Dressage draws top horses

Press, 8 March 1989, Page 33

Dressage draws top horses

The Nelson dressage group of the New Zealand Horse Society will host the national dressage championships at Richmond Park this weekend. Excellent entries have been received, with competitors travelling from as far as Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Opunake in the north to Timaru and Gore in the south. Many of the 99 entries are from outside the Nelson area. The championships cater for the five grades in dressage, which are in descending order — advanced, medium, elementary, novice and preliminary. Friday and Saturday cater for qualifying classes for the finals of all grades, which take place on the Sunday. The top award, the Eqvalan Burkner Medal New Zealand championship is the final event on the programme and is set to take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. This event is sure to be hotly contested with five of the six members of the New Zealand-based 1990 world championship training squad included in the field. Current title holders, Kentucky with Marcia Bayley of Te Awamutu, have won this major award for the last three years along with other major achievements. The local favourites, Aztec with Soo Wells will be keen to reverse the results of last year when they finished second and no doubt will be aiming for a repeat of their win in 1984. Kestrel, with Pam McGregor of Ashburton, has been performing with distinction lately and was second to Kentucky in the New Zealand section of the Samsung international competition. Huntaway, with Sally Field-Dodgson of Christchurch, is another southern horse showing good form this season. Silver Fern and Sharon Field of Pahiatua complete the squad horses. Eight qualifiers will contest the Eqvalan Burkner Medal, the maximum allowed, and it is conceivable the above five horses will be among the top. On the Saturday afternoon at 3.15 p.m. the Grand Prix will be held. Seven horses are entered in this, including the five squad horses. This is the biggest field ever seen in New Zealand for this difficult test. The Grand Prix is the Olympic world championship level ... test rarely performed in this country and include some beautiful movements. Also included on Saturday at 9 a.m. is the Air Nelson young rider championship with six local riders amongst the lineup. This event is open to riders under 21 years. The musical freestyle for medium and advanced horses takes place at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. Considered equestrian ballet, some good

performances are sure to be seen from the top horses. * « * Experience and well-matched combinations showed in the results of the Guthrey Travel open novice horse trial on Saturday at Ensor’s property, Bullock Creek, Okuku. Anne Nicoll’s Zebadee overtook the dressage leader, Julie Srhoy’s Mr Quinn, to win the class following a clear-cross-country phase with the fastest time and a clear showjumping round. Mr Quinn unfortunately dropped a rail in the showjumping phase to be placed third from Adrienne Sutherland’s and Mrs D. Burgess’ Jolita. Jolita, the only other horse to jump both phases clear, incurred time faults as the fourth fastest horse across country. The circuit continues on April 2 at Rotherham Showgrounds, with the final at Riccarton Racecourse on Anzac Day. That one day horse trial will also cater for the numerous horses at training level, plus a masters’ division for riders over 35 years. Ponies are also catered for with . both open and novice ponies encouraged to enter. Results: —

Open novice (Bullock Creek): Anne Nicoll’s Zebadee 1 (34.30), Adrienne Sutherland and Mrs D. Burgess’ Jolita 2 (43.60), Julie Srhoy’s Mr Quinn 3 (45.75), Kaylene McCormick’s Highlander 4 (58.75), Amanda McDermott’s Glendale Sharif 5 (98.10), Paul Carlyon with A. Collie’s Rameka 6 (101.05). Saracen Karim, a purebred Arab stallion, has arrived back to Canterbury after standing at stud for three seasons in Australia. Originally he was imported from Canada by the late Lester Marshall of Holly Farm, Leeston, in 1974.

Over the years Saracen Karim has been shown and featured at many events throughout New Zealand, winning over 40 championships in hand under saddle and in harness. In August, 1986, he was leased to Peter Hall of Australia to stand at stud and to be shown. Going to only four shows Saracen Karim was awarded three supreme exhibits and regional reserve champion stallion and from his first foaling season in Australia. His son, Karish, was regional champion foal. While travelling home Saracen Karim was held up in Sydney quarantine, as he was from Canada 15 years ago. However, after passing tests, the M.A.F. allowed him to enter New Zealand. As he had missed his flight direct to Christchurch it was necessary for him to fly to Auckland and travel to Christchurch by transporter. Finally he is now back at Holly Farm in Leeston. Saracen Karim will now return to his position of head sire at the farm and will be available to public mares. ♦ * ♦ The first area trial was held on the property of Mr and Mrs Ensor at Bullock Creek last week-end. Results were: Dressage D.C.: R. Eder’s Grangeland Showtime, 23.5, 1; J. Adrion’s Happy Jack, 27.5, 2; A. McCrostie's Craven A. of Miltondale, 27.35, 3. Over-all D.C.: A. Brown’s Golden Girl 1; A. McCrostie’s Craven A. of Miltondale 2; A. Laurenson’s Lord Aston 3. Dressage A.l: A. Vincent’s Penny Lane 28.25, 1; R. Manson's Dellmount Sovereign and E. Templeton’s Dreamtime 32.5, equal 2. Over-all A.l: P. Jarvis’ Ace High 1; J. Jarvis’ Casper 2; E. Liddell’s Bahrain 3. ♦ * ♦ Results from the View Hill one day horse trials were: Dressage open: A. Nicoll’s Zebadee 1; A. Geddes’ Nibbs 2; R. Silcock’s Comet 3. Dressage intermediate, 17 years and over: E. MacAulay’s Huhana 1; E. Templeton’s Dream Time 2; T. Parris’ Bogside Lass 3. Dressage intermediate, 16 years and under: R. Eder’s Grangeland Showtime 1; K. Ward’s Castlemaine 2; H. Muldoon’s Charlotte Jane 3. Over-all open: Zebadee 1; P. Jarvis’ Ace High 2; E. Liddell’s Bahrain 3. Over-all 17 years and over: A. Vincent’s Penny Lane 1; D. Winter’s Holy Smoke 2; N. Hutton’s Smooth Flight 3. Overall intermediate 16 years and under: Grangeland Showtime 1; Charlotte Jane 2; K. Jamieson’s Woodbine Mr Jinks and B. Bruerton’s Trouper equal 3.

The View Hili intermediate cup was won by Amanda Vincent, riding Penny Lane.