New Super League Leader After Woodhill Sands

Donna Smith, Waikato, riding Sarah Varley’s Just Chocolate has taken the lead in the Bell Tea Super League following the second event in the series, the CIC3* (Advanced) class at the Woodhill Sands Horse Trials at the weekend.

Smith led from the dressage phase on Friday, scoring 54.8 penalties, showjumped clear on Saturday, and jumped clear across country with 15.2 time penalties for a final score of 70.

Local rider Shelley Ross was second with Alberta Tomba, lying third after the dressage, having a rail down in the showjumping, and incurring 18 time penalties across country for a final score of 77.6.

Campbell Draper, Putaruru, pulled up from fifth after the dressage with Sheilberite to take a close third place despite two rails down, but had the fastest cross country time, to finish on 77.8.

Jock Paget, literally just back from the UK where he clocked up another win last weekend, was second after the dressage with Frances Stead’s Clifton Airtight, but two rails down and 19.2 cross-country time penalties dropped him to fourth overall.

Six of the nine starters finished the event, with the top three earning points on the Bell Tea Super League. Smith was the only one of the three to have placed on the first leg at Takapau, so has opened up a clear lead in the series.

BELLTEA SUPER LEAGUE

Standings after 2 events:

Donna Smith, Just Chocolate, 75 pts, 1; Shelley Ross, Alberta Tomba, 46.5 pts, 2; Campbell Draper, Sheilberite, 45, 3; Jessica Woods, Too Predictable, 42 pts, 4; Ashleigh McKinstry, Pioneer Makokomiko, 31 pts, 5; Simon Gordon, Simply Mitch, 26, 6.

Full results from Woodhill Sands can be found here