Horse Talk

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 11

Horse Talk

Christchurch Show The Christchurch show was the highlight of the season’s horse events. It was the scene of many triumphs, many disappointments, and as usual, it will remain the main topic of conversation until next year. The ring events were dominated by the hack, pony and jumping events. The champion hack award for this year and for the last two years went to Miss J. Richardson’s Argus. Argus, a beautiful horse, is rather let down by his manners. In the championship judging it was in doubt, from the spectators’ point of view, whether Argus or Gay Monarch, ridden by Miss C. Bennett, would gain the honours. Argus won the 11 stone hack class, but was placed down in both the ladies’ hack and mannered and paced hack classes on his unsteady manners. Gay Monarch, who convincingly won his 15 stone hack class, showed great presence and true free forward movement. He appeared the outstanding horse in his heavyweight class, and well deserved his reserve award. The judging of all classes at the show was systematic and easy to follow. For the champion hack award the judge, Mr R. B. Hansen, rode both horses before he came to a decision. The supreme champion pony of the show, Miss E. McGrath’s Golden Chartreuse, was outstanding. Golden Chartreuse is a superb quality pony with beautiful paces although still a shade headstrong. Miss McGrath must be congratulated on the tremendous amount of hard work and patience required to bring this pony up to its present standard. The senior Nydfa Cup again was very disappointing, with a low standard throughout It is inevitable that if good tests are to be performed the arena is either shifted further away from the distractions of the

embankment, or the competitors are allowed to work their horses in for a considerable time beforehand. Jumping Events The F.E.I. jumping was of a very high standard and a great deal of the credit for this must go to the excellent F.E.I. courses planned by Mr C. Meares. It is a long time since Canterbury A. and P. Shows have seen such well balanced and beautifully built courses and fences. Mr Meares will be remembered for some of the-excel-lent courses he has planned at Waimate. Whispering, ridden by Miss J. Nixon, was undoubtedly the jumping star of the show with the final big success, the Ballantyne Open F.E.I. jump. This little horse, recently upgraded to A grade, made even the biggest fences seem easy and handled the treacherous ground with complete unconcern. The co-operation between horse and rider was exceptional. In the jump-off of the Ballantyne event against the well-known Limelight, Whispering made a tremendous effort at the second to last fence, and Miss Nixon lost her reins over Whispering’s head. However, undaunted by this, they capably made a right hand turn and jumped the last fence with both reins on the left side of Whispering’s neck. This circumstance would have perplexed many experienced riders. Many spectators were relieved when Miss Nixon retired Whispering in the Puissance event when the fences were nearing 6ft. It would have been a great shame if this phenomenal little horse had had a bad fall after such gallant jumping. Limelight, ridden this year by Mr G. Nelson, of Hawke’s Bay, was again jumping brilliantly and well deserved his win in the Puissance event. Mr Nelson is a strong, masterful rider and seems well suited to Limelight.

Much Improved The champion hunter. Miss N. S. Darling’s Ariki, is a much improved horse on last year. He is much more supple and better balanced. Miss Darling attributes much of this to the schooling she has continued to give Ariki after a course by the Australian, Mr K. Urinak. The hunter fences could have been much improved with a little imagination and a more even height throughout could have resulted in better performances. Many were disappointed by the absence of Miss J. Scott’s Morocco, last year’s champion hunter, who unfortunately jumped into a wire fence just before the show. No-one, however, could have been more • disappointed than Miss Scott herself. She brought a young chestnut horse up from Timaru to put in Morocco’s classes, only to be refused the right to compete by the committee. If she enters next year twothirds of her entry money will be refunded. This seems very harsh treatment when entry fees are so high. Competitors coming from further afield may not wish to enter in following years.