30 January – 2 February 2025
Wellington’s Sophie Scott wins Young Rider
at National Champs
The win of the day went to Wellington’s Sophie Scott when she took out the FMG Young Rider class at the Tavendale & Partners NZ National Show Jumping Championship in Christchurch.
Sophie and Steffi Whittaker (On the Point Eve) were the only two clear rounds in the first round, but the jump-off didn’t go according to Steffi’s plan, and she ended up on the ground instead of jumping the wall. Sophie just had to jump clear to win, and she did that with style on Lakota.
Sophie is also still competing in the pony ring, but has stepped up well to the horse arena with her super coloured gelding. The pair are into their second season together. Sophie is a frequent visitor to the South Island and will be staying down for the Canterbury Show Jumping Championships next weekend. She will then head )home and then on to the Horse of the Year show in mid March, where she will target the Young Rider class and the Norwood Gold Cup.
Tayler Nalder’s Icebreaker II is a favourite of many and there was a lot of applause when the lovely big grey jumped a clear round in the jump off with a fast time to win the Dunstan Horsefeeds Equifibre Junior Rider class (sponsored by Pegasus Communications. Icebreaker is actually Tayler’s father’s horse but he is only allowed to use him in the winter for hunting. The 14-year-old gelding is still quite “naughty” at home. “He likes to jump out all the time,” Tayler said. “He has so much character. He normally has to have a stable at the shows because of that and he has to be in behind a deer fence at home.”
Tayler Nalder, Icebreaker II
Tayler Nalder, Icebreaker II – such a family horse
Leeston’s Rose Alfeld had a great start to her day when she won the first class of the day, the East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old class (in conjunction with Platinum Performance). She won on her promising young horse Eye Catcher NZPH. “He’s super consistent,” Rose said afterwards. “He’s been such a good horse all season, so it is pretty exciting. I think he has a bright future, he has some really great breeding behind him and he is showing heaps of potential.”
Rose Alfeld, Eye Catcher NZPH, with Platinum Performance representative
Rose is another with plans to head to the Horse of the Year show. After the Canterbury Championships, Rose is taking her team of horses to the North Island for a few shows and Eye Catcher NZPH will be on the truck too.
The Mitavite Speedi-Beet Six-Year-Old class was won by Peita Milne on Global PH Mylorde. The pair haven’t done many of these age classes, and Peita wasn’t expecting to win at the Nationals so she was super happy with the results. Peita has only been riding the big mare since November, so the pair look like they will have a bright future. “After the Canterbury Champs, we are off to Takapoto and then on to Horse of the Year, where we hope to jump in the six-year-old class there” said Peita.
Peita Milne, Global PH Mylorde with Robyn Mauger from Hygain Mitavite
Kate Cavanagh thought she had blown the win when she and Wallflower had a bit of a miscommunication at the last in the jump-off, but despite the four faults, she was good enough to win the Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old series (in conjunction with the Rider Shop). Kate is another who is planning to head up to the Horse of the Year show where she will target the age class as well as the Pro-Am. Kate and Wallflower won the Amateur class at last year’s HOY. Kate described her as a “busy” horse at home. “I have my hands full with her at home some days, so our training can sometimes be a struggle, but she seems to come out and perform ok!”
Kate Cavanagh, Wallflower with Georgie Dormer, sponsor (The Rider Shop)
The Dunstan Horsefeeds and Equifibre Pro-Am class is always a hotly contested one, and this class was no different. Seven went through to the jump off but it was Queenstown’s Icey Storm, ridden by Lauren Buckley who took out the honours, going early and posting a time of 34.88 and a clear round. The others all had four faults until the last horse into the arena, Eireann Bandoola, ridden by Gail Richardson, and the pair also produced a clear round but their time of 37.19 put them in second place.
Lauren Buckley, Icey Storm, winners of the Dunstan Horsefeeds Pro Amateur rider with Andy Thompson from Moa (sponsored by Moa)
Lauren had targeted this class at this event after winning the National 1.20m Championship at last year’s event. “He is on form at the moment,” Lauren said afterwards. “He’s absolutely loving competing, showing and travelling around.” Despite that, Lauren doesn’t have any plans on travelling up north for other shows. “He’s on form enough to go up there, but it is a long trip and a lot of travel for an amateur rider. I will get a few horses to take up on a trip one day.”
Tomorrow Lauren will be at the show to spectate and “do her helper jobs” so there may be a little celebration tonight, and the sponsor donated a magnum of their Moa product to help out!
Ella Rae-Wood, Tallyho Primrose, winner of the first competition National 1.10m pony championship
Sophie Pickens, Tui’s Tennesse winner of the first round of the RVC NZ National 1m Championship
Sophie Townsend, Kingslea Kiwi, winners of the Junior Equitationi class with Dunstan representative, Sarah Swarbrick
The show continues tomorrow with the final rounds of the National titles. The ground conditions are very good, producing some fine jumping. There was a good crowd enjoying the lovely sunny day today and it is hoped even more will be out watching tomorrow.
