Plenty to be Impressed by at Kihikihi International Horse Trial (NZ)

By: Diana Dobson

The 2015 Kihikihi International Horse Trial guarantees to be another ripper, according to organising committee president Georgie Smith.

“The calibre of entries is fantastic,” says Smith of this week’s three day event.

The Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* start list includes former winner Dannie Lodder (Auckland) and Moochi alongside the likes of the very determined and in-form Samantha Felton (Matangi) on Ricker Ridge Escada, Abby Lawrence (Te Puke) on Pseudonym as well as Jessica Woods (Ohaupo) on Defies Logic.

Felton is most definitely a young lady on a mission, and doing very well at the moment, with a second place in the CIC3* at the recent farmlands Horse of the Year show aboard Escada.

“It is a very open field in the 3*,” says Smith. “It is a good mix of experience and newer 3* combinations listed to start at Kihikihi this year. It is never an easy track, so for those electing to bring their greener 3* horses here is very exciting.”

Also in the 3* line-up is Diane Gilder (Matangi) on the stunning Your Attorney who have been at 2* level for several years and stepping up and the strong team of Shelley Ross (Auckland) and Coleraine Coaltown.

Of course, one of the special awards on offer in the 3* is the Bounce Trophy in honour of Vaughn Jefferis’ fantastic World Champion horse.

The Prestige Equestrian 2* is another impressive field with 42 entries.

“That is going to be an exciting class too. Those 2* riders have a great weekend ahead of them,” says Smith.

It would be very hard to go past Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance member Clarke Johnstone and his horses Balmoral Sensation and Orient Express.

Sensation won the 3* last year but is coming back from a paddock injury, and Orient is his bronze medal winning team horse from the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Also in the mix will be Donna Smith (Te Kauwhata) and her 2014 1* winner Cluny and Mr Hokey Pokey, Sarah Young (Waikato) and the multi-talented Regal Romar and Tayla Mason (Paraparaumu) on Lucy With Diamonds.

It is a tough field to pick the top three from.

The Horselands CIC1* has attracted nearly 70 entries and has to be split, with the rest of the lower classes also filled to the brim.

The cross country course is designed by the internationally-acclaimed John Nicholson, brother of the world-class eventer Andrew.

“Overall the standard of our entries is really good, so we are very pleased with that. We have quality competition at every level – I just hope the weather plays the game.”

WHAT: The Kihikihi International Horse Trial
WHERE: Kihikihi Domain, Te Awamutu
WHEN: April 10-12, 2015
INFO: www.thehorseevent.co.nz