HORSE TALK

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 20

HORSE TALK

The third and final area trials held at Culverden by the Hurunui Pony Club proved to be very testing and brought about a few changes with a number of competitors. Good use was made of the natural features of the country but in some cases some of the bigger horses had problems in the short striding combinations. In the A.l class, four of the seven entrants were eliminated and the remaining three all had penalties, while over the lowered course in the D.C. class, there were three eliminations out of nine competitors.

Here again, the remaining six all had substantial penalties which suggests young riders are not being asked the right questions. Surely to be able to travel freely forward with control and enjoyment is the essence of a good crosscountry: after all it is onlv a sport. The first three place-

getters in the dressage, Patricia Horlor’s Gaelic Crest, Joanne Morrissey’s Carlos and Dale Mills’s Berlin were all eliminated in the cross-country. Overall place-getters were Brian Costello’s Avalon, first with 119.04 penalties; Jill Collins’s Stroller, second with 137.93; and Bryan Harris’s Bonaire, third with 16333. In the D.C. class, Celia Warren’s El- Kiev won the dressage by a narrow margin from Sharon Deardon’s Charisma, both these horses originally coming from David Murdoch’s establishment in Auckland. Third was Karen Peter’s Don Juan. However, places changed after the cross-country and showjumping, with Charisma first with 73.86, Don Juan second with 103.2 and El Kiev third with 145.53 penalties.

The winners of the two intermediate classes were Brent Jury’s Codey and Michelle Moriarty on Dusky Bay.

Representative team The accumulation of points gained over the three trials resulted in the following team to travel to Wanganui: A.l: Julie Hampton (Windsor Grey), Brian Costello (Avalon), Jill Collins (Stroller); reserve, Dale Mills (Berlin). D.C.: Sharon Deardon (Charisma), Celia Warren (El Kiev), Karen Peter (Don Juan); reserve, Stephen Van der Lely (Kowhai’s Mistake). The team will again be trained by Mrs Florence West of Loburn. It has already competed at Bullock Creek, where two horses, Don Juan and Stroller, were placed third and fourth in the intermediate class.

Wills dressage The highlight of the Wills New Zealand Dressage Tournament held at the Avondale Racecourse was the appearance of two stallions from Australia. Kilof McOhl, a part-bred Trakehner as a three-year-old, was champion at the Danish national stallion selection tests. In Australia, this stallion was the first imported stallion successful in the Australian Warmblood performance testing which included dressage, crosscountry and show-jum-ping. His rider, Gert Donvig, a member of the Danish junior show-jumping team, worked as a stable boy at the Spanish Riding School’s breeding establishment before going to Australia in 1970, worked

on a stud near Melbourne, returned to Europe where he rode for top dressage riders, and now runs a breeding stud near Geelong. The second, Abel Tasman, is a Dutch-bred horse of' Hanoverian blood, ridden and trained by Yitska Hoevenaars, an Australian of Dutch descent, who only started working on this horse last year. Now in elementary grade, from seven events in Australia and those he won at Avondale, he is unbeaten. During their visit, the two visitors also gave displays at the Auckland Easter show where the commentaries were given by another Australian, Tina Wommelsdorf, who is a leading exponent on dressage in this part of

the world and who Is now carrying on the teaching tradition of the late Franz Mairinger.

Kilof McOhl won the Wills Prix St George, Medium Test 34 and the Wills North Island championship Medium test 33, while Abel Tasman won two elementary classes and a medium.

Alleyne’s and Richards’s Johann Strauss from Christchurch, apart from breaking up in the two championship classes where he finished fourth in the Prix St George and sixth in the North Island Championship, went well. Ridden throughout the tournament by Lockie Richards, Johann Strauss was also second in the freestyle pairs partnered by B. Brynildson’s Lon, — Freestyle Test 42, both times to Kilof McOhl, and fourth in the Medium 31. The Nelson horse, Mar* sala, ridden by G: Rattray, was second to Abel Tas*

man in the Elementary Test 21, while All Delight, ridden by Mrs N. Jack from South Canterbury, was third in the pairs freestyle, being partnered by Mrs Merrin Haines’s Smiley John which had been second to Kilof McOhl in both premier classes.

Grounds conditions were extremely wet, making the more advanced movements very difficult to perform. South Island judges invited to officiate at the tournament were Mrs June Fleming from Southland and Mrs Hilary Holstein and Mrs Joy Pearce from Christchurch. While in Auckland, Mrs Holstein purchased Mrs D. Dodgshun’s Madison, which was placed third in the elementary championships. Another new arrival from Auckland is a promising new novice by The Joker, the sire of many well-per-formed horses.

— B. A. Heard.