Bird flies to victory

BIRD FLIES TO VICTORY IN SOUTHERN FEI WORLD JUMPING CHALLENGE OPENER

Ashburton teen Jamiee Bird has flown to victory in the first southern leg of the FEI World Jumping Challenge.

Riding the nine-year-old Ramazotti mare, Wenrose Vertigo, Bird produced two faultless rounds over the two days to take the win. It was a huge victory for the 16-year-old Ashburton College student, who was one of the youngest in the 15-strong class.

Now in its 37th year, the revamped version of the FEI World Jumping Challenge see competitors up against the rest of the world with the competition divided into 10 geographical zones and three categories, with the South Island only offering Category A, open to riders 15 years and older, jumping to heights of 1.20m-1.30m. It was run over two rounds, one each day, over a track designed by Brazilian course-designer Guilherme Jorge, who is down to design the courses for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Second went to Sally Spicer of Springston on Weiti Eros with third to in-form Steffi Whittaker (Springston) on Ngahiwi Cruise, backing up from an unbelievable third win on the trot in the Telford/Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider.

In today’s other highlight, Invercargill’s Nicole White and Cricklewood Ace proved too strong, taking out the Equissage/Kinlock Farms Horse Grand Prix with just four faults from Angus Taylor and Oak As, while Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) guided her powerful duo Alacazam MH and Dual Diamond to first and third respectively in the Tavern Harewood Horse Mini Prix.

Earlier in the day, Broadfields teen Lucy Turner has bagged her first Grand Prix win of the season aboard Tallyho Mystic taking out the Country TV Pony Grand Prix. Seven started the class with four combinations including Turner going through to the jump-off. It was incredibly tight, but nobody could match Turner’s sizzling opening time of 29 seconds flat. Whittaker on Moonlight Glow finished second on 30.37 seconds, with current Pony of the Year winner Molly Buist-Brown on Miss Mae West third on 30.96.

Clinton’s Amanda Roy on Rumours NZPH won the Let’s Bale Pro Am with a smart jump-off effort, while the hotly contested Caledonian Holdings/Betavet went to Larissa Thoroughgood (Tai Tapu) on Serengeti with a lovely performance.

Yesterday, Nelson’s Tamara Silcock sealed an impressive victory in the Canterbury Equestrian Young Rider aboard CoDicea. With the notable absence of Olivia Robertson (Ohoka) and Rose Alfeld (Leeston), who are both currently campaigning in the North Island, the class was reduced to just the nine starters. Four jumped clear but disappointingly Sally Spicer on Bella Via and Lucinda Askin on IQ both picked up one time fault, leaving just Silcock and local Harry Feast (West Melton) on Double J Bouncer to battle it out against the clock. Out first, Silcock proved too slick, stopping the clock in 47.21 seconds.

RESULTS:
FEI World Jumping Challenge (Overall): Jaimee Bird (Rakaia) Wenrose Vertigo 1, Sally Spicer (Springston) Weiti Eros 2, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Ngahiwi Cruise 3, Jayne Beattie (Mosgiel) Midnight Magic Rumble 4, Charlotte Bellew (Christchurch) Pittsburgh 5, Kimberley McCabe (Invercargill) Kace 6.

Equissage/Kinlock Farms Horse Grand Prix: Nicole White (Invercargill) Cricklewood Ace 1, Angus Taylor (Ohoka) Oak As 2.

Tavern Harewood Horse Mini Prix: Tegan Fitszimon (West Melton) Alacazam MH 1, Kimberley Bird (Rakaia) Ngahiwi Summer 2, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Dual Diamond 3, Kelly Evans (Cave) Hammertime 4, Katie Meredith (Kaiapoi) Ngahiwi Cracker 5, Kayla James (Kaiapoi) Berry Desayo 6.

Country TV Pony Grand Prix: Lucy Turner (Broadfields) Tallyho Mystic 1, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Moonlight Glow 2, Molly Buist-Brown (Burnham) Miss Mae West 3, Annabel Francis (Darfield) Te Mata Miss 4, Grace O’Sullivan (Rangiora) Galaxy Masterpiece 5, Rosa Buist-Brown (Burnham) Junior Disco 6.

Canterbury Equestrian Young Rider: Tamara Silcock (Nelson) Co Dicea 1, Harry Feast (West Melton) Double J Bouncer 2, Sally Spicer (Springston) Bella Vi 3, Lucinda Askin (Ashburton) I.Q 4, Kimberley Bird (Rakaia) Ngahiwi Summer 5, Georgia Urquhart (Fairlie) Quickstep NZPH 6.

Let’s Bale Pro-Am: Amanda Roy (Clinton) Rumours NZPH 1, Chris Harris (Alyesbury) Glenbrook Archie Bunker 2, Emily Cammock (West Melton) Lewis 3, Nick Baddley (West Melton) Icebreaker MP 4, Emily Cammock (West Melton) Shaw Lee 5, Louise Marriot (Christchurch) Lincoln GNZ 6.

Telford/Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider: Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Ngahiwi Cruise 1, Kendall Thompson (Greymouth) Awatuna Denniston 2, Florence Tapley (Pigeon Bay) Ngahiwi Call Girl 3, Georgie Goodworth (Cave) Golden Mile 4, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Suzy Fog 5, Maria Van Kuijk (Kaiapoi) Antara Whiskey Mac 6.

Caledonian Holdings/Betavet Amateur Rider: Larissa Thoroughgood (Tai Tapu) Serengetti 1, Kirtsy Sharapoff (Christchurch) Shoot The Breeze 2, Anna Douglass (Timaru) St Henry 3, Sarah Swarbrick (Amberley) Cannikin 4, Candace Kingsbury (Ashburton) Miss Serendipity II 5, Harriet Gardner (Waimate) Cee Mee 6.

ENSZ 7YO Series: Harry Feast (West Melton) Double J Bouncer 1, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Double J Monarch 2, Nick Baddeley (West Melton) Icebreaker MP 3, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Valdema II 4, Jenny McIntyre (Nelson) Global PH Licorice 5.

Mitavite/Tavern Harewood 6YO Series: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Corlinka 1.

East Coast Performance Horses 5YO Series: Kirstin Beaven (West Melton) La Riviere 1=, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windemere Cappucci 1=, Georgina Power (Dunedin) Flirtini 1=.

Team Cubitt Pony Mini Prix: Rohan Tennekoon (West Melton) Mangakaraa Carbon Copy 1, Olivia Harkerss (Leeston) Brooklee Smallchange 2, Lea Zydenbos (Christchurch) Ernest 3, Olivia Shinn (Timaru) Madam Masala 4, Annabel Francis (Darfield) Kaimai Rua 5, Todd Magner (Hokitika) Awatuna Louis Vivant 6.

ENDS

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