The first event on the New Zealand eventing spring calendar has started off with a hiss and a roar today at the National Equestrian Centre in Christchurch. Some of the horses and riders were just about hissing with excitement and there were a few roars when things didn’t quite go to plan – mainly due to a great deal of exuberance on display!
One who has been very keen to get out of the winter dressage competitions and into his real job was Shoot the Breeze, ridden by Kirsty Sharapoff. The pair lead the Ultimate Design & Renovation CNC2* Plus class by a very healthy margin, having nailed a great dressage and then recorded the only clear round in the class in the show jumping.
Kirsty, the Chair of Eventing Canterbury, was very pleased with ‘Merv.’ “He did a settled and consistent dressage test and got his changes, albeit a little enthusiastically!!”
Larissa Srhoy and Rockquest are making the most of their first start of the season, showing great form to lead the Dunstan CNC2* class with a solid dressage and a lovely clear show jumping round. Larissa says that Rockquest is feeling really good. “For the start of the season, the dressage was OK, except he did practice his flying changes.” Unfortunately there were not any movements with flying changes in this 2* test. Larissa intends consolidating Rockquest’s performances at two-star level and is hoping to venture up north at some stage in the coming season.
Larissa has obviously been doing a lot of practice over the winter, as she also leads the Melwood Equestrian CNC95 on her younger horse, Heads Will Roll.
Hard-working event secretary Claudia Faulkner is second to Larissa in the CNC2* class on Citadelle, is also second on Strate Show in the BetaVet CNC80 and third in the Melwood Equestrian CNC95 on Shapeshifter 2.
Another leading two classes is Lauren Enright. With Tyrgra she leads the Saddlery Barn CNC105 and Beaumont Cash is in the lead in the BetaVet CNC80.
Brent Jury and SE Gorky Park looked good out show jumping in the afternoon sun, and have the lead in the Equissage CNC1* from Cam Robertson on his promising mare, Wairoa Renegade.
The cross country is on tomorrow at the Eyreton Pony Club grounds, Mandeville Sports Grounds in North Canterbury, with an early start as the CNC2* plus class is first up at 8:30am. The weather forecast is saying clear skies, but in Canterbury that can also come with a frosty morning. Course builders Nick Pyke, assisted by Giles Gormack and Brent Jury, will be sure to be out there early to make sure any ice on the water jump is sorted!
| Ultimate Design and Renovation CNC2*+ | Dressage | Show Jumping | Day 1 Total | ||
| 1 | Shoot The Breeze | Kirsty Sharapoff | 35.1 | 0 | 35.1 |
| 2 | Carbon | Lucy Turner | 41.6 | 8 | 49.6 |
| 3 | By Hoki | Courtney Davis | 37.5 | 15 | 52.5 |
| Dunstan CNC2* | |||||
| 1 | Rockquest | Larissa Srhoy | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| 2 | Citadelle | Claudia Faulkner | 34.6 | 0 | 34.6 |
| 3 | WS Paradise | Rebecca Wardle | 41.7 | 0 | 41.7 |
| 4 | SD Amourosi | Rebecca Smithey | 40.3 | 4 | 44.3 |
| 5 | Allander Rocket | Lydia Truesdale | 41.9 | 4 | 45.9 |
| Equissage CNC1* | |||||
| 1 | SE Gorky Park | Brent Jury | 31.2 | 0 | 31.2 |
| 2 | Wairoa Renegade | Cam Robertson | 32.3 | 4 | 36.3 |
| 3 | Ivanoff | Paige Hardwick | 39 | 0 | 39 |
| 4 | My Hallucination | Niamh Rayne | 35.3 | 4 | 39.3 |
| 5 | Mr O Likely | Rebecca Smithey | 37.1 | 4 | 41.1 |
| Saddlery Barn CNC105 | |||||
| 1 | Tygra | Lauren Enright | 30.1 | 0 | 30.1 |
| 2 | Miss Renegade | Anna Poole | 38.1 | 0 | 38.1 |
| 3 | Star’s Ransom | Nicola Kerr | 38.5 | 0 | 38.5 |
| 4 | Stellar Groove | Rebecca Sharplin | 39.5 | 0 | 39.5 |
| 5 | Attenborough | Colleen Marett | 36.3 | 4 | 40.3 |
| Saddlery Barn CNC105 Under 21 Years | |||||
| 1 | Gymanji | Lucy Cochrane | 28.5 | 0 | 28.5 |
| 2 | Tigerherz | Georgie Dickson | 33.2 | 0 | 33.2 |
| 3 | Tenshi | Tarryn Jones | 33.6 | 0 | 33.6 |
| 4 | Dingmac Demoiselle | Isabelle Ussher | 34 | 0 | 34 |
| 5 | Quintero | Annabelle Jones | 34.1 | 0 | 34.1 |
| Melwood Equestrian CNC95 | |||||
| 1 | Heads Will Roll | Larissa Srhoy | 26.9 | 1 | 27.9 |
| 2 | Des | Emily Cammock | 35.7 | 0 | 35.7 |
| 3 | Shapeshifter II | Claudia Faulkner | 36.4 | 0 | 36.4 |
| 4 | Over Xposed | Stanley Mullen | 36.9 | 0 | 36.9 |
| 4 | Tipperary Gold | Nicola Sim | 32.9 | 4 | 36.9 |
| Melwood Equestrian CNC95 Under 21 Years | |||||
| 1 | Saltador | Giselle Conway | 31.9 | 0 | 31.9 |
| 2 | Astek Victor | Lucy Turner | 33.1 | 0 | 33.1 |
| 3 | Monkey Puzzle | Isabella Leighs | 33.8 | 0 | 33.8 |
| 4 | Amberleigh Prima Donna | Lily Peters | 34.8 | 0 | 34.8 |
| 5 | Jenks | Emily Holder | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| BetaVet CNC80 | |||||
| 1 | Beaumont Cash | Lauren Enright | 29.5 | 4 | 33.5 |
| 2 | Strate Shot | Claudia Faulkner | 34.5 | 0 | 34.5 |
| 3 | Peragon Bellini | Hayley Thomas | 35.5 | 0 | 35.5 |
| 4 | Loco Moco | Sara Rowley | 36.1 | 0 | 36.1 |
| 5 | The Goode Nut | Rhonda Gibson | 37.9 | 0 | 37.9 |
| BetaVet CNC80 Under 21 Years | |||||
| 1= | Heza QT | Gemma Lewis | 32.6 | 0 | 32.6 |
| 1= | Awatuna Jimmy Neutron | Fabriana McQuarrie | 32.6 | 0 | 32.6 |
| 3 | Rosewood Zakee | Grace Gormack | 34.2 | 0 | 34.2 |
| 4 | Willowmead Playboy | Meg Glassey | 36.6 | 0 | 36.6 |
| 5 | Awatuna Fox Trot | Tess Morgan | 37.6 | 0 | 37.6 |
| Lime Solutions CNC65 | |||||
| 1 | Silver Lining | Katrina Houston | 30.5 | 0 | 30.5 |
| 2 | Contanti | Brianna Bailey | 38.7 | 0 | 38.7 |
| 3 | Ngalaire Flashlight | Jack Hague | 40.8 | 0 | 40.8 |
| 4 | Southern Triumph | Raquel Cook | 41.6 | 0 | 41.6 |
| 5 | Button | Gretchen Anderson | 39.7 | 4 | 43.7 |
