Show Circuit Magazine - June/July 17 by Show Circuit Magazine

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR HORSE? - EXPERT ADVICE FROM KELLEY BARRINGTON

SHOWCIRCUIT NEW ZEALAND’S ULTIMATE EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE NZPCA EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIPS

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WELCOME FROM MY DESK Words cannot describe just how thrilled we all were when Andrew Nicholson finally won at Badminton. It’s the crowning achievement in a career that has seen lofty highs and devastating lows, all overcome through sheer perseverance and straight-out guts and determination. Andrew has contested the Badminton title – one of the most prestigious in the eventing world – an epic 37 times. The tale of his remarkable recovery from the life-threatening neck injury sustained in 2015 has been told many times, and now we just want to join him in celebration! With Andrew’s apparent return to full strength as one of the world’s most successful and consistent riders, the question everybody is asking is, will we see Andrew return to the New Zealand Eventing team? It would be great to think so. It’s remarkable that at the conclusion of the event, Kiwis filled four of the top six places. Tim Price staged an absolutely amazing comeback to finish third (he had been 34th after the dressage) and Sir Mark Todd filled two of the top six spots, placing fourth with NZB Campino and sixth with Leonidas II. Read our British correspondent Catherine Austen’s overview of Badminton, alongside outstanding photography from the event, and find out why, despite his success with these two talented horses and many others, Charisma is still the one Sir Mark Todd won’t forget. Also off-shore, it was fantastic to have the New Zealand Show Council team competing successfully in Australia, and we cover the Australian Grand National Showing Championships. Our interview with Natacha Otto gives a personal perspective on the tour and her gorgeous Cuvée’s grand finale. Our coverage of events here in New Zealand sees the wrap-up the show jumping season with the Show Jumping Series Finals in Masterton, and the final major event on the dressage calender, the Under 25 Dressage Championships. Our Pony Club stars are the future of equestrian sport, and we were at NZPCA Champs in Whangarei where the Canterbury Area team celebrated victory. Our Champs photo essay gives a quick look at the skills of the young riders who competed, and we also went ‘up close’ to learn more about the victorious Canterbury team members. It has been a mixed season weather-wise, with cancellations that have been heart-breaking for competitors and organisers alike. Here’s hoping for an easy winter where we can kick back a little, or perhaps continue with training, or try a different code. Be inspired by the wisdom from show jumping star Duncan McFarlane and eventer Andy Daines, and find out what Show Hunter is all about in our training section. And if the weather does keep you indoors, settle in with your Show Circuit magazine and be entertained, informed and inspired!

Sheryll Davies, Publisher 10

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

A WORD FROM THE TEAM PIP HUME EDITOR Our Pony Club stars are the future of equestrian sport. See the action (page 114) and meet the victorious team from the recent NZPCA Eventing Champs (page 32). LAURA STENBERG SENIOR FEATURES WRITER Have you ever wondered about the story behind the Ngahiwi Horses? Turn to page 16 to find out what sets them apart and meet the man behind the success. KATE LATTEY FEATURE WRITER I had a hilarious chat with David Collett & Craig Sullivan, who are running a successful horse training business with a bit of show jumping on the side. See page 40. KELLEY BARRINGTON EQUINE VET How well do you know your horse? Knowing what goes into your horses and their requirements is so important. Head to page 136 to find out more.

COVER IMAGE - © Jon Stroud. ANDREW NICHOLSON & NEREO

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CONTENTS REGULARS 14

Top Shot

Retail | Stay Warm & Dry This Winter

132

New Products

134

Recipe | Crispy Hash Brown Haystacks

145

146

Business Directory

SPECIAL FEATURES 16

The Ngahiwi Story

Joining the Pack

Andrew Nicholson

A Grand Finale

INTERVIEWS 26

Kirstin Beaven

Performance Ponies | Beechcroft

Canterbury Pony Club

Katie Meredith

David Collett & Craig Sullivan

Bizzie Canoodling

Bill Millar

The One I Won't Forget | Mark Todd

Susan Tomlin

TRAINING 58

Show Jumping | Duncan McFarlane

Focus on Grids

Have a Go at Show Hunter

Young Horse Eventing | Andy Daines

THE NGAHIWI STORY BRUCE HOLDEN

Many will recognise the Ngahiwi name, which calls to mind many great horses, especially for those who have had the pleasure of riding them. However, with Bruce being a self-confessed ‘fly under the radar’ type, not many know the story of this successful breeding operation – how it all begun and what lies in its future – so we went to find out.

SOUND BASICS

DUNCAN MCFARLANE

At a two-day clinic hosted by Otawa Equestrian, acclaimed show jumping rider and coach Duncan McFarlane shared the wisdom of many years, as he put Emily Fuller and her horse Lola through their paces.

A BADMINTON VICTORY ANDREW NICHOLSON

It has taken 37 years and as many attempts for Andrew to achieve his goal of lifting the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials trophy, and the brilliant horseman savoured his success.

EVENT COVERAGE 82

Badminton Horse Trials

Glistening Waters Jumping Championships

Grand National Showing Championships

102

Festival of Future Stars

108

Kihikihi International Horse Trial

120

NZ Under 25 Dressage Championships

126

Poverty Bay Hunt Club

HEALTH 136

How Well Do You Know Your Horse?

140

It's All In The Hips | Nicola Smith

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

A GRAND FINALE

NATACHA OTTO & CUVÉE A tour of Australian shows, organised by the recently established New Zealand Show Horse Council, provided our show riders with an exciting opportunity. One of the New Zealand team members, Natacha Otto, shares some details of her trip.

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TOP SHOT

With the weather wreaking havoc at so many events throughout the season, many of which ended up being cancelled, it was nice to see the sun shining on Kihikihi International Horse Trial, which also hosted the National One Day Eventing Championships. PHOTO Eye Witness Photography

SPECIAL FEATURE 16

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

THE NGAHIWI STORY Bruce Holden has devoted much of his life to breeding top quality sport horses for the local and international market from Ngahiwi Station, high in the hills of Gisborne. Many will recognise the Ngahiwi name, which calls to mind many great horses, especially for those who have had the pleasure of riding them. However, with Bruce being a self-confessed ‘fly under the radar’ type, not many know the story of this successful breeding operation – how it all begun and what lies in its future – so we went to find out.

