Format change for World Cup qualifiers

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 43

Format change for World Cup qualifiers

For the first time New Zealand riders will not have to travel to Australia to qualify for the final of show jumping’s World Cup. Previously there were three or four rounds in New Zealand and the top two or three riders had to participate in the three competitions across the Tasman to have a chance to contest the international title. The World Cup for show jumping riders was introduced in 1978 to try to capture attention for the sport at a quiet time of the year in other sports in Europe. Ironically, since its inception it has been dominated by United States riders who have won seven out of ten years, two going to Canada and one to Austria. Over sixty qualifying rounds will be held in seven regions, leading up to the final, in the United States, Europe, Pacific (Australia and New Zealand), South America, Canada, United States West and United States East. The sport in New Zealand is now regarded as strong enough both in competitors and its ability to challenge them over international standard courses, to hold its own complete series. There will be seven rounds, the winners of which will be eligible to compete for the World Cup to be held in Tampa, Florida in March. From there up to 50 riders will contest the World Cup in a series of competitions, each attracting points with the top scorer winning. New Zealand has contested the final twice, Olympian John Cottle and Arturo finishing eighteenth at Vienna in 1983 while Alan Goodall and Double Brown Skud competed at Berlin in 1985. No rider qualified the following year and last year the decision was taken to concentrate on Olympic preparation rather than dilute effort and finances by trying to do World Cup as well. The New Zealand series will be supported for the second year in succession by Kiwi Lager whose philosophy of "Kiwis taking on the World,” also helped show jumpers to contest the Olympics in Seoul. With the Olympic horses required to remain in South Korea until midNovember, the opportunity will be there for some of the up and coming riders and horses to make their mark in the series and try for the trip to the United States. Some of the Olympic riders will have their second string horses to compete on, but one rider stands out as having every chance of underlining his enormous potential, and that is Bruee Goodin. Goodin, aged 19, widely regarded as the most promising show jumper for many years, was in the Olympic squad and was dropped only at the last minute. Last March he won six classes at the Horse of the Year Show at Levin, including four national titles, one of which was the Horse of the Year championship on Bago, Mark Todd’s Olympic ride. The first of the seven rounds of the Kiwi Lager Show Jumping World Cup qualifying competitions is at the Poverty Bay A and P Show, Gisborne, on October 15. Thereafter the dates are: Hawke’s Bay A and P Show,

Hastings, October 21; Wairarapa Show Jumping Championships, Carterton, October 24; Manawatu A and P Show, Palmerston North, November 6; Bay of Plenty Show Jumping Championships, Rotorua, December 4; Auckland Show Jumping Championships, Pukekohe, January 8; Dannevirke A and P Show, Dannevirke, February 4. Polo The Ashley Polo Club will be holding an Introduction to Polo evening on October 17 beginning at 8 p.m. Venue is the Ouruhia Hall, 213 Guthreys Road, Belfast. Club members will meet at 7.15 p.m. and anyone interested in learning to play this season, helping with ponies or just coming along to watch is most welcome. There will be an introduction by the club president, Mark Donald, and then a presentation by Mike O’Neill on the polo scene in the South Island. The club’s two professional players will attend. Mark Harris having returned from the United States and Roddy Wood, from England. A number of videos will be shown featuring international polo at its best. The game originated in Persia some 600 years B.C. However, modern polo is a direct result of the British Raj. The game was adopted by the British Cavalry and now 25 countries play polo. Ponies.— There is now no height limit on ponies, although ponies are now thoroughbred horses. Equipment.— The sticks are made of bamboo shafts and hard wood heads. Length varies between 45 inches to 55. The ball is hit with either face of the head and not with the ends, as in croquet. All interested persons should contact M. O’Neill 488974. Results The final round of the Stubben Mini Circuit Jumping show was held at McLeans Island last week-end and staged by the Canterbury area of the New Zealand Society. The winners in the points prize were: Hacks: N. Grigg (Just Dougy 64 points) 1; ponies 14.2: G. Sutton (Ace of Clubs 68 points) 1; ponies 13.2: N. Moore (Monique 67 points) 1. Best score over-all: N. Moore 1; L. Cotterell 1; N. Grigg 1. Results: Novice Horse AM3.

