Abby Lawrence reckons she has another superstar in her stable, but while he is called Anonymous, today’s win in the CCI2* at the Land Rover Horse of the Year show has broadcast that fact to everyone!
Abby said at the beginning of the event that this horse, known as Archie, was pretty special, but she didn’t expect to come home with the title. She had entered with the focus on his education. “I really just need to get him here as he has never seen anything like this before. He can be a little bit spooky sometimes, so we thought it is just going to be the most growing experience for him. He was phenomenal, I couldn’t be happier.”
The ten-year-old chestnut gelding is a Hanoverian by Anamour out of Morning Star and was bred by Linda Hunt. “I absolutely love him to bits,” says Abby, confirming that she thinks he has potential to go right to the top level. “He reminds me so much of Pseudonym in personality and on the cross-country . He is so straight, he is so fast, he is so scopey.”
Abby finished fourth in the one-star on him at Puhinui last December and won a one-star one-day event, but this is the biggest win so far in their career together. Abby has had the ride on him for about a year.
“His previous owner, Su Jenkins, was having an operation so I was riding him for her. I had him for a few months while she was out of action. In those few months I effectively fell in love with him. I took him from Pre-Novice to one-star. There had been quite a lot of interest in him, so we said to Su, if you are going to sell him, please let us know as we would be interested. Anyway, long story short, we now own him and this was the best decision ever. The offers have been flowing in already, but it doesn’t matter where you are on the list because he is not for sale. He. Is. Not. For. Sale.”
As for the future, Abby has Kihikihi in her sights at two-star level. “Then we are looking at heading to Australia later this year. We haven’t got a solid plan yet, but hopefully it will be Melbourne and the big one would be Adelaide. Archie would be just aiming for the three-star at Adelaide.”
The pair were second after dressage, but took the lead after cross-country, recording the fastest round of the day. One rail in the show jumping wasn’t the perfect finish, but they had enough of a buffer to win.
After recording the second-fastest cross-country yesterday, Fleur Rohleder and The Alchemist, a nine-year-old thoroughbred gelding by Shinko King, finished with a great clear in the show jumping. The pair were 10th after dressage, which was led by Samantha Felton and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. Sam rode carefully across the country yesterday and collected a bunch of time faults, but had a lovely round in the show jumping to finish third.
Australian Rebel Morrow was in fourth place, giving a very good display of eventing riding in all three phases on Balmoral Henton.
The trot-up this morning wasn’t without some drama when two of the three-star horses, DSE Tangalooma (Donna Edwards-Smith) and Waitangi Pinterest (Maddy Crowe) did not pass the final horse inspection. It is understood that both riders were very disappointed and there may be a protest in one case.
The three-star competition starts later this morning.
| Dressage | XC faults | SJ Faults | Total | |||
| 1 | Abby Lawrence | Anonymous | 27 | 7.2 | 4 | 38.2 |
| 2 | Fleur Rohleder | The Alchemist | 34.8 | 9.2 | 0 | 44 |
| 3 | Samantha Felton | Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ | 26.7 | 19.6 | 0 | 46.3 |
| 4 | Rebel Morrow (AUS) | Balmoral Henton | 40.1 | 10 | 0 | 50.1 |
| 5 | Donna Edwards-Smith | DSE Mendoza | 35.8 | 15.6 | 0 | 51.4 |
| 6 | Sophie Alexander | World Famous | 30 | 18.8 | 4 | 52.8 |
| 7 | Elise Power | Arctic Cielo | 37.6 | 13.2 | 4 | 54.8 |
| 8 | Isaac Twigg | The Juggler | 37 | 13.6 | 13 | 63.6 |
| 9 | Holly Rose | Pampero | 37.7 | 26 | 0 | 63.7 |
| 10 | Madison Crowe | Deo Volente | 37.3 | 27.2 | 0 | 64.5 |