WORDS Laura Stenberg | PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

o tell the Ngahiwi story, we must go back to the early 1900s, when work in Gisborne was done on horseback and a man named Edward Murphy was looking to breed the perfect horse to stand up to hard work. After buying Kingston, an American saddle horse from Woodstock Stud in Kentucky in 1903, and bringing him back to New Zealand, Edward knew that he’d found a horse with great strength in his front end. But he was still looking for a horse with the right back end, so he set off to Vienna four years later to buy a Lipizzaner stallion. “In those days, they never sold colts or stallions from Vienna,” explains Bruce. “Edward camped outside the palace gates for days and refused to leave until they sold him a horse. The Head Groom said to the Emperor, ‘This man is not leaving’! So the Emperor said, ‘Sell him a colt and he will be gone’. Edward bought a horse called Maestoso and took him back to New Zealand, and these two stallions really influenced the breed of the Gisborne horse. A lot of the stations around Gisborne had those Kingston and Maestoso bloodlines.” It was these influential lines that also got Bruce on his way. Coming from a horsey family that had always bred their own stock, in 1974 Bruce named his part of the former Holden family farm Ngahiwi Station and began breeding his Ngahiwi horses. He bought a colt from Panikau Station that had the Gisborne bloodlines, and aptly named him Panikau. “I’d always ridden – I’d show jumped, played polo and I’ve hunted for the last 20 or so years. I’m still hunting to this day! We all have our loves in life and breeding horses is what appealed to me,” he says. “The main guts of the farm has always been sheep and cattle, and while the horses have come into their own in the last 15 years or so, if I’d done the balance sheet and tried to make the horse breeding stand on its own, I probably wouldn’t have them now. We all have our loves.” In the 1980s Bruce kicked things up a notch and started focusing solely on breeding jumpers with Panikau and a growing team of stallions, which expanded over the years to include Telesun, Nikau (by Panikau), Cisco Crier and Ratahiwi, to name just a few. Bruce has bred a number of successful horses from these Gisborne-bred stallions and mares, including one of his first, Deficit, who won the Olympic Cup at Horse of the Year in 1994, and Johnny Appleseed, who competed at Badminton Horse Trials in 1999. “Sasquatch was another horse we bred early on. He started in 1997 and went up the ranks quite quickly. In 2000 he had only been jumping 1.35m classes when he was entered in the Olympic Cup and came fourth. He was an incredible horse and ended up being sold overseas. Many of them have ended up overseas.” After years of success with his Gisborne-bred horses, Bruce heard about frozen semen and became interested in trying European bloodlines with his own. “The beauty of frozen semen was that you could use stallions that already had proven offspring,” he explains. “However the success rate at this point was still only about 35%. Then in 2001, Dr Lee Morris came to New Zealand. When she arrived, we sent about 10 mares to her at Equibreed and we had a 100% success rate in the first year, then 95% the following and 96% the year after that, which was incredible. We are so lucky to have her in this country.” It was at this point that Bruce started incorporating the European lines into his breeding programme, using stallions from the VDL stud in Holland. “The European influence at that time really stepped up the quality of horses here. We are now at the point where our horses are 50% European, 50% Gisborne-bred, and I’m very happy with that,” he says. As someone who has bred hundreds of good horses, you could forgive him for losing track of them all, but Bruce has followed most through their careers, and can quickly recite an impressive list of top jumpers from past and present that he’s bred – Blue Rinse, Socialite, Clypso, April Reign, Dambala, Ngahiwi Cruise, Ngahiwi Cisco, Ngahiwi Showtym Premier, Ngahiwi Cupid, SJ Duesenberg, Ngahiwi Warrior, Ngahiwi Para, Ngahiwi Eyeza Blue, Ngahiwi Rouge – and the list goes on.

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

“I’d always ridden – I’d show jumped, played polo and I’ve hunted for the last 20 or so years. I’m still hunting to this day! We all have our loves in life and breeding horses is what appealed to me.”

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“The main guts of the farm has always been sheep and cattle, and while the horses have come into their own in the last 15 years or so, if I’d done the balance sheet and tried to make the horse breeding stand on its own, I probably wouldn’t have them now. We all have our loves.”

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

“The brain is the most important part of the horse. You can have the best jumping horse around, but it’s no use without the headpiece.” Humble and modest as ever, Bruce is also very quick to credit the riders who have produced the horses, praising Julie Davey, Molly Bennett, Oliver Edgecombe, Vicki Wilson, Olivia Robertson and many other riders who have taken on his horses. “It was a great thrill to see Olivia Robertson winning the Young Rider at Horse of the Year in 2015 on Ngahiwi Cisco, and then winning the Norwood Gold Cup the following year,” he recalls. With so many horses leaving the hills of Ngahiwi Station and going on to succeed in the competition arena, we ask Bruce what he thinks makes his horses so good. His answer is quite simple. “Down here in Gisborne, like anywhere on the coast, the horses live on the hills and it is survival of the fittest. The mares come in to foal and a week later they go back out. The foals soon learn what a creek is, what a bog is and how to use their feet. They’ve got to learn to survive. These horses grow up strong, and exercising on the hills is good for their ligaments and overall strength. Learning to survive on the hills, I feel, can give them an edge against those horses bred on flat country.” Bruce also believes his breeding has just the right mix between talent and brains. “The brain is the most important part of the horse. You can have the best jumping horse around, but it’s no use without the headpiece.” He quickly points out that his horses aren’t for everyone though. “These horses are no good for beginners. They are bred to jump and have a bit of spark. The people that aren’t quite experienced enough and maybe overfeed them and don’t work them will run into trouble. They are not joyride-type horses. They need to be worked, and to get out and do their job.” In recent years Bruce has downsized his numbers a bit and now runs about 50-60 horses at any one time, made up mostly of young stock, with 10–12 mares and two stallions – Ngahiwi One Eye, who is by VDL Corland and out of a Panikau mare, and another by VDL Cardento, who is out of another generation of Panikau bloodlines. Bruce is particularly excited about One Eye, who has sired several top young horses coming through the age groups series now, including Mea 1, who won the Six-Year-Old Horse of the Year title in 2016 and was second in the Seven-Year-Old title at HOY 2017; Melanie’s Choice, who was second in the Six-Year-Old Horse of the Year 2017; Two Eye See, who was second in the North Island Five-Year-Old Championship at Tauranga 2017; and SJ Duesenberg, who has been successful in the Five- & Six-Year-Old Series classes too. “I’m very happy with the progeny of One Eye. They’re not pushovers, but whatever mare you put him to, he seems to produce good jumpers. The other stallion hasn’t got a name yet, but I quite like his offspring too. They are a bit younger, with the eldest ones only four and five.” While the operation has been scaled back, there’s certainly no talk of retirement, and for the first time, Bruce has even started promoting the horses a little. “People enjoy these horses, they’re middle of the road price with the potential to give people a lot of fun. I’ve kept below the radar over the years, believing that if the horses are good, they’ll speak for themselves. But my partner Faye Spence has kicked me into gear to start promoting the horses, so we’ve started doing a little bit of that. My son Tony is interested in the horses, and the grandchildren are too, so I’d like to think we’ll be rattling along for a while yet.” C

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WHEN

Selling a talented young horse is always a tough call, especially when there is the possibility of a coveted series win.

