Francis Flies To Victory In World Cup Qualifier

Taupo teen Annabel Francis has ticked off one of her big goals for the season with a win in a very competitive POLi Payments FEI World Cup qualifier at the Feilding Industrial, Agricultural & Pastoral Show at Manfeild this evening.

The 18-year-old was one of 10 very classy combinations to line up in the qualifier of the high-ranking series which was held in the indoor arena. In the opening round clears came from Annabel aboard La Quinara, the in-form Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) on Windermere Cappuccino and Melody Matheson (Havelock North) on Cortaflex Graffiti MH. Six of the 10 starters came back for the second round over the Gary Sinclair-designed course where just Tegan and Annabel kept their tallies clean. Two-time series winner Tegan and Windermere Cappuccino stopped the clock at 63.27 seconds, with Annabel last to go and flying home in 61.97 seconds. Robert Steele (Dannevirke) and LT Holst Bernadette picked up a single time penalty in the second round but carried eight faults from the first while Tegan aboard her second mount Campari added two time penalties to their five from the opening round. Tegan filled second and third places with her two horses.

“I am very pleased,” said Annabel. “This win means a lot. We have worked really hard on this horse. She had an injury a couple of years ago and had a lot of time off and treatment but it has all paid off.”

The German-bred mare La Quinara joined Annabel in 2017 and together they campaigned in Europe before heading back to New Zealand. This was just their third World Cup start. “She is very good indoors because all her shows in Europe were indoors so I was confident she would go well and we won the 1.45m the day before. She is a very strong horse but has so much quality and I really trust her scope.”

Annabel praised course designer Gary Sinclair and said she had been a little worried about competing indoors but needn’t have been. “It was a nice course and a field filled with very good horses and riders.”

Annabel also started her Australian import Carado GHP as her nominated mount. The two picked up four penalties in the opening round and were well on the way to a solid second round when they had a duck out and ended up with 12 penalties from the two rounds.

The World Cup series comprises six rounds, with just the best four to count. The winner of the New Zealand league usually has the chance to represent the nation at the Longines FEI World Cup Final which is scheduled to be held March 31-April 5, 2021, in Gothenburg Sweden, but with a global pandemic whether it goes ahead or not is uncertain.

Feilding marked the half-way point in the series, and will be followed by Taupo (December 19) , then Dannevirke (January 10) with the final at the Waitemata Show at Woodhill Sands in Auckland (January 17).

The Country TV Pony Grand Prix was won by Anna Wilson (Waipukurau) and Redcliffs Bill who notched the only clear of the opening round of the class.

Results –

Showjumping, POLi Payments FEI World Cup: Annabel Francis (Taupo) La Quinara 1, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 2, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Campari 3, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 4, Robert Steele (Dannevirke) LT Holst Bernadette 5, Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Graffiti MH 6.

Country TV Pony Grand Prix: Anna Wilson (Waipukurau) Redcliffs Bill 1, Georgie Wilson (Taupo) Showtym Boss 2, Keira Page (Mystery Creek) Redcliffs Colour Me In 3, Tessa Mason (Napier) Mr Acho 4, Dylan Bibby (Onga Onga) Daisy Patch 5, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Tony the Pony 6.

Harrison Lane Pro-Amateur Rider Series: Larina Dolman (Gisborne) Kiwi Lansing 1, Lucy Fell (Palmerston North) Faratona STS 2, Laura Knight (Rangiotu) Aria 3, Noni Morgan (Hastings) Starlight Discovery 4, Holly Rose (Taupo) Pampero 5, Sally Clark (Dannevirke) Victoria’s Secret 6.

Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series: Francesca Corich van der Bas (Paraparaumu) LDS Lavanda 1, Lilly Carpenter (Taihape) Kinnordy Rhani 2, Dylan Bibby (Onga Onga) Wenrose Vertigo 3, Georgie Wilson (Taupo) Forest Hill 4, Kimberley Carrington (Takapau) Double J Barmaid 5, Brendon Terrill (New Plymouth) FIS Outrageous 6.

