Aust, victory 'hollow’

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 44

Aust, victory 'hollow’

PA Wellington Australia’s show-jumping triumph against New Zealand in the opening Nations Cup competition was reported in Australia as a “hollow victory” after the Kiwis provided a strong challenge with half their team on borrowed horses. In the first of the threeway series between Australia, Japan and New Zealand national sports commentators were none too pleased when Australia gained a narrow lead over New Zealand, according to the Kiwi chef d’equipe, Alan Hampton. A big Western Australian daily newspaper scathingly described the victory as

“hollow.” Australia fielded its top team of four Olympians — George Sannar, Colleen Brooke, Guy Creighton, John Faham — all on their own horses, to beat New Zealand with its two most experienced riders, Harvey Wilson and Maurice Beatson, handicapped by being mounted on horses they had never ridden in competition before. Collecting 16 penalties, the New Zealanders, with Clare Honeywill on Buckingham and Vicki Cropp on Amandla, were behind the Australians, who had no faults. Japan, with all its riders on borrowed horses, accumulated a disastrous

total of 72 faults. Mr Hampton, in Perth, said the event had provided “good experience.” The two other Nations events will be held in Melbourne next month and in Sydney in. January. “By the time the New Zealand team has competed in those two it will have had far more experience to make the whole trip worth while,” Mr Hampton said. Results for the New Zealanders were: Wilson (Waitotara) eight faults in first round and four in second; Beatson (Dannevirke) 8,9; Honeywill (Invercargill) 4,9; Cropp (Cambridge) 4, 9.