MEETS

INTERVIEW

GENEROSITY OPPORTUNITY WORDS Pip Hume | PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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he decision to sell the beautiful Lindberg Des Hayettes mare La Riviere was made by Kirstin Beaven and the mare’s other owners at HOY 2017. At the time, Kirstin was just one point off the lead in the Caledonian Holdings Amateur Series, and thought that the sale would mean the end of her season. However, through the generosity of owners Fiona and Steven Gillies, and regular rider Harry Feast, Kirstin was able to lease the classy mare Bonjour SPH and travel from her base in West Melton, Canterbury up to the series final in Masterton, where the pair pulled off a double clear with the fastest jump-off to win both the class, and the series. “Words can’t even describe how lucky I feel to have been given the opportunity to finish the season on such an amazing mare,” Kirstin says. “Fiona and Steve Gillies were awesome, trusting me with their star mare, and I can’t thank Harry Feast enough for letting me steal her. He has done a great job of producing her, and I was able to to climb on and get that success, benefiting from all his hard work.” Kirstin produced La Riviere (Lucy), and co-owned her in partnership with breeders Scott and Deborah Massey. “Lucy was a dream come true for me,” she says. “She never left a show without a ribbon, and more often than not it was a winning one. She took out the South Island Six-Year-Old series in very good company, and of course took me most of the way to the National Amateur Series win. “Most of all, she proved to me that I am capable of producing a seriously talented young show jumper.” A full-time rider, Kirstin enjoys the challenge of bringing on young horses and taking them up through the levels. As a young rider, she spent just over a year in the yard of Ross and Mel Smith when they were based at Burnham in Canterbury, where she worked with horses of every type and ability from breakers right through to Grand Prix. And while she was with Ross, she rode La Riviere’s dam, Riviera Van Het, for wins and placings at Young Rider level. She says that the time with Ross and Mel gave her invaluable show jumping experience – prior to that she had been more interested in eventing, competing to 2* on her absolute favourite horse, Smoky (Specta Kool). “Smoky was my first hack. I was just a 15-year-old Pony Club kid from North Canterbury when I got him and together we progressed right through to 2* eventing and Young Rider show jumping. I didn’t win a lot of ribbons on him but it was often very exciting! He taught me such a lot and instilled in me a love of Thoroughbreds.” That love was reinforced by the period Kirstin spent riding track to pay the bills while she established her sport horse business. “I rode track for a few years, riding up to 17 horses a day including those at the track and here at home. Now I’m in a position to concentrate on the sport horses, although absolutely the worst thing is having to sell the good horses to get set up, because development is so expensive! When I sold my eventer RV Dreamcatcher I was able to fund my arena, and Lucy’s sale means we can build a barn, but one day I hope to get to the point where I can keep those talented ones.” In her team at the moment Kirstin has RV Benz Velo, a five-year-old Thoroughbred gelding off the track, who is currently show jumping at 1.20m and eventing at 95cm. “He’s a seriously genuine and brave young horse,” she enthuses. “I picked him out as a yearling at the sales, kept an eye on him and was able to bring him home when he retired from the track. He only trialled and never raced, and he has been just so easy. “He’s like a schoolmaster. He’s the one that I take on the truck when I’m going to pick a horse up, or that I can put someone on to ride at the beach. “He looks beautiful, moves beautifully, jumps beautifully and gallops beautifully. Really, I can’t fault him. He will go a long way in either code.”

“Words can’t even describe how lucky I feel to have been given the opportunity to finish the season on such an amazing mare.” Kirstin has also recently purchased a four-year-old NZPH mare, Dolly NZPH, that she has high hopes for. “Dolly is such a sweetheart. She’s not very big – only around 15.2ish – but she’s very scopey with a big engine which I like. She travelled back with us from the Series Finals in Masterton and she’s got a very cool nature, she’s just so easy to do everything with. I’ve got high hopes she will follow in Lucy’s footsteps – she’s lovely!” Also in the paddock is Kirstin’s Thoroughbred broodmare, Saigon Princess (by Rhythm). Last year she produced a filly by Falkensee (Trakehner), and this year a colt by the Holstein stallion Clinton II. “Mum (Wendy Beaven) was one of the early warmblood breeders, using the Trakehner stallion Falkensee over New Zealand Thoroughbred mares to produce eventers. That’s where my passion for breeding has come from, and it’s a way for me to affordably get into some serious horsepower. My horses have been mostly off the track, so I’m looking forward to producing a homebred horse. “With that percentage of Thoroughbred blood they are ideally bred to event, but there’s also the option that they could show jump, and I may not keep them both. “Even though my foals are half warmblood, I always like a good Thoroughbred. It does depend on the individual horse, but I think I will always have nice Thoroughbreds off the track to event.” Kirstin is currently riding eight horses, most of whom are young eventers. They will go out eventing over the winter, before she switches back into show jumping mode next spring. “The aim next season will be to do the Five-Year-Old Series on Dolly NZPH, and the Six-Year-Old Series on RV Benz Velo, and probably also the Amateur series.” Kirstin is grateful to the many people who have helped her along the way. “I’m lucky to have the support of great owners including Scott and Deborah Massey who co-owned Lucy, and Caroline Jolley. And along with each of my parents, I have to thank my sponsors McMillan Equine Feeds, Seahorse Supplement, Leg-Up Oil, Rojan Equestrian, Boomedia, Balmuir Baleage and Riches Brothers Plumbing. “Judy Smith has taught me since I was little, and I still go to her for advice. For show jumping, I have been training with Fiona Gillies for the past few years. She’s got a really good eye for a horse and a book full of exercises for improving my riding and the way my horses jump. Janelle Sangster-Ward helps me out with dressage training.” So does Kirstin regard herself as an eventer or a show jumper at heart? She says that as Lucy was bred to show jump, that took her and a few of her team in that direction, but she still loves the challenges of eventing as well. “I love show jumping, but I will never lose the passion for cross-country!” C

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INTERVIEW

Grace Tripe and Beechcroft Playboy pictured at the Horse of the Year Show 2016

ERFORMANCE ONIES

Sometimes, it seems as though something was simply ‘meant to be’. Southland breeder Julieanne Baynes-White never intended to breed ponies – she had no children to ride them – but a chance happening has led to a string of hugely successful Beechcroft ponies. WORDS Pip Hume PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

he Beechcroft stud prefix has been synonymous with show ring success over the past few years, with titles and accolades too numerous to mention. The story of how this exceptional line of ponies came about is one of happy circumstance. JULIEANNE BAYNES-WHITE TELLS

the Beechcroft story.

I had broken in a quite nice wee pony for some people, and when the pony went back to them, they asked whether I would consider taking another pony as payment. I thought it was worth having a look at her, as she was by Stenigot Nightingale, and I always liked him as a sire. She was this wee 12.2hh plain bay pony mare, and I looked at her and thought, “Hmmm, okay…” Then she went off trotting around the paddock, and I was just blown away!

I had never seen a little pony float across the ground like that! I thought, “Wow, she would breed some lovely foals! That’s what I want to breed – something pretty that can move.” The pony’s owners had rescued her, and she was only to be used as a broodmare, not ridden. She was called Tiffany, and she went on to produce four foals for me. At the time I had quite a lot to do with Judith Johnson and her late

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father Jim Cooper. I was very fortunate because they were both just awesome, with so much knowledge about breeding and conformation. Jim was a true horseman, and when he dropped in for a cup of tea we would talk for hours about breeding, showing, conformation and everything to do with ponies. I put Tiffany in foal to Judith’s stallion Maxwellton Glenthyme, and she produced Beechcroft First Edition (Legs). I repeated that breeding and got another filly, Beechcroft Distinction, and then I thought, “What shall I do now?” I had seen the Kirreway Uptown progeny at HOY and I liked how they looked and moved, so I went up and had a look at him. He wasn’t

“ONE OF MY

BIGGEST

THRILLS AS A BREEDER CAME AT SOUTH CANTERBURY EQUESTRIAN SHOW AT WAIMATE, WHERE PLAYBOY, GLAMOUR AND

SOCIALITE

EACH TOOK THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THEIR RING AND ALL LINED UP FOR THE SUPREME PONY TITLE.”

