A 50 year old Taranaki dairy farmer has showed the young guns how to do it at Puhinui International 3 day event.  Matthew Grayling on Henton Executive had a decisive victory in the Honda New Zealand CCI3* in difficult conditions. The pair had to jump their showjumping round in the heaviest of showers on the day but incurred only 4 faults for an unusual refusal.

Grayling, who has only been riding the horse since September this year, was delighted with the win, saying it was “difficult to get these wins and great to get this result.”   This is their first outing at the highest level of competition available in New Zealand.   “We have bonded a lot more in the last four weeks, he was standoffish with me at first.  He is now a pleasure to have around in fact now follows me around.   I’ve even got the cows in on him a few times.”   The “Grayling way” is to allow a horse to be a horse, and now Henton Executive, known at home as Eric, has become a horse that does everything, and thus fitting into the system the Grayling family use.

Dannie Lodder from Auckland riding her family favourite horse, Moochi, had regrets about her mistake on the cross country which cost her the lead.  “I made a big mistake yesterday.  Second is good, but first is a lot better”    However she still has big goals for Moochi.   “I’d love to do a four star.  If I could do Badminton, I’d die happy.”

Cambridge based Kelsey Rothery with her horse The Felon finished in third place.   The young rider was delighted with her achievement at her first attempt at a competition at this level.   She will now aim the horse at the prestigious Kihikihi and then Taupo events next year. 

Final Results

Matthew Grayling, Henton Executive, 61.6

Dannie Lodder, Moochi, 79..2

Kelsey Rothery, The Felon, 82..6

Brent Jury, SE Big, 87.4