Consistent Campbell scores at Flaxmere

After the excitement of the Rio Olympics, Clarke Johnstone returned to earth with a thump (literally) with his first competition back on home soil at Eventing Hawke’s Bay’s horse trials held at Flaxmere, having a heavy fall from his promising In Disguse in the young horse CNC1*.

Poor Clarke sustained a broken ankle and dislocated shoulder in the painful tumble. He later revealed that, remarkably, it was his first broken bone, but happily he didn’t lose his sense of humour, posting on Facebook that it was “not quite the first event back after Rio that he had hoped for… bugger!”

A fourth place finish earlier in the open one-star class on Wolf Whistle II was the high point of the weekend for Clarke.

There were strong entries from around the North Island in the weekend’s event, and it was a very comfortable win in the top class, the CNC2*+, for ‘Mr Consistent’, Campbell Draper. He and his horse Mr Mancini were third after dressage, held that spot after clear show jumping, and much the quickest cross-country round, for 4.4 time, saw them take the win by a 10-penalty margin from Sam Felton, who was second and third with Ricker Ridge Pico Boo and RR Escada.

Donna Edwards-Smith had the lead after dressage and show jumping on DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, but had a slow round cross-country for 22.4 time.

In the Hygain CNC2*, it was an all-the-way win for Ashleigh McKinstry and Pioneer Brass Monkey, on a score of 40.6, but the top four were extremely close, with only less than a penalty between them. Abby Lawrence and Song were second, just 0.1 behind Ashleigh, while Campbell on What a Choice and Jessica Woods on LV Defies Logic both finished on 41.4pen, to slot into third and fourth.

The Livamol CNC1* was a great win for Matthew Grayling and Giddyup, who was produced by Warwick Douglas, with Loran Mathis second on Charlton Xplorer, and Isaac Twigg third on The Juggler.

There were just seven entries in the Hygain one-star class for six- and seven-year-olds, but it was a good win for Sam Felton and RR Mystery Man, in just his second season out of racing. Bryce Newman was a close second on Bates Our Entourage.

Sam now heads off to Australia for her campaign over there, and we wish her all the luck and look forward to seeing her in Adelaide.

There was a big entry of 33 in the CNC105 class, won by Abby and Django from Matthew and Trudeau, with Sam in the money again, third on RR Sooty GNZ.

There seems to be a bit of a resurgence in the numbers of successful young men out eventing at the moment; two of them are Samuel Amon and Aidan Furkert, who took the top spots in the Forbes and Co U21 CNC105, on Danny and Pin M Down respectively.

There were three CNC95 sections, won by Aleisha Collett and Beaumont Dzire SW, Bryar Kirkby and HNS Chrialka, and Jada Emms on Enriched. 

The two CNC80 sections were both headed by Andrea MacFarlane, on Budweiser and Loves Heir.

Congratulations to all riders, and well done to the army of officials and volunteers.

Results