available via AI, so I sent my THE BEECHCROFT PONIES mare all the way from the bottom of New Zealand up Foundation mare: to Auckland! That resulted in Tiffany – by Stenigot Nightingale Beechcroft Chablis (Buster). Tiffany’s foals: I sold Buster to the Clappertons when he was Beechcroft First Edition – by Maxwellton Glenthyme five years old. He was still Beechcroft Distinction – by Maxwellton Glenthyme quite green at the time; I had Beechcroft Chablis – by Kirreway Uptown broken him in and he had Beechcroft Martini – by Radway Talk of the Town had a year out competing. They saw him at Horse of the Beechcroft First Edition’s foals: Year and got Vanessa Way Beechcroft Socialite - by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker to hop on him (bear in mind Beechcroft Playboy - by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker that he’s 12.2hh!). When Beechcroft Glamour – by Falconhurst Flashdance Vanessa got off, she said Beechcroft Party Girl – by Kirreway Uptown “Take him,” and they did. Beechcroft Play Girl – by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker Buster rides bigger than Beechcroft Papparazzi – by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker he actually is. He has a great Beechcroft Distinction’s foals: nature, but he was a bit full Beechcroft I Can Dance - by Falconhurst Flashdance of himself as a youngster. Kim did an amazing job producing him and he went on to become a superstar pony, with many titles and Charlotte wide sashes to his credit. Chittick and He was the first of my ponies to win a HOY Beechcroft title – the Pony of the Year not exceeding Chablis 128cm in 2009 – and that was very special! This year he took the First Ridden Paced & Mannered Pony of the Year not exceeding 138cm with Ruby Hansen riding. Earlier in his career he also went to Australia as part of the New Zealand Showing Team, where he performed a brilliant work-out. Unfortunately at that time his colour counted against him, as the Australian judges seemed to prefer bays. Tiffany’s final foal was Beechcroft Martini, who is by Viv Staples’ stallion Radway Talk of the Town. She’s the only bay out of Tiffany – the rest are all greys. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Legs Beechcroft (Beechcroft First Edition) has produced six Socilaite and foals, and is hopefully well on the way to Beechcroft producing the seventh. This will be her last Chablis at though, because although she keeps very Canterbury well she is now well into her 20s. A&P Show Legs is a lovely mare who can really move and has always had a really nice attitude. She’s 14.1hh but always rode more like a park hack, and she did extremely well in the show ring. I have been lucky to have very good riders on all of my ponies. Legs’s first foal is Beechcroft Socialite (Lily), by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker. She is another 12.2hh pony and also went up to Kim Clapperton. Again they did an amazing job – they had done so well with Buster that I knew

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“I LIKE A PONY WITH A GOOD BARREL SO YOU HAVE GOT SOME PONY UNDER YOU, AND I LIKE A NICE, SUBSTANTIAL TYPE THAT YOU COULD TAKE TO PONY CLUB. ALTHOUGH MY PONIES ARE MOST OFTEN SEEN OUT IN THE SHOW RING, THEY ALSO LOVE JUMPING AND THEY ARE VERY GOOD, CLEAN JUMPERS. GLAMOUR HAS BEEN OUT EVENTING AND SHE LOVED IT.” they would be a great showing home for Lily. I intended to breed from Lily, but unfortunately she didn’t get in foal. She is now owned and competed by Anna and Harriet Laing. Leg’s second foal is Beechcroft Playboy (Oscar), also by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker. Oscar has been phenomenally successful in the show ring and also as a dressage pony. I sold him to Sally FieldDodgson as a four-year-old, and she and her daughter Belinda produced him. He first competed in the 14.2hh Pony ring, then in the pony Saddle Hunters. When Belinda turned 17 they sold him to Grace Tripe, and the successes just kept on coming! Grace took him to Australia this year as part of the NZ Show Horse Council trip, which saw them compete at Equifest, Grand Nationals and Sydney Royal. During the trip Oscar and Grace finished in the top ten multiple times. It was Oscar’s second trip to Australia – he also competed overseas with Belinda. Legs’s third foal is Beechcroft Glamour (Stevie), by Falconhurst Flashdance. She will be retained as a replacement broodmare, and is currently competing in the 13.2hh pony ring with Katelin Stuart. She is actually owned by my husband Tim. Then we have Beechcroft Party Girl, who is by Kirreway Uptown and is a 13.2hh pony, who is also with Anna and Harriet Laing, The two youngsters are Beechcroft Play Girl and Beechcroft Papparazzi, both by Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker. Legs has left progeny that are like peas in a pod and they all have really good movement. I am retaining two daughters for breeding,

Ruby Hansen and Beechcroft Chablis at Horse of the Year 2017

Ella Hansen and Beechcroft Martini pictured at Horse of the Year Show 2016

and they are out competing at the moment. It will be a couple of years before I put Glamour in foal, so I will be keeping an eye out for a suitable stallion for her. For me, ponies have to look pretty and move well, but they must also be trainable and suitable for a child to ride. It’s not always an easy mix to breed and I find that some of the bloodlines coming in from Australia are a little too hot for children to manage. Of course it’s a bit different because over there, adults can ride them in competition. I like a pony with a good barrel so you have got some pony under you, and I like a nice, substantial type that you could take to Pony Club. Although my ponies are most often seen out in the show ring, they also love jumping and they are very good, clean jumpers. Glamour has been out eventing and she loved it. One of my biggest thrills as a breeder came at South Canterbury Equestrian Show at Waimate, where Playboy, Glamour and Socialite each took the championship in their ring and all lined up for the Supreme Pony title, along with Maxwellton Penelope Pitstop. Seeing those three Beechcroft ponies lined up that day was a really amazing feeling as a breeder. It’s always a thrill to watch the ponies compete and see how they can move. It just gives me goosebumps when I see a pony that can float across the ground and do it easily with a child on board.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS BEECHCROFT PLAYBOY (Oscar) With Belinda Field-Dodgson Belinda Field-Dodgson says that the highlight of her time with Oscar would have to be when the pair won an incredible seven titles at HOY 2014. These were: Saddle Hunter Riding Pony sash, Supreme Riding Pony sash, Intermediate Rider, 14.2hh Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year, Supreme Saddle Hunter Pony, Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter Pony and Supreme Paced and Mannered Saddle Hunter Pony. At HOY 2012 he took the 14.2hh Pony of the Year and the 14.2hh Paced & Mannered Pony of the Year titles. He was Supreme Pony at Canterbury A&P Show twice with Belinda, in both 2011 and 2012, and Supreme Paced and Mannered Pony in 2012. Belinda says that Oscar is a honest pony with a heart of gold. “He was my once in a lifetime pony. He has a

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fantastic personality, even if a little challenging at times! My riding improved immensely because of his sense of humour and quirks. “It’s great watching Oscar and Grace going through the same process!” With Grace Tripe In 2016, Grace and Oscar won the Large Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year, Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year and the Wonder Memorial. In 2017 Oscar was the Large Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year and the Supreme Saddle Pony at Canterbury A&P Show. Oscar is Grace’s ‘pony of a lifetime’ too. “He is certainly a cheeky wee man with lots of personality. He is a pony that will always hold a place in my heart. “We have recently got back from competing in Australia at Equifest, Grand Nationals and Sydney Royal. At Equifest we got placed in the top ten in the Child’s Large Show Hunter

Galloway and also had a top ten placing in my Rider 15-17yrs class. At Grand Nationals we were once again placed in the top ten in the Child’s Large Show Hunter Galloway. At Sydney Royal we were 8th in the Child’s Large Show Hunter Galloway, 7th in the Open Large Show Hunter Galloway and I was also 7th in my Rider 15-17yrs class. “This was just a dream when I started riding, and being able to achieve this on Oscar has been amazing. “ BEECHCROFT CHABLIS Winner of the Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm in 2009 and the Paced & Mannered Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm in 2017. He also went to Australia with the New Zealand Showing Team in 2009. BEECHCROFT SOCIALITE Winner of the Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm in 2011, and the Paced & Mannered Pony of the Year not exceeding 128cm in 2012.

