HORSE TALK

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33739, 11 January 1975, Page 4

HORSE TALK

Successful year Equestrian activities throughout Canterbury in 1974 were most successful, with the premier event undoubtedly being the “Horse of the Year Snow” at Rangiora, which was attended by Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. Another national event staged in Canterbury was the New Zealand Pony Club teams’ championships in May and here again the area can be proud of their success. Although not in Canterbury, the Royal Show, held at Invercargill last December, provided many wins for Canterbury horses and ponies. In the led stock section, M. R. Black’s (Darfield) Red Crest won the champion pony stallion with Mrs V. Hepderson’s (Ashburton) High Jinks, taking the reserve. -The Desert Wings filly, All-A-Gleam, exhibited bv Mrs J. Bassett (Christchurch), won the champion pony mare, while in the yearling class it was a double success for the Tod family, of Irwell, when their Alladin’s Last colt, Miltondale Sunray, won from his stablemate. the Royal Windsor colt. Miltondale Royal Ledger. Miss G. George (Wigram) won the champion Arab female with Polenka, while in the Welsh section, Mrs D. Isaac (Harewood) won the’ champion

female with Clifton Lynette, and reserve champion male with Clifton Icicle.

Harness system

Canterbury provided strong competition in the harness section, where the Bush/Clifton families’ (Oxford) Firecrest » as champion horse with J- S. and R. D. Lilley’s (Methven) Captivation reserve. W. J. Ellen .(Darfield), who takes a team of harness ponies south every year, gained reserve champion pony with Sean Kyle, which also won the turnout class. A. L. and Mrs Dunn’s (Temuka) Nightcall was reserve champion hack to the Christchurch show champion, Mon Amour. Then, showing his versatility, he was awarded champion hunter after winning the best type of hunter and being placed second in the heavyweight Hunter to Mrs J. O’Sullivan’s (Ashburton) Mooree, which was reserve. Also placed tn hack classes was Mrs E. G. Rutherford’s (Parnassus) Moreland. « Canterbury ponies did well, with R. Hampton’s (Rakaia) Heidina winning

the 14.2 championship from the former Canterbury ponv. Amanda, now owned bv Mrs B. Harland, of Dunedin. Hyslop and Willis’s, My Word, won the paced and mannered and was third in an open pony class as was M. Dailey’s (Prebbleton) Expertise.

Luckv Charm, shown by D Hewitt (Darfield), won the 13.2 championship after winning two classes, and also won the Audrey Stevenson Memorial Cup from a class of 56. The top Southland jumper, Cardiff Lass, was again in top form to win the table A. the grand prix and the light-weight hunter. She was also second in the gamblers* stakes. The leading pony iumper, Naireena. won the feature pony hunter event for the third successive year. Busy time 1975 promises to be even more active than last year, especially in the first six months. The Canterbury Horse and Pony Breeders’ Show, cancelled last year because of the strangles outbreak, promises to be even bigger than the first successful show in 1973. This

show, which will have > three overseas judges, w ill * be held at the show - ♦ grounds on February 16. J

A week later, the Can- ? terbury championship ? show at Rangiora will; provide some top class } jumping with a visiting » Australian show jumping ? team of five riders and ? seven horses, a strong? North Island team of six J horses and riders, and the ; best of the South Island J riders competing. Only three days later, a ? two-day dressage clinic J will be conducted at Ken- } nels Park by Colonel» Gustaf Nyblaeus, of Swe ♦ den, who is a world ? authority on dressage and » is, at present, chairman ot J the F.E.I. Dressage Com-} mittee. Colonel Nyblaeus ♦ has previously competed » at the Olympics. At the; 1972 Olympic Games he ? was president of the J dressage jury. ?

As new rules affecting * dressage tests will be ? introduced this year, it is' hoped that, besides judges, ? pony club instructors. $ children and any * interested riders will ‘ attend this clinic.

Immediately after the ? clinic, the Canterbury i area of the New Zealand J Horse Society, will stage} the Lockwood New Zea- * land dressage tournament ? It will be the first time? this national event has ? been held in the South J Island. It is hoped that the ♦ top North Island horses j will travel south for the? championship events. ? At the end of March,) the Canterbury area will ? again be holding its» Easter jumping show at? Methven. Last year, the? futurity stakes for novice « and improver horses was ? most successful, and will } be held with increased » prize money. A new event ? introduced this year will ? be the Easter champion- ? ship for C grade horses. ? Another first for Canter- ? bury will be the Wills ? national three-day horse ? trials, to be held in June? at Riccarton. Canterbury ? riders have had to travel ? north to gain experience in ? three-day eventing but the ? top combinations of Mrs ? F. West (Dusky Bay) and ? Mary Watkinson (Beau de ? L’Aire) have always been ? successful.