Wendi Williamson Continues to Dominate Grand Prix at Bates Nationals

Day Two started with the early riders warming up and competing in a proper Taupo fog, which kicked off another very full day of competition.

Today’s Equus Veterinary Preliminary 1A went the way of Lisa Brown and Shall We Dance AH, topping the 20+ field on their home turf with 73.10. Over in the HERDD Bedding Novice 2A (another big field) Awanui’s Casey Burton rode a superb harmonious test aboard Fanciful MH to put a top score of 74.51 on the board.

Mikayla Wildermoth (Canterbury) and Donnerock EH were knocking on the door of the top spot yesterday, stepping up and securing it today in the Dressage Rider Training Elementary 3A and cracking the seventies on 71.52. Continuing their run of top form in the Medium 4A was Wendi Williamson and Danseur MH, decisive winners with 73.16.

Yesterday’s top two Advanced Medium placegetters leapfrogged today, with the NZ Hanoverian Society 5A going to Blenheim’s Rebecca Lawrence and Don Darciano RS (68.70), Zoie Gray and Stoneylea Felicio settling for second place. It was a similar 1-2 switch in the Classic Equestrian 6A where Amy Sage (Cambridge) and HPH Furst Welcome inched ahead of yesterday’s winners Lynley Stockdale and Leominster to lead the class on 71.316.

Vanessa Way repeated her success again today in the Rosemary & Brett Kendall Small Tour, delivering two super freestyles that saw her finish with another quinella aboard NSC Furst Rock DW (77.41) and NSC Jolie DW (75.70). The Medium Tour Musical Freestyle was down to the wire at the business end of the class, Brina Carpenter and Leo Donna just edging into the top spot by 0.2 of a percent! (70.35).

This evening’s Equestrian Country FEI CI3* Grand Prix Special was a bittersweet win for Wendi Williamson and Don Vito MH, who delivered a great test with just a small but expensive mistake in the trot coming down the final long side and finishing on 73.36, only a fraction away from the 74+% Olympic qualifying score they were striving for.

Enjoying another win in the Sweney Productions FEI Pony Musical Freestyle was Paige Fitzgerald and Greenmoor Euphoria (71.03), and the IRT FEI Junior Individual went the way of Auckland’s Piper Crake and Georgia MH (70.44). Gemma Lewis continued on her strong form for another win in the FEI Young Rider Individual test, a clear 3% ahead of the field with Ruanuku R.

The final rounds of the River Park Farm Young Dressage Horse championships decided which youngsters would take the national titles for 2024. The judging panel consisted of FEI Young Horse judges Linda Warren-Davey (NZL) and Jane Ventura (AUS), and they had lots of positive feedback for all the riders and how they had produced the young horses presented to them.

4YO National Young Dressage Horse Champion:

Hannah Burden + River Park Belafonte (by Belantis, bred by Renai Hart).

Reserve: Corey Miln + Fursachie (by Fugato SW, bred by Lynley Stockdale)

5YO National Young Dressage Horse Champion:

Champion: Casey Burton + Fanciful MH (by Furstenball OLD, bred by Matthews Hanoverians)

Reserve: Lisa Brown + Shall We Dance AH (by Swarovski OLD, bred by Amberley House)

6YO National Young Dressage Horse Champion:

Champion: Holly Leach + HPE Barbados (by Bordeaux, bred by Werner Dullweber)

Reserve: Debbie Barke + RM Freedom (by Fugato, bred by Peter + Debbie Barke)

The Para Equestrian riders had their dancing shoes on today, with the Para Collective FEI Para Grand Prix Musical Freestyle being the test across all grades I – V. The winners for each grade were:

Grade I – Nicola Essex-Wills + Just Vincent 70.55%

Grade II – Jodie Thorne + Ira Hayes 70.85

Grade III – Rachel Shiree Hughes + HPH Benedict 69.28

Grade IV – Nicole Sweney + KC Louison 72.812

Grade V – Natalie James + Wild Thyme MI 62.375

Tomorrow wraps up three days of National competition, with classes including test finals for L1-6, FEI Young Rider + Junior Musical Freestyles, FEI Pony Individual qualifier, Small Tour FEI Inter I, Medium Tour FEI Int B and the CDI 3* + CDN FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyles, as well as FEI GP Test B for Para Equestrian Grades I-V.

The action in the Weatherbeeta Arena is being livestreamed from 9.25am – you can view the schedule and livestream free here: https://www.equestrian.live/

NZL-Wendi Williamson rides Don Vito MH. Final-1st. Class 904 Equestrian Country -Test FEI Grand Prix Special 2022 CDI 3*. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Nicole Sweney rides Flute Noir. Final-3rd. Class 802 Dressage NZ – Medium Tour Test FEI Int A/B Musical Freestyle 2022. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Mandy Littlejohn rides Dolce Vita RB. Final-2nd. Class 802 Dressage NZ – Medium Tour Test FEI Int A/B Musical Freestyle 2022. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Brina Carpenter rides Leo Donna. Final-1st. Class 802 Dressage NZ – Medium Tour Test FEI Int A/B Musical Freestyle 2022. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Holly Leach rides HPE Barbados. Final-1st. Class 947 River Park Farm – 6yo Young Dressage Horse-Top 3. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Casey Burton rides Fanciful MH. Final-1st. Class 946 River Park Farm – 5yo Young Dressage Horse-Top 3. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Hannah Burden rides River Park Belafonte. Final-1st. Class 945 River Park Farm – 4yo Young Dressage Horse-Top 3. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Wendi Williamson. 2024 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 22 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography Presented with Rider of the Year Lowry Medallion from Horse of the Year Show