05 - Tru Care - ShowCircuit.pdf 1 29-Apr-16 12:49:16 PM

Belinda Field-Dodgson and Beechcroft Playboy, Large Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year and Supreme Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year, New Zealand Riding Pony Society Registered Supreme Pony and Supreme Paced & Mannered Saddle Hunter Pony of the Year finishing off with Intermediate Show Rider at Horse of the Year in 2014

CMY

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW

The victorious team, from left: Manager Sharon Rayne, Coach Becci Thomas, Niamh Rayne, Captain Jessie Fitzjohn, Jordan Kruger, Tayla Moriarty, Sophie Jarvis, Charlotte Thomas

up close with

VICTORIOUS canterbury The Canterbury Area team travelled all the way up to Whangarei for the NZPCA Eventing Championship with high hopes, and at the end of the three days of intense and closely fought competition, they were ecstatic to finish in the top spot. They share the experience with us. WORDS Pip Hume | PHOTOS Dark Horse Photogprahy

TEAM COACH BECCI THOMAS

This was a lovely team to coach, and they took on board any advice offered. Jessie was an amazing captain and helped her other team members tremendously. She’s a fantastic role model to have within Pony Club. On cross-country day, the riders rode for a team score rather than as individuals. This meant that they incurred a few time faults but still gave them a fantastic team score. It’s a very different thing to ride for a team, because it adds a lot more pressure and forces riders to make some difficult decisions. We are all hugely grateful to our Team Manager Sharon Rayne and her husband Alastair. Their support, and that of Canterbury Area, made the trip possible.

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1 MT

SOPHIE JARVIS TIME TO TANGO TOO I attend Oxford Pony Club and have my C Certificate. I started riding at four years old and have had some awesome ponies. This was my first time at Champs – I had an awesome time and I loved the water jump! Time to Tango Too (otherwise known as Tango or Tang) is my first hack and I’ve had him for eight months. He loves to jump and is a true gentleman.

CHARLOTTE THOMAS PICOLLO

www.amssaddlery.co.nz

I attend View Hill Pony Club. I have been riding since I was three years old and I have my C+ Certificate. Picollo is a homebred pony by our stallion out of one of our mares, and even though he is a little pony, he thinks he is a huge horse! He absolutely loves rolling around in sawdust and mud. I ended up going really well. I was in second place after the dressage and I went clear cross-country with just 2.4 time faults. We also show jumped clear, and ended up fourth overall.

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NIAMH RAYNE MY HALLUCINATION (SMOKEY) I am a member of Springston Pony Club. I began riding when I was six and have my B Certificate. Smokey has the most loveable personality. He is an expressive character and is always keen for attention. In wash bays he will try to avoid water at all costs, and hates anything like flies or rain touching his nose! Déclinaisons Champs was nothing like the events I have ridden at before and the atmosphere was much more intense. I was happy with the dressage test we pulled off, although it wasn’t our best work due to some tension, but we still scored well at 71.6% to be sitting in fourth place in the DC class. After walking the cross-country I was nervous to say the least, but Smokey helped me through the large combinations and water jumps to make it home clear with only 4.4 time faults. With the team closing in on the big prize at that stage, we all felt the pressure going into the show jumping. It was frustrating to have a rail down as it pushed me back to third place individually, but I was thrilled that the team still had a fighting chance.

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TAYLA MORIARTY SIR JACK SPARROW (JACK) I go to Waiau Pony Club and have been riding for as long as I can remember. I have my C+ Certificate. Jack was a wild stallion until he was six, so he thinks he’s quite something! I was lucky that we managed to trial and get into the team, because a few months ago, Jack went missing in the Kaikoura earthquakes. I found him in a paddock full of cracks, and he wouldn’t move for two days. We scored a personal best in the dressage at Champs, mainly because he was so relaxed. Unfortunately, at first our crosscountry didn’t go to plan as he was too busy looking around at everything going on to listen to me! But once he started listening, we flew around and had lots of fun. The show jumping was similar due to our inexperience in such a big atmosphere, but I was just glad to be there.

4 DC

JORDAN KRUGER BAMBOOZLE (BOO) I’ve been riding at Kowhai Riding School since I was nine and hold my C+ Certificate. Boo has a pretty cool personality and is a total greedy guts! He’s also very needy and loves his best friend and team mate What’s the Buzz. They live together in Oxford. Boo is super experienced and has ‘been there done that’, but definitely has his quirks! He is pretty sensitive and can do an impressive llama impression. He has taught me a lot about the ups and downs of competing and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner during our 2017 Champs adventure. Individually I had an exciting event. Boo’s dressage was consistent and we were sitting sixth in the DC. I was super excited that we jumped clear on the cross-country, but unfortunately we picked up a few time faults and with just one rail show jumping, we finished seventh overall.

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5 A1

JESSIE FITZJOHN WHAT’S THE BUZZ (BUZZ) (Team Captain, winner of the A1 Trophy in 2015) I attend View Hill Pony Club, have been riding at Kowhai Riding School for 15 years and have my A and H certificates. Buzz is such a character. He is extremely friendly with people and has a lot of fans – he can be very cute, nickering when you come into the paddock. He’s super laid back most of the time and will often just chill, resting a hind foot, before the cross-country or show jumping. I was relatively happy with our dressage test at Champs but it didn’t mark as well as I hoped. The cross-country was great, but as the only A1 rider for our team I was probably a little too cautious and should have ridden a bit more boldly in some parts and pushed more for the time. I was really happy with how Buzz jumped the bolder jumps on the course and he was a total dude at the second water – he popped through the second and third elements, which helped us make a nippy turn to D and take out a stride. As usual he made the cross-country lots of fun. He is such a cool, honest horse to ride – he’s a little horse with a very big heart. I was also happy with the show jumping. Buzz can be spooky in the ring and very ‘looky’ at fillers but he listened to me, especially through some of the shorter striding combinations and the treble. The rail that we had was unfortunate and was my fault for not riding a better corner, but we managed to hold it together and only have the one down, which was all the team could afford! C

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INTERVIEW

KATIE MEREDITH

Hard work pays off WORDS Kate Lattey | PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