(a) M. Hodgkinson’s Nikia 1; J. Scott’s Rufus 2; J. Wall’s Young Hawk 3. Novice Horse AM3. (b) A. Stringer’s Enfield Armagh 1; J. Bowden’s Chardoney 2; J. Savill’s Basil Brush 3. Novice Horse AM3. (4a) T. Kovacs’ Mattson 1; M. Ludeman’s Jaws 2; D. Rutherford’s Galway Bay 3. Novice Horse AM3. (4b) E. Bridgeman’s Orlando 1; J. Creswell’s White Bread and T. Chapman’s Endure equal 2. Novice Horse Accumulator (a) B. Storer’s Wiseguy 1; P. Carlyon’s Quickstep 2; A. Lawrence’s Lord Aston 3. Novice Horse Accumulator (b) Enfield Armagh 1; White Bread 2; R. Ayton’s Oscar 3. C Grade Horse AM3: N. Grigg’s Just Doughy 1; K. Teague’s Woodbine Idol 2; J. Scott’s Alcatraz 3. A and B Grade Horse AM3: C. Harris’ Rhythm 1; R. King’s Alchemy 2; T. Kovacs’ Corsair Bay 3. A, B and C Grade Horse AM3: S. Gallager’s Janone 1; C. Stanley’s Casey 2; Woodbine Idol 3. A, B and C Grade Horse Accumulator: Just Doughy 1; R. Spark’s Commando and Casey equal 3. 14.2 Ponies Novice Pony AM3: S. Walker’s Fortification Sieanna 1; M. Hodgkinson’s Dusty’s Girl 2; B. Woodham’s Chit Chat and M. White’s Zanibar 3. Novice Pony AM3: K. Winterbourne’s Sergeant and C. Hargreaves’ Toughguy equal 1; M. Collier’s Idle Words 3. Novice Pony Accumulator: Dusty’s Girl 1; Sergeant 2; Ataahuna Dignity 3. C Grade Pony AM3: T. Mitchell’s Just Questy I; K. Smith’s Jazz 2; J. Cole’s Falconite 3. C Grade Pony AM3: A. McCrostie’s Craven A of Miltondale 1; B. Fisher’s Kotere Mignonne 2; J. Brueton’s Spike 3. A and B Grade Pony AM3: L. Rutherford’s Galway Dungarvan 1; G. Sutton’s Ace of Clubs 2; L. Cottrell’s Gorrie Downs 3. A and B Grade Pony AM3: Gorrie Downs 1; N. Hutton’s Smooth Flight 2; R. Silcock’s Comet 3. A, B and C Grade Accumulator: M. Grimes’ Smokey Lee 1; Ace of Clubs 2; Gorrie Downs 3. 13.2 Ponies Novice Pony AM3: J. Eder’s Zorro 1; M. Turner’s Hail 2; K. Jamieson’s Toi Toi 3. Novice Pony AM3: G. Florence's Nadia 1; Toi Toi 2; Hail 3. Novice Pony Accumulator: Nadia 1; M. Armstrong’s Drummercott 2; Toi Toi 3. A, B and C Grade Pony AM3: N. Moore’s Monique 1; Zorro 2; N. Moore’s Red Comet 3. A, B and C Grade Pony AM3: Red Comet 1; Monique 2; K. Skene/Carlyon’s Just April 3. A, B and C Grade Pony Accumulator: Monique 1; Just April 2; L. Hay’s Birchdale-Q-Mist 3. Note: Entries will close this Friday for the Labour Day Jumping Show with J. Mclver, Main North Road, R.D.I, Kaiapoi.