He’s back! Tangalooma wins Puhinui

It is certainly great to see DSE Tangalooma back in winning form, after a long injury break. Donna Edwards-Smith took out the Honda CIC3* class at the Puhinui Horse Trials by a good margin on ‘Bones’ – as DSE Tangalooma is referred to at home.

Donna was very excited have one of her all-time favourite horses back out performing so well at the top level. “It was sooooo nice to be back out on ‘the king’ and I have to thank Kelley Barrington (his vet) Alexandra Leander (his vet surgeon) and George Hunt (his farrier) who were the specialists that gave Bones his opportunity to return to top level. He’s 100% and has pulled up fantastic.”  The next competition for the pair is Kihikihi on April 7-9, and after that? “We will make a plan from there,” says Donna.

It was worth Brent Jury keeping his promising young horse SE Hedging in the North Island after HOY; the pair finished in second place, just managing to keep Donna from getting the quinella. Donna had to settle for third on DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, who had led after dressage but had a show jumping rail and incurred a few time faults across country. Brent has been the farrier for a New Zealand team in the past, but has always wanted to ride in one, and if he keeps this form up, the selectors may have to look at him for this year’s Oceania team to compete at the Melbourne Three-Day Event in June. He, too, is heading to Kihikihi.

The cross-country time was definitely the biggest challenge, and no-one finished on their dressage score. Ashleigh McKinstry and Pioneer Brass Monkey recorded the fastest round with just 8 faults, and finished fourth.

One of the few at the Puhinui Reserve who did finish on their dressage score was Nick Brooks on For Fame in the ISpy two-star class, but it was only enough to give him second place. Maddie Crowe took the win on the lovely Waitangi Pinterest, adding just 4.4 time penalties to her dressage score.

Clarke Johnstone and In Disguise incurred just 1.2 time penalties to be at the top of the the Honda CIC1* by a clear margin from fellow Olympian, Matthew Grayling on Javari JS. While not an Olympian, Cherie Jacques is always consistent and finished in third and fourth in this class on Black Gem and Tobinator.

Clarke had Balmoral Sensation out in the CNC1* class for a cruise, and clocked up a number of time penalties to finish in fourth place, although he was completing HC so it doesn’t count. “It was great to have Ritchie back at an event,” Clarke said afterwards. “He had a great time in all three phases and he was so much fun to ride.” Courtney Winterbottom, Tom Lane and Jane Callaghan will have some great boasting rights, finishing first, second and third in this class ahead of the famous pair.

A number of horses obviously impressed judge Jenny Draper in the dressage phase of the Devi Heating Systems CNC105, but it was Christen Lane and Henton Armada who triumphed overall, finishing on their dressage score of 27 to take out the win from Juliet Wood on Waitangi Amazon.

And well done to Erin Tandy and Struck By Lightning for winning NZ Horse and Pony’s sponsored class on their dressage score.

Agricola and Jade Le Petit won the star-studded Bomber Bits CNC105 Amateur & Grassroots class, with four-star horses Xanthus III and Quimbo both in the field. Fiona Fraser finished third on Xanthus and Charlie Sellar looks like she is having a great time out there on Quimbo.

Some things never change, and it was lovely to see Anne Marie Styles and Joanne Bridgeman winning more classes on more youngsters.  Anne Marie took out the Fiber Fresh CNC95 on Sharvalley Music, and Joanne won the Bucas Rugs CNC80 on Master Mouse.

Congratulations also to everyone’s mate, Brent Cheeseman, who won the Spurs of Counties CNC95 Masters (riders over 40 years) on Enbarr.

Results

ESNZ Eventing Super League Standings:

• Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata), DSE Mr Hokey Pokey, 150 pts;
• Virginia Thompson (Kaukapakapa), Star Nouveau, 102 pts;
• Brent Jury (Rangiora), SE Hedging, 90 pts;
• Samantha Felton (Matangi), Ricker Ridge Pico Boo, 78 pts;
• Samantha Felton, Ricker Ridge Escada, 75 pts;
• Andrew Daines (Kumeu), Spring Panorama, 54 pts;