Show jumper Katie Meredith bases her operation out of her family’s property in Ohoka, North Canterbury, but during the long winter months she heads overseas to John and Laura Renwick’s yard in Essex, UK to further her experience and learn as much as she can. “This is my fourth time over in Essex. I’ve been coming back every winter to get a bit of training,” Katie explains. “Everything’s different over here. We could go to a show every day of the week if we wanted to! Every single part of the horses’ lives is managed, and every part of my riding. The vet is here every Monday, the farrier comes every week, even the chiropractor is here every few weeks. Every single thing is done properly. It really makes me look at the management of my horses when I’m back home and figure out how I want to do things.” With 27 horses on the Renwicks’ yard, the days are long and busy and although she’s there as a rider, Katie isn’t exempt from helping out. “I muck out five boxes each morning, then I ride anywhere from six to eight horses a day, sometimes more. When John’s here he’ll help me jump a few, and when he’s not here I’ll ride everything on the flat, unless I have to jump before a show. In the afternoons I help with the yard duties, and we finish up on a normal day around half past five.” While she loves her time in the UK, Katie doesn’t have any plans to relocate. “I’m very lucky with the horses and owners that I have at home and the team that I’m building for myself. I could base myself with John and Laura permanently and have a horse here if I wanted to, but it’s so expensive over here that at the moment the best place for me is at home.” Katie’s riding career started when she was four years old, after her family moved to Christchurch. “Mum reckons that she couldn’t control me until she got me on a horse. I was too hyperactive!” she laughs. “I think she figured that it was a good interest for me to have.” Katie learned young that riding wasn’t a sport for the faint-hearted. “They bought me really naughty ponies,” she recalls. “Luckily I was

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quite brave and I’d just get back on and keep going. I had a little 13.2hh pony called Dusty who took me around Springston Trophy when I was eight years old. He got me interested in jumping, and the rest is history really!” The first pony that Katie produced from scratch was Kennebrook 007, purchased when she was thirteen. “He was a $500 pony that two different people had already attempted to break in, so he was a bit wayward when I got him!” she laughs. “But it was cool to be able to take him all the way through to Pony Grand Prix.” Katie has also been very fortunate to have had some experienced horses to show her the ropes. “I was very lucky and had a couple of really cool rides, Rio Madrid and Streetwise,” she recalls. But once those older horses finished their careers, Katie found out how hard it was to start again from scratch. “I came out of Young Riders thinking that I was pretty invincible, but once my good horses had retired and I started working with the young ones, I discovered that I wasn’t so amazing! Suddenly people weren’t coming up to me at shows saying, ‘Wow Katie, you did so well!’ or ‘You have such a great horse!’ any more. It was a big turning point for me, because it really knocked my confidence and I lost a lot of motivation at home. I kept thinking, ‘This is really hard work, do I really want to do this?’ That was when I came to England the first time, because I figured that if I was over here for a year and didn’t enjoy it, then I’d know that horses weren’t what I wanted to do with my life and I’d go home, go to university and get a real job. But when I got here, I realised that I really do love training horses – I just had a lot to learn. So I put my head down and got to work.”

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Katie has been reaping the rewards of her dedication recently with some fantastic results from her team last season. Her stable star is Westgrove GNZ, an eight-year-old chestnut gelding by Lansing, who is owned in partnership with Pauline and Barry Quigley. “We bought him when he was rising four, and he hasn’t been the easiest horse to produce,” Katie explains. “He was always quite sharp and a bit temperamental, so to be able to bring him up through the grades makes me feel like we’ve really achieved something.” Together, Katie and Baz, as he’s known at home, won the 1.301.40m title at the National Championships, and took out the Stirrups Equestrian 1.40m class at Horse of the Year. “It’s been so rewarding for everyone involved, because it’s been a long road with him and a huge learning curve for all of us,” she says. Since returning to the UK, Katie has already picked up several wins and placings on the horses she is riding at the Renwicks’ yard. Her biggest achievement in the UK to date was winning the B & C grade title (1.30-1.35m) at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Zoralyn last year. “That was all thanks to John and Laura. It was amazing of them to let me ride such a nice horse at such a big show, and winning felt pretty good!”

Her plans for next season are shaping up well. “I’m really looking forward to next year with Baz, and we’ve got a few really exciting youngsters coming through. At the end of the day for me it’s a business, so I do have to keep selling them, but it’s really exciting that I’ll get to ride them all. They’ve just got to grow up first!” At home, Katie trains with Vaughn Jefferis and Fiona Gillies for jumping, and with Sarah Gray for flatwork. She is also very appreciative of the support she receives from her sponsors, Moore’s Riding Wear and 4Cyte joint supplements, and everyone else who is a part of her success. “Mum and Dad are my biggest supporters. When I’m having a bad day they are always there and always encouraging. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to run my horse business from their property, and they’ve been doing a bit of breeding on the side. It’s a hobby for them, but it’s also for me!” she says. Katie also credits Pauline and Barry Quigley, who have co-owned horses with her since she was fifteen. “They’ve been with me for quite a long time now, and they’re amazing. They come to the shows, and at the end of last season when I was in a tight spot, Pauline came to the shows and helped groom for me. I’m very lucky to have such a great team around me.” C

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HORSES

INTERVIEW

FOR THE LOVE OF

David Collett and Craig Sullivan spent several years living and working together, breaking-in and schooling horses, before deciding that it was time to go out on their own. They are now running a full-time training operation at Westridge Equestrian in Kumeu, and are loving what they do. WORDS Kate Lattey | PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

THE FACILITY

Westridge Equestrian operates out of two leased properties that are right next door to each other, totaling around 50 acres. “We leased 26 acres to start with, then the neighbouring property became available,” explains David. “Both properties have arenas on them. One is a dressage arena which is down by the stables, and the other property has a big all weather jumping arena where we do most of our riding.” They have been running the operation for

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almost two years. “We do breaking, schooling, the whole nine yards. Before this, we both worked for Weiti Station and were helping produce their horses for them, which was all great, but we decided we wanted to move on to bigger and better things and have a go at doing it for ourselves.” The pair still do the break-ins for Weiti Station and estimate that they currently have around 27 horses on the property, although Craig is reluctant to put a number on it. “We don’t count. That’s a bad thing to do!

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“IF YOU’RE IN IT FOR THE MONEY, YOU’RE IN THE WRONG GAME.” THE STYLE

Westridge Equestrian specialises in producing horses for the show jumping and show hunter rings. “We try and keep up to date with overseas training methods,” Craig explains. “We are basically North American style with a lighter seat, letting the horse ‘be’ a bit more, as opposed to the European style.” “That’s just because we’ve ridden so many Thoroughbreds,” David says. “I started in the racing industry before I turned to sport horses. I always had a passion to jump, but I started jumping the racehorses and they were just psychotic!” “Both David and I have been up to Canada and done a bit of work up there,” Craig adds. “I didn’t have a winter for six years because I went up and did the circuit up there. I travelled around and went to clinics and shows, so I just adopted their style really.” They both train on a regular basis with Des Lowe, and jump at the chance for lessons with the likes of international coaches Jen Hamilton and Chris Chugg when they come over here to do clinics.

THE BALANCE

The couple each have their own strengths, which work well in tandem. “I think we balance each other out pretty well,” Craig says. “David’s more into teaching the riders, and I’m more of a horse trainer. I can see what the horse needs to improve, and he’s the people person.” While some couples might find it a strain to work side by side on a daily basis, David and Craig have been together for seven years, and are still going strong.

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“Even though we work with each other every day, we also do lessons outside of where we are, so we’re not in each other’s faces 24/7,” David explains. “Just 23/7!” Craig adds with a laugh.

THE TEAM

Craig has a wealth of experience in show jumping, having produced his former top horse Mundy Blues to World Cup level before selling him to Canada. “We bred him and I broke him in and brought him all the way through,” he recalls. “But I like training more than competing these days. David loves jumping the horses, but I can do that at home, I don’t need to go to a show. And at home I’m always the winner!” Craig does have two young horses in his team that he enjoys taking out. “Weiti Ontario is out of a Ngamatea mare that I won a national title on years ago, and he’s pretty special. He’s rising eight and he’s only done a handful of shows, because he’s been just growing and growing! So he’s been brought on quietly, but I really look forward to campaigning him next season and hopefully taking him straight out in Ring One.” His other ride is Lingo, a nine-year-old by Littorio. “I’ve done the Amateurs and a couple of 1.30m classes on him, but unfortunately he injured an eye last season which has taken a long time to heal.” David has been out competing a lot in the last season, riding for Lance Blair, and for John and Kathy Rhodes. “I’ve got my own horse Bold Prince, and he did the first couple of starts of the season before going out with a paddock injury. I was really looking forward to doing the Grand Prix Super Series with him, but we’ll have to wait until next season now.”

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THE BEGINNING

David says that he has always been horse crazy. “I was literally that kid that never shut up about horses,” he recalls. “I remember being obsessed with jumping before I even knew how to jump. When I was about eight, I met a lady next door who had Arabs, and I told her this big story about how I was this amazing rider. I had a ride on her horse and all I can remember is her screaming at me to get my hands down! She was horrified that I wasn’t the rider I made myself out to be.” His mentor from a young age was Ron Cook, who gave David his start in jumping with the loan of elderly A-grade show jumping pony My Mighty Mouse. “He had scars all up his legs and was a Pelham-mouthed pony that nobody could control. He scared the hell out of me at first, but we ended up having quite a cool partnership. He really got me started with my passion for show jumping,” David recalls. From the age of sixteen however, he took time away from the horses, spending a few years as a shoe store manager in Auckland, followed by a brief stint as a real estate agent. “But I was always like, ‘I’d love to do the horses again’,” he recalls. “So when I caught up with Craig, that was my excuse to be poor and ride horses. And now I couldn’t even imagine going and getting a real job!” “I don’t think I’ve ever had a real job,” Craig muses. “I’m not good at being told what to do!” Craig was also obsessed with horses growing up. “Mum always said my first word was ‘horse’!” he laughs. “There are photos of me as a twoyear-old, sitting in front of Dad in the saddle, doing a lambing beat. My dad actually rode and show jumped when he was younger, but I didn’t know that until years after I started riding.” The couple first met several years ago, when David was still riding ponies. “When I was 14, I went to Des and Craig’s place for some riding lessons,” he recalls. “They were these famous show jumpers, and there I was on my dolly pony. That’s basically how our paths first crossed! We became friends, but it was years later before we actually got together. We were just really good friends that used to go to the pub and get drunk together! But we always had the horses in common and we always got along.”

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“WE HAVEN’T ACTUALLY DONE ANY ADVERTISING, IT’S ALL BEEN WORD OF MOUTH.” THE FUTURE

David’s future ambitions are straightforward. “I want to jump big jumps really well,” he says. “I want to do Grand Prix courses with the potential of doing World Cup, if that opportunity comes along. And of course represent New Zealand. I’m having to make my own horses at the moment so it’s a waiting game, but I’m all good with that.” As far as the business goes, Craig describes it as, “So far so good! We haven’t actually done any advertising, it’s all been word of mouth. And it’s just taken off, which has been really awesome.” Westridge Equestrian are sponsored by Saddlery Direct, Equine Royale and Hands on Horses Bowen Therapy. “It was awesome this last season with the opportunities that we got offered!” David says. “Those sponsorships have really helped us out and kept our horses looking good.”

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THE ADVICE

When asked what advice they would give to anyone wanting to train and produce horses for a living, Craig responds immediately. “Don’t!” All joking aside, they both agree that it’s a job you have to be passionate about. “It’s a lifestyle,” David explains. “You have to do it for the love of the animal.” “If you’re in it for the money, you’re in the wrong game,” agrees Craig. “Be passionate about it, love what you do and be true to yourself and the animals.” C

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INTERVIEW

BIZZIE CANOODLING – PONY STALLION BIZZIE CANOODLING

A stallion in the family When Charlotte Young went looking for a show jumping pony for her then 12-year-old son Noah, the thought of a stallion never crossed her mind. But as soon as Noah had his first ride on the pinto stallion Bizzie Canoodling, the pair clicked and the deal was as good as done. WORDS Kate Lattey PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

our days after the conclusion of Pony Club Eventing Champs, the Coutts family were still making their way home to Mosgiel from the Champs venue at Barge Park in Whangarei. It was a long way to go for a competition, but Charlotte says that the long journey north was worthwhile. “We had a fantastic time at Champs – it was really good, really fun and great to be part of such a fabulous team. It was definitely worth going up there and Northland put on an awesome show. It is a very long way though – it’s six days’ travel for us!” Their long journey is made even more complicated because they are transporting a stallion, so their overnight stops have to be planned carefully. “We have to make sure we’ve got proper boxing. We can’t just chuck him off in a paddock somewhere!” Charlotte points out. Yet despite the long journey, she says that the pony known at home as ‘Google’ has travelled amazingly. “And we just take our time, trickling our way down.” At Champs, Noah and Google finished on their dressage score in the Mark Todd 95cm class, riding for the Otago-Southland team. While the jumping phases appeared easy for Noah and his nine-year-old Stationbred stallion, the dressage proved to be more of a challenge. “We’d been working on the dressage quite hard. We knew it needed to be more consistent but you know, it’s hard for the kids. They get nervous and the standard was very high,” Charlotte says philosophically. It was the family’s first time competing in the team event at Champs. Noah has two other ponies which are both mares, but so far that hasn’t caused any problems. “I have to admit that it was never my intention to have a stallion. That wasn’t in our plan, and it took me quite a bit to get my head around buying Google because I wasn’t convinced that it was a good idea for my young child,” Charlotte says. “Google has proved me

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wrong though, and once Noah had ridden him, that was it. The pair clicked and it was obvious they were a good team. They just got on really well, and the rest is history, as they say.” Google’s former owners were determined to find their pony the perfect home and if that meant gelding him, then so be it. “But Google’s not a difficult pony at all. Noah’s brother Quinn has a little pony called Goosebumps who is renowned as being far more of a handful than Google! “Up until now we’ve travelled him separately in his own float, driven by their father Jason (Coutts), or paired up with Goosebumps, but we’re going to have to look into a truck. We’ve been waiting for the children to decide they didn’t want to ride before

buying a horse truck,” Charlotte laughs. “Everyone said that boys give up, so I thought ‘oh well, I’ll wait for that.’ But it’s not looking likely to happen, which I think is great. We need more boys in the sport, and it’s a good sport for boys to be in.” Noah and Google also had a very successful show at Horse of the Year in March, taking home the Speed Pony of the Year title class on Sunday morning in the muddy conditions. Noah describes the win as quite exciting, especially as it was one of his first attempts jumping that height. “It was definitely a surprise to win it!” he admits. The combination also placed 5th in the Pony 1.25m at HOY, and are looking well poised to start their Pony Grand Prix career next season.

“

I have to admit that it was never my intention to have a stallion. That wasn’t in our plan, and it took me quite a bit to get my head around buying Google because I wasn’t convinced that it was a good idea for my young child”

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Noah also took home the Rising Star 13-15 Year Old Rider title on his speedy black mare Onisha, after blitzing around the jump-off course and beating all of the bigger-striding hacks. The family plans to keep Google long-term. “I’m pretty keen for Noah not to grow too much, although you can never guarantee that with kids,” says Charlotte. “His younger brother Quinn also rides and competes, which is really good because it’s heartbreaking selling or moving ponies along. They are all part of our family!” Charlotte herself rode a lot as a kid. “I went through Pony Club and did my A & H certificates, went to Pony Club Champs and Horse of the Year,” she recalls. However, her own riding has taken a bit of a backseat these days, which Noah admits is because “she’s too busy having to cart us all over New Zealand!” “We have a bit of a joke in our house about how the parents are now the grooms, drivers and sponsors,” laughs Charlotte. “They mean that in a very endearing sort of way, of course. I don’t have time anyway, and there’s no room left on the float!” Charlotte and Jason aren’t bothered though. “The boys are only young for a certain length of time, and in five years time they’ll be all grown up, so you want to go and out do as much as you can with them, while you can. And it’s such a fabulous sport. We’re away as a family every

weekend with the ponies, to all sorts of places and we have met the loveliest people. Noah has an older brother Felix (14) who has Down Syndrome, and he comes along to all the events with us and supports his brothers. He was up at HOY too, although he refused to get out of the float when it started getting really muddy!” The Coutts family have owned Google since the start of last season, and the combination had their competition debut in September. “He came down in late winter, and there was quite a lot of concern that he might freeze to death,” Charlotte laughs. “But he’s a tough old thing really. He’s boxed at home, well rugged and he has a pretty good life.” To cut down on some of the travelling time to Northland, Google went back to Kumeu after HOY for a holiday with his former owner Liz Vokes. “Because we had made the decision to do Pony Club Champs, it seemed ridiculous to take him all the way back to Dunedin then drive him all the way back,” Charlotte explains. “So he went and stayed there for a while, then we went up early and got stuck into that dressage practice.” Jessica Vokes competed Google up to Pony Grand Prix level, and after she aged out of ponies, the family found other temporary riders for him. He competed at HOY in 2015 with Laura Lush in the saddle, and Oliver Croucher took over the ride at last year’s show, but eventually they decided that their star pony needed another young rider to own and love him. Google is the Coutts’ first stallion, but they have found him to be incredibly easy to deal with. “Noah does the vast majority of the handling himself, unless we’re at a show, where the organisers probably like to see more of me!” Charlotte explains. “Google’s incredibly easy, he’s very well behaved and Noah’s really good with him.” Google is at stud, but he doesn’t do any live serving, only AI, which Charlotte believes is why he’s so easy to take out and about. He finished his breeding season before HOY, but the family are now taking bookings for next spring. Google has his own Facebook page at ‘Bizzie Canoodling – Pony Jumping Stallion’ where prospective breeders can get in touch with Charlotte. C

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HARMONY UNITY

INTERVIEW

WORDS Pip Hume | PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

A third placing in the FEI Grand Prix Special at HOY 2017 was, to date, the highlight of Bill Millar’s partnership with his powerful chestnut gelding Raukura Satori.

ill Millar has been riding since he was a kid growing up in Taranaki, and like so many other Kiwi riders, eventing was his code of choice during those younger years. He unashamedly admits that he always hated the dressage phase. “I was useless at it,” he laughs. “I never did any good because even if I went double clear I could only pull myself up to somewhere around 5th to 10th place. So I decided I should just learn how to do dressage – that I should force myself to suck it up and get lessons and try to be better at it.” It seems ironic that this strategy was so successful that Bill ended up dedicating himself purely to dressage. “I love the training, the learning and bringing on new horses, figuring them out mechanically and emotionally,” he confesses. “It’s very cerebral, working out how to change yourself so that you change the horse. “In terms of competition, whittling more marks out of the judges is the part that’s enjoyable for me. “The exciting thing about the sport in New Zealand at the moment is that there are so many horses at a similar level. It’s awesome to see everyone having a turn in the placings, and it’s a very supportive group, because we all know how difficult it is and how often things may not go your way.” Raukura Satori – or Robert as he is affectionately known – is the second horse Bill has taken through to Grand Prix. The first, Kahurangi Roan Inish, is retired at home in Bill’s paddock. “My first Grand Prix horse and my favourite horse ever is Kahurangi Roan Inish. He’s just drop-dead gorgeous. He took me up the levels through to Grand Prix, then I had to retire him with ringbone. He’s the horse who taught me dressage and forgave me all my terrible mistakes. He was a big part of my learning curve and I owe him a huge debt.” Ruakura Satori was bred by Matthews Hanoverians, and is by De Niro out of a Genius mare. Bill got him as a weanling, and remembers that at that stage he was quite small. “I remember looking at him and thinking what a waste of time he was, because he was going to be too small. He never grew until he was about four years old. "I kept him as a stallion until he was about six, when I realised that he was very big and strong and I wasn’t!” At that time, Bill had other commitments, so Robert was just ticked over and didn’t go out competing much. “We didn’t compete a lot and Robert was never going to be a star in the lower levels. He virtually came out as a Grand Prix horse and nobody much knew who he was.” Bill says Robert is a very interesting character. “He’s very generous, but he’s offended by practically everything and frightened of practically everything. He’s a bit theatrical and can be quite volatile, although he’s learning to cope now in environments where he previously couldn’t. “He’s very noise reactive and sensitive to music. You never know when noise is going to set him off. Having said that though, he has never let me down – he has always soldiered on and we’ve got through. He willingly does the work for me and he doesn’t say ‘no’, ever. It’s not in his nature. “At HOY, he gave me the best test that he was capable of doing. You can’t ask for more than that.”

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“He doesn’t say ‘no’, ever. It’s not in his nature.”

For horses like Robert, Bill says that the Horse of the Year Show is particularly difficult. Robert loves being stabled and his regular routine, and he doesn’t like anything disrupting his normal little world. And with all of the activity going on almost around the clock at HOY, the horses don’t get much of an opportunity to rest. While spectators frequently comment on the harmony and unity that is evident in Bill’s partnership with the striking chestnut, Robert also has a strong bond with Bill’s daughter, Alex. “When he’s finished a test and we leave the arena, he’ll be looking around for Alex. He just wants to run to her like a big labrador!” The goal going forward is to join the elite group of New Zealand riders who have gained a 70% score at Grand Prix level. Bill feels that it’s a worthwhile goal that is achieveable for the pair. “We will continue to improve in tiny steps just like everyone else. I can improve my ringcraft, and the judges would like to see a little bit more power. Robert loves to go forward and tank along, so there’s no difficulty there, but I have to be able to contain that power and channel it effectively. That’s the challenge with these big horses that can be a little bit hotter. “We all adore Robert, and while he’s only 13 he will be retired from Grand Prix when we feel he is not enjoying the work, while he is still sound. He can have a nice life pottering around in a paddock here, or if it turns out that he’s not the type of horse who is happy doing nothing, maybe he will teach Alex the Advanced movements