RESULTS
TAVENDALE & PARTNERS RING ONE
FMG Young Rider Series in conjunction with NRM
1st Lakota Sophie Scott
2nd On the Point Eve Steffi Whittaker
3rd RH Kukumoa Olivia Brown
4th WS Paradise Rebecca Wardle
Dunstan Horsefeeds Junior Rider, in conjunction with Pegasus Communications
1st Icebreaker II Tayler Nalder
2nd Glenmark Molly Moffatt
3rd Hammertime Caitlin Adams
4th Kingslea Kiwi Sophie Townsend (winner of the Equitation)
East Coast Performance Horses 5 Year Old Series In Conjunction with Platinum Performance
1st Eye Catcher Rose AlfelD
2nd Mojito GNZ Emma Power
3rd Double J Blueprint Kaitlin Feast
4th Global PH Carentinjo Tamara Silcock
Mitavite Speedi-Beet 6 Year Old Series Art 238.2.2 1.25m
1st Global PH Mylorde Peita Milne
2nd Glenbrooke All Roses Tanya Davie
3rd Campari Tegan Fitzsimon
4th Double J Cyclone Lucinda Askin
Matthews Hanoverians in conj with The Rider’s Shop 7 Year Old Series
1st Wallflower Kate Cavanagh
2nd Cadenza NZPH Rose Alfeld
3rd Vali Molly Buist-Brown
4th Glenbrooke Centarose Sophie Scott
Dunstan Horsefeeds & Equifibre in conj with Moa Pro Amateur Rider Series Art
1st Icey Storm Lauren Buckley
2nd Eireann Bandoola Gail Richardson
3rd Kiwi Spirit Grace Percy
4th Shaw Lee Emily Cammock
Christchurch City Council Ring 2
Brooklands Poll Dorset & Suffolk Stud Horse 1.10 Non Championship
1st Valkyrie II Anna Robertson
2nd Glenmark Molly Moffatt
3rd Miss Serendipity II Candace Kingsbury
4th Golden Mile Adam Ford
Hinterland Amateur Rider Series in conj with McMillan Equine Feeds
1st Emilio MSH Jess Land
2nd Tallaght Margaret Ridley
3rd Rocky Ridge Nicola McLennan
4th Evenstar Harriet Gardner
Table Downs Sport Horses’ Horse 1.20m Non-Championship
1st By Hoki Courtney Davis
2nd Banderas C Harry Feast
3rd Carbon Lucy Turner
4th Double J Bouncer Harry Feast
First Competition RVC NZ National 1m Pony Championship
1st Tui’s Tennesse Sophie Pickens
2nd Windward Wiki Rosa Buist Brown
3rd Tallyho Cleopatra Ruby Rae-Wood
4th Missing Peices Summer Borrie
Final Competition RVC NZ National 1m Pony Championship
1st Marsden Magic Bella Taane
2nd Pork Chop Skye Somerville
3rd Dingmac Demoiselle Isabelle Ussher
4th Pavlova Katherine Hadler
Ring 3
Southern Trust Pony 90cm
1st Chico Ruby Thomas
2nd Painted Chief Lucy Florance
3rd Parents Paying Emma Thomas
4th Sweet Adagio Eliza Dalzell
Southern Trust Pony 1m
1st Painted Chief Lucy Florance
2nd Tui’s Tennesse Sophie Pickens
3rd MF Spotlit Sonya Benison
4th WP Hotshot Breagha Beggs
Southern Trust Horse 90cm
1st Tiraumea Dustin Angela Cotton
2nd Arcoda’s Maximum Emma Brown
3rd My Key to Success Jo Benison
4th Helmsley Snapdragon Sarah Eaves
Southern Trust Horse 1m
1st Ruweisat Ridge Claire Lewis
2nd My Key to Success Jo Benison
3rd Brentwood Surprise Caitlin Rayne
4th Riverdance Tane Samantha Muff
Southern Trust Horse 1.10m
1st Ruweisat Ridge Claire Lewis
2nd Brentwood Surprise Caitlin Rayne
3rd Ubetcha Jayne Beattie
4th The Wildchild Rosie Smith
Show Hunter
Lone Goat Vineyard Horse 1.10-1.15
1st Melanie Morris, Kosciuszko
2nd Anna Redmond, Vera Mera VA
3rd Emily Cammock, Shaw Lee
Morrisons Saddlery Amateur
1st Anna Muir, Ferdinand
2nd Claudia Faulkner, Shapeshifter
3rd Emma Pilcher, Riccardonna