EVENTING CANTERBURY

ONE DAY HORSE TRIAL

Saturday, September 18

Sheds NZ National Equestrian Centre, McLeans Island, Christchurch

The South Island eventing season got underway in earnest at the Sheds NZ National Equestrian Centre at McLeans Island this weekend.

In spite of the huge earthquake that rocked Canterbury earlier this month, the event attracted strong fields throughout with some stiff competition, especially at the lower levels.

The day marked the much-anticipated return of West Melton’s Emily Butcher’s stable star Southern Ben, some two years after he was injured while campaigning for selection for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The only starter in the Advanced section, winning was a foregone conclusion, but Butcher was thrilled with Southern Ben’s performance despite adding both cross country and show jumping faults.

Ashburton’s Larissa Srhoy riding Starburst took out the small Intermediate section leading throughout, finishing on a score of 40.3 with a clear cross country and showjumping, ahead of Outram’s Lauren Enright riding Puss N Boots on 45.3. Brent Jury on SE Big had to settle for third with 47.4 penalties, despite producing the fastest cross country round of the class adding just 0.4 of a time penalties.

For Srhoy it was a dream start to the season, having finished last season as a member of the winning New Zealand Young Rider team which won the Trans Tasman Young Rider Challenge at McLeans Island back in April.

It came down to the wire in the strong Open Novice section, with Madison Crowe of Ashburton on Dupree taking the honours on a score of 34.4, edging out Emily Butcher on My Shout also on 34.4 with a faster cross country round. Having held the lead after the cross country phase, West Melton’s Kate Cavanagh riding Gibraltar Rock was forced back in to third place after two costly rails in the show jumping. Butcher was also fourth on her starry grey Dambala.

The hotly contested Pre Novice sections were taken out by Christchurch’s Penny Lawrence on Imagine It and Waipara’s Courtney Davis on Belmont Wunderbar, both leading from the dressage phase, while the Training sections went to Zoe McVicar on Chandalla Rhythm Devine of Amberley and Christchurch’s Emma Steel riding Artwork.

With more than 50 starters at Pre Training level, the class was split with eventual honours to Nicole Shadbolt (Ladbrooks) on Airplay and Alice Montgomery (Christchurch) on Citadelle both finishing on their dressage scores, producing foot perfect jumping.

Eventing Canterbury’s next event will be held at the Sheds NZ McLeans Island on October 10.

Class 1 Advanced: Emily Butcher (West Melton), Southern Ben, 89, 1.

Class 2 Intermediate: Larissa Srhoy (Ashburton), Starburst, 40.3, 1; Lauren Enright (Outram), Puss N Boots, 45.3, 2; Brent Jury (Cust), SE Big, 47.4, 3; Katie Rankin (Oxford), Time To Tango, 194.3, 4.

Class 3 Open Novice: Madison Crowe (Ashburton), Dupree, 34.4, 1; Emily Butcher (West Melton), My Shout, 34.3, 2; Kate Cavanagh (West Melton), Gibraltar Rock, 36.3, 3; Emily Butcher, Dambala (West Melton), 40, 4; Melissa Chapman (Amberley), That’s Gizmo, 43, 5; Alice Montgomery (Christchurch), Kitset, 43.5, 6.

Class 4 A Pre Novice: Penny Lawrence (Christchurch), Imagine It, 32.5, 1; Sarah Feary (Oxford), Bollinger, 33, 2; Ellie Braddock (Rangiora), Order of the Phoenix, 36.5, 3; Giles Gormack (Amberley), Woodbine Heritage, 38.5, 4; Harriet McIntosh (Culverden), Tipperary Boy, 40, 5; Eve Hawes (Reefton), Turbulance, 40.5, 6.

Class 4 B Pre Novice: Courtney Davis (Waipara), Belmont Wunderbar, 40.5, 1; Jessie Fitzjohn (Darfield), Blue Nimbus, 42.5, 2; William Bragg (Waimate), Kabo Laddie, 47, 3; Sarah Swarbrick (Harwarden), Carnegie, 49, 4; Katie Meredith (Kaiapoi), Living The Dream, 50.5, 5; Lauren Tippet (Christchurch), Scotty Doesn’t Know, 51.1, 6.

Class 5 A Training: Zoe McVicar (Amberley), Chandalla Rhythm Devine, 33.5, 1; Kimberley Bird (Ashburton), Saint David, 36, 2; Jade Le Petit (Timaru), Valotto, 37.5, 3; Andrea Gregor (Mapua), Absalom, 37.5, 4; Anna Schroeder (Rolleston), Duggens Dew, 38, 5; Kirsty Ogilvie (Christchurch), Foxy 2 Sox, 39.5, 6.

Class 5 B Training: Emma Steel (Christchurch) Artwork, 30.5, 1; Beth Turner (Oxford), Ashton Ultra Magnus, 33, 2; Elizabeth Smithey (Rangiora), Mertz, 34.5, 3; Kerryn O’Sullivan (Rangiora), Halcyon Motzart, 38.5, 4; Tessa Silcock (Nelson), Roostroon Cronspur, 38.6, 5; Georgina McIntosh (Culverden), A Good Frost, 40.3, 6.

Class 6 A Pre Training: Nicole Shadbolt (Ladbrooks), Airplay, 28.4, 1; Zoe McVicar (Amberley), Chandalla Ted E Bear, 30.5, 2; Kendra Walls(Ladbrooks), Van Wilder, 37.4, 3; Katie Meredith (Kaiapoi), Cricket SS, 38.4, 4; Larissa Srhoy (Ashburton), High Definition, 38.9, 5; Emma Waite (Ashburton), Foreign Affair II, 40, 6.

Class 7 B Pre Training: Alice Montgomery (Christchurch), Citadelle, 29, 1; Brittany Arthur (Weedons), Kolocode, 35.8, 2; Georgia Bates (Burnham), Mr Silver, 36.3, 3; Tracey Barrett (Broadfields), Tiz Nibs, 36.6, 4; Jaimee Bird (Ashburton), Glen Cree Watermark, 40, 5; Lauren Kelly (Timaru), La Contessa, 44.9, 6.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Annie Studholme

Equine Photographer & Journalist

Coldstream, RD 3, Ashburton

www.anniestudholme.com