Lisa Coupe has her name on many of the trophies and titles at the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show, but until yesterday, the prestigious Norwood Gold Cup was not among them.
But Lisa put that to rights in emphatic style, with two impressive rounds on Lotte, an eight-year-old mare who was bred and is owned by Kathryn Roberts and her daughter Rosie Commons.
Lisa picked up the ride on Lotte late last year, and after her first show or two realised the mare’s talent. “I suggested that we aim her at the Norwood, so it’s pretty nice to pull that off, because it was a bit of a long shot,” she says.
“She jumped fantastic, she’s a real star.”
Lotte is by Corofino II out of Moll Flanders, a mare by Voltaire II who won the Show Hunter of the Year title, ridden by Vicki Wilson.
The Norwood is the first of the big jumping classes at HOY, at 1.45m, and has the names of many of legends of the sport etched into it. The 2020 edition saw five riders clear over Werner Deeg’s testing track, while Luci Askin was clear but with one time fault on Portofino.
These six came back to jump off, and an exciting jump-off it was too, with Lisa and Lotte scooting home in 41.77 seconds. Nakeysha Lammers and Resolution were second, with 443.25 second, and Kimberley Bird was third on Cera Cassina.
Amateur Rider of the Year
Double J Sponge Bob Square Pants is a true family pet, according to his devoted rider, Kaleigh Kent. In fact, he is such a gem that he is ridden and even jumped by her children, Charlie (7) and Lily (9).
But he’s certainly an operator over a fence, and he and Kaleigh blitzed the 29-strong field in the Wade Equine Coaches Amateur Rider of the Year final, coming home more than four seconds faster than their nearest rivals, Kelly Stewart and Kingslea Couture, with Shelagh Nolan third on Ngahiwi Eyeza Blue.
The trio were the only riders to jump clear in the first round of the amateur final, though 12 combinations had a single rail; Anna Kincheff and Red Socks were the fastest of these four-faulters, so took fourth place.
Also yesterday, Kate Cavanagh and Wallflower won the horse 1.35m, Amy McMullan and Silversmith won the Pro-Am qualifier, from Paxton Conder and La Fonteyn, and Emma Gaze and Woodland Bug took out the 1.30m. Emma Watson and Maddox Kiwi Silverkee won the horse 1.20m, and Sharon Klijn blitzed the massive horse 1.10 on Mizta Frosty.
Katie Readings and Rump Shaker won the pony 1.25m, LouLou McNelly and Shanghigh Vixen the pony 1.10m and Bailee Sterling and Spirit of Liberty the pony 1.05m.
Dressage day two
The first Advanced class, 6B, was a terrific win for Oamaru’s Lorraine Ward-Smith on her homebred Kingslea Diamond Day, scoring 70.946%. Wendi Williamson was second on Bon Jovi MH and third on Don Vito MH.
Tessa van Bruggen and Fiorenza won the Advanced Medium title on 70.3%, with Morgan Beer second on Redwood First Affair.
Vanessa Way and NRM Timbermill Prequel won the 7YO class on 78.8%, just ahead of Kellie Hamlett and Astek Geronimo.
The Medium musical freestyle was a resounding victory to Amanda Berridge and GS O Jay, a seven-year-old by GT Jake scoring 72.6%, with Nicky Daulton second on HPH Phelix Phelicious, on 68.6%.
Over on the polo grounds, Lisa Blackbourn and Irish Coffee won the large Novice musical freestyle, on 74.292%, and Amanda MacPherson and four-year-old Frieden Star won the Preliminary title class.
Lucy Cochrane and Greenmoor Euphoria won the Medium level Pony of the Year title class, on 70.571%.
