Vicki Prendergast and Selena C flying around the Property Brokers Horse Grand Prix – Photo Credit – Charlotte Elise Photo & Media
This weekend, Woodhill Sands hosted the Shelley Bridgeman Grand Prix Show Jumping show, and it was a weekend of all seasons. Saturday brought wind rain and even hail, but the riders, officials and crew soldiered on to bring some great jumping.
Vicki Prendergast had a cracking weekend with her homebred Selena C, winning both the Burmester Realty 1.30m and the Property Brokers Horse Grand Prix (in conjunction with Shelley Bridgeman) with the sole clear round.
Vicki was stoked with Selena C. Vicki said, “she jumped really well and felt fresh and happy and I’m very pleased with how she jumped, especially with the first World Cup Show just around the corner”. Vicki was also full of praise for the Ring One course designer – Edward Bullock, stating that he built good courses all weekend and the Grand Prix course wasn’t too tough, but asked enough questions. Vicki is lining up Hawke’s Bay World Cup Show as her next outing as she is also busy with training racehorses and hopes to aim Selena C for the World Cup Series as long as she is jumping well and happy.
Samantha-Lee Wakeling was a clear winner in the AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix, jumping the only clear round aboard BMW Sharpshooter. In similar style, Isabelle Jameson and Levi Xtreme produced the only double clear in a 5 horse jump off to take the win in the FMG Young Rider Series (in conjunction with GJ Gardner Homes).
Two 4 fault jump offs were had in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series (in conjunction with GJ Gardner Homes), and the Harrison Lane Pro Am Series (in conjunction with Veterinary Associates Equine). In the Pro-Am, both Vicki Ridley and Mosaic II and Michelle Wakeling and BMW Chaccolilli jumped another clear round, with Vicki being the faster of the two. Sarah Revis and Royal Blue were the only combination to jump clear in the jump off of the Amateur Rider to take the win.
The Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series (in conjunction with Alltech NZ Ltd) gave us a fantastic jump off with all 6 place-getters making it through to the jump off. The top two placings produced another clear round, with Matt Taylor and Starlight Dalaman finishing at the top of the table with Ella McKay and AS Donnertello a couple of seconds behind.
The Woodhill Sands team are very appreciative to all of their crew, helpers and sponsors that make these shows happen. They hope to see you all at their next show – the Shots Photography Grand Prix – on 14-15th October, where they are pleased to be welcoming Erin Duffy, one of New Zealand’s top course designers, who is coming up from the South Island to build in Ring One.
Anja Johnston and Pocket Rocket II in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider – Photo Credit – Samara McKay
In the South Island, South Canterbury North Otago Area hosted their Spring has Sprung show – even if the weather had other ideas. Although the rain stayed away, Saturday was bitterly cold with severe winds. But nonetheless some fantastic jumping was seen. SCNO secretary Rebecca Drummond was thrilled with how the show ran and even happier that the forecasted rain stayed away. The sun came out on Sunday to finish off a great weekend of jumping. She also spoke highly of the 60 new covered yards that were used for the first time this weekend which in turn received high praise from the competitors.
Samantha Gillies and Pierre de Soleil headed a strong field in the FMG Young Rider Series (in conjunction with Meadowlands Farm). Sam said that she “didn’t watch Quinn or Jess go (the other competitors in the jump-off), but she thought that Jess would have gone out there and given it a good crack”. So she knew that she had to give it a go, despite it being the first time she had run Pierre against the clock. ”He jumped really good and I wasn’t expecting to win it because this was our first proper show together – having only ridden him since April – and our first Young Rider start”. Sam’s main aim this season is to jump consistently around Young Rider and Mini-Prix and to keep Pierre happy with no pressure as they get to know each other. Sam finished off by saying that despite the weather conditions, the footing was great and the committee did a good job and ran a well organised show.
Katie Meredith and Vulcan GNZ produced the only clear to take the win in the Harrison Lane Pro Am Series (in conjunction with Animal Therapeutics) and Jessica Hore and Global PH Mylorde were the only double clear to take the win in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider.
The Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider (in conjunction with PL Performance Horses) brought a great jump off with four combinations coming back, all of which jumped double clear. The fastest of those by almost 3 seconds was Anja Johnston and Pocket Rocket II.
The AMS Saddlery Pony Grand Prix rounded off the show, with Molly Smith and Vapour Trail NZPH jumping the only clear for the win.
For full results from Woodhill Sands, go to www.evoevents.co.nz
For full results from SCNO, go to www.main-events.com
The Jumping Team – 2 October 2023