EVENTING CANTERBURY

SOUTH ISLAND THREE DAY EVENT

Friday, April 24 – Sunday, April 26

Canterbury Park (Canterbury A&P showgrounds), Wigram Road, Christchurch

West Melton’s Emily Butcher has scored a memorable quinella in the DEVI Heating Systems FEI CCI* at the South Island Three Day Event, held at Canterbury Park (Christchurch) this weekend.

Butcher led all the way on her talented up-and-coming 10-year-old thoroughbred gelding Gibstar to take the honours and the prestigious Amigo Trophy finishing on a score of 52.4 penalties, just 2.4 penalties ahead of her second ride Transcend on 54.8.

Butcher, who rides Gibstar for owner Donald Thomson, only took over the ride in January and has quickly risen through the grades, going from training to intermediate in four months.

Despite a course error she was leading after the dressage phase and produced a perfect round across the challenging Tich Massey-designed cross country, followed by a faultless show jumping.

Lying third after the cross country on Transcend, Butcher moved up to take second with a clear round. Reefton’s Eve Hawes on Turbulance, who had put up such a strong performance at their first try at this level, dropped one rail in theshowjumping putting them back to fourth on 57.5, leaving Georgie Meredith and Wynyard Freelance to move up to third on 56.5.

The Tavern Harewood FEI CCI2* became a non-event with the only two starters ruled out. Dressage leader, Ashburton’s Larissa Srhoy was forced to withdraw before the cross country as her horse Starburst was showing signs of lameness, andOtago’s Christen Hayde and Tandarra Sweet As had the misfortune of coming to grief on just three fences from home. Hayde looked to have done a foot-perfect round clearing all the big questions but fell at Fence 22, The Tires. Horse and rider were both alright but FEI rules state one fall equals elimination at CCI level.

Broadfield’s Penny Lawrence and her six-year-old thoroughbred gelding Imagine led from start to finish to win the Back On Track Pre Novice on their dressage score of 33 penalties. After a perfect round cross country Lawrence and Imagine didn’t buckle under the pressure producing a clear round to maintain their lead. Rangiora’s Natasha McCurdy and Red Label moved up to second with a clear round, with Greymouth’s Georgia Robb and World Class also going clear to seal third.

In the Lysaght Horse Coaches of Canterbury training sections Kirsten Beaven on her Trakehner gelding RV Triviano and Kaiapoi’s Kirsty Pierson on Smart Cookie took the honours in their respective classes, maintaining the lead which they held going into the show jumping.

Meanwhile, Timaru’s Laura Bishell and Kolorkode had an all the way victory in the Pacificvet Pre Training.

Held on the Thursday before the three day event got underway, the Saddlery Barn South Island Young Event Horse Championship was convincingly taken out by Kate Cavanagh riding her stunning five-year-old thoroughbred Gibraltar Rock with a total score of 82.29.

The competition attracted 15 of the South Island’s stars of the future. They were judged over dressage, show jumping and conformation with the top eight judged on their gallop. Cavanagh and Gibraltar Rock won the dressage and conformation phases giving them a strong lead going into the gallop.

Butcher riding the four-year-old Lewis finished second with 75 points, with Richard Turner and Roscoe, third with 74.46. The Leading Mare of the competition was Hurlingham Lansong ridden by Eve Hawes.

Final Results:

Class 2 DEVI Heating Systems CC1* - Emily Butcher (West Melton), Gibstar, 52.4, 1; Emily Butcher (West Melton) Transcend, 54.8, 2; Georgie Meredith (Christchurch), Wynyard Freelance, 56.5, 3; Eve Hawes (Reefton), Turbulance, 57.5, 4; Kate Cavanagh (Christchurch) Mendelssohn, 62.1, 5.

Class 3 Back On Track Pre Novice – Penny Lawrence (Broadfield), Imagine, 33, 1; Natasha McCurdy (Rangiora) 33.9, 2; Georgia Robb (Greymouth), 35.4, 3. Kirsty Ogilvie (West Melton), State of Play, 37.3, 4; Brent Jury (Rangiora), SE Repreive38.8, 5.

Class 4 Lysaght Horse Coaches of Canterbury Training – Kirsten Beaven (West Melton), RV Tiviano, 38, 1; Esther Burrows (Amberley) Steffield’s Majesty, 40.7, 2; Sarah Feary (Oxford), Bollinger, 41.1, 3; Tracey Udy (Rangiora) Rise & Shine, 41.7, 4; Amy Field (West Melton), Casino Royale, 42.8, 5.

Class 5 Lysaght Horse Coaches of Canterbury Training 4,5, and 6 Year Olds – Kirsty Pierson (Kaiapoi), Smart Cookie, 38.6, 1; James Avery (Nelson), Legolas, 42.8, 2; Emily Butcher (West Melton), Jack, 45.2, 3; Elizabeth Sheat (Palmerston, Otago) Springbank Cuddle Me, 55.4, 4; Kate Cavanagh (Christchurch), Gibraltar Rock,  60.7, 5.

Class 6 Pacificvet Pre Training – Laura Bishell (Timaru), Kolorkode, 27.9, 1; Emily Butcher (West Melton), Maclaka, 30, 2; Seija Parkkali (Christchurch), Eyredale Dulciana, 30.6, 3; Heather Muldoon (Oxford), Mountain Thistle, 33.8, 4; YoeriWoudenberg (West Melton), Final Notice, 34.4, 5.

Saddlery Barn South Island Young Event horse championship: Kate Cavanagh, Gibraltar Rock, 82.29, 1; Emily Butcher, Lewis, 75, 2; Richard Turner, Roscoe, 74.46, 3; Amanda Brown, Chinwag, 74.18, 4; Emily Butcher, Shaw Thing, 73.36, 5; Courtney Mehlhopt, Willie Doo III, 71.54, 6. Leading 5YO – Kate Cavanagh, Gibraltar Rock. Leading 4YO – Emily Butcher, Lewis. Leading Mare – Eve Hawes, Hurlingham Lansong.

Full results are attached

For further information and/or photos or interviews contact:

Eventing Canterbury Media Liasion

Annie Studholme

03 3037379

021 0407620

Or

Eventing Canterbury Publicity and Sponsorship convenor

Wendy Drew

0274 4898321

EVENTING CANTERBURY

thanks its sponsors:

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DEVI Heating Systems

Back On Track

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Annie Studholme

Equine Photographer & Journalist

Coldstream, RD 3, Ashburton

www.anniestudholme.com

P 03 3037379

F 03 3037016

M 021 0407620