Horse Trials For Forest Gate Trophy In August

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 9

Horse Trials For Forest Gate Trophy In August

fpJE New Zealand Horse Society will hold the national horse trials one-day event for the Forest Gate Trophy at Racecourse Hill, near Darfleld, on August 6. This event has been held for the last three years in the North Island and this year the Canterbury area has been asked to stage It for the first time in the south. No South Island-owned horse has yet competed for this trophy, but last year's winner, Timber, was bred by Mr Alan Thompson’ at Amberley, and sold to his present owner Mr Alex Hatfull, of Rangitikei. Timber is by Nightinarch from a hack mare. Mr Hatfull will again be competing for the Forest Gate Trophy and about 10 other North Island horses are booked to make the trip.

Improvement The standard in the South Island has improved greatly in recent years and it seems probable that with the best horses from Marlborough to Southland in the field the competition should be an interesting one. A one-day event is similar to the three-day events held in the Olympic Games and the British national championship held at Badmington, in that horse and rider are required to do a dressage test, a distance across country and a show jumping test. The dressage test is designed to show that the horse is supple, balanced and obedient to its rider’s demands. The distance across country, usually about two miles and a half, tests his ability, courage and endurance to negotiate all manner of solid and natural obstacles at a fast hunting pace. The show jumping course is deaigned to test obedience and control and has a number of changes of direction. Feature Event

A feature of the one-day event will be a demonstration of dressage by Mrs Duncan Holden, of Hawke's Bay, on the 1951 New Zealand Grand National winner, Bandmaster. This beautiful type

of thoroughbred still looks in his prime and, since he was retired from racing he has been educated by Mrs Holden. Demonstrations Throughout the North Island he has given demonstrations of the dressage M test which have delighted many. The M test is aq advanced one, requiring two or three years of training. Bandmaster does this complicated test so efficiently that his performance led some of the visiting Australian jumping team, who have seen dressage in many parts of the world, to say that he was probably the best in Australia and New Zealand. Anyone who has ever taken an interest in educating a horse will be amazed at Bandmaster’s performance.