FMG Young Rider Series: Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiver Fresh Veroana 1, Annabel Francis (Taupo) Cherokee NZPH 2, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Lakota 3, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Silverstar 4, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Bandito NZPH 5, Samantha Carrington (Takapau) Double J Breeze On 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series: Charlotte Gray (Levin) Bridgemere Havana 1, Louise Mulholland (Taumarunui) Mr McTaggart 2, Todd Gloyn (Palmerston North) Ten Talents 3, Kaleigh Kent (Otane) Double J Sponge Bob Square Pants 4, Simone McConnell (Tauranga) Country Zena 5, Toni Vincent (New Plymouth) Fleckwood Smarty Arty 6.

East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Anneke van Rooyen (Taumarunui) Awaroa Ginger Kiss, Ash Hart (Hastings) Kiwi Royal, Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Giulia MH and Sophie Scott (Wellington) Off the Cuff =1.

UltraMox Six-Year-Old Series: Sophie Scott (Wellington) Benrose Casino ECPH, Mark Brooks (Cambridge) First Class NZPH and Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Kanga CSNZ =1.

Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Series: Annabel Francis (Taupo) Chic Xtreme 1, Heloise Tolo (Wellington) Heartline 2.

Show hunter, Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series: Sally Ward (Waipukurau) Paradox 1, Alice Barrow (Rotorua) Cliebrig Cleopatra 2, Ashley Morrison (Eketahuna) Sophie’s Red 3, Vianne Downs (Greytown) Leandro Bay 4, Joshua Borostyan (New Plymouth) Putahi Iwa 5.

ESNZ Show Hunter Amateur High Points Series: Holly Wright (Wellington) Destiny’s Duchess 1, Gerardine Wood (Taranaki) Burton 2, Antonio Matangi (Levin) Shoeshine Polish 3, Antonio Matangi (Levin) Marua 4, Diana Cottle (Palmerston North) Travino 5.

Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Adult Equitation Series: Sarah Jocelyn (Wairarapa) Brigadoon 1, Antonio Matangi (Levin) Shoeshine Polish 2, Holly Wright (Wellington) Destiny’s Duchess 3, Jane Ward (Waipukurau) Meersbrooke Fire ‘N’ Ice 54, Diana Cottle (Palmerston North) Travino 5.

NRM Open High Points Series: Kate Fleming (Pauatahanui) Goldstone Hawk 1, Brendon Terrill (New Plymouth) FIS Outrageous 2, Jessica Todd (Wellington) Cavallo 3, Alice Barrow (Rotorua) Cliebrig Cleopatra 4, Antonio Matangi (Levin) Shoeshine Polish 5.

ESNZ Show Hunter Junior Equitation Series: Alice Barrow (Rotorua) Cliebrig Cleopatra 1, Hazel Jones (Plimmerton) Sancho 2, Jessica Todd (Wellington) Cavallo 3, Ashley Morrison (Eketahuna) Sophie’s Red 4, Sally Ward (Waipukurau) Paradox 5.

Float Factory Cat A High Points Series: Zara Sutton (Palmerston North) Chelton Light Secret 1, Emily Oliver (Kapiti Coast) Patui Ataahua 2, Lily Kent (Waipawa) Ataahua Rapture 3, Sophia Neale (Palmerston North) Sonrise Essence 4, Iyve Speirs (Gisborne) Miss Candy Floss 5.

ESNZ Show Hunter Under 12 Equitation Series: Vienna Wilson (Taupo) Ashbury Robin Hood 1, Bridie King (Pahiatua) Puketawa Puzzle 2, Henry Martin (Wellington) Waimeha Tayza 3, Heidi Fenton (Stratford) Finnagen Sun n Air 4, Iyve Speirs (Gisborne) Miss Candy Floss 5.

Fibre Fresh Cat B High Points Series: Emily Oliver (Kapiti Coast) Summer Fiesta 1, Ella Easton (Levin) Matai SB 2, Hollie Falloon (Masterton) Sweet Tempo 3, Bridie King (Pahiatua) Puketawa Puzzle 4, Wiremu Priest (Rotorua) Hopes N Dreams 5.

For full results, head to www.equestrianentries.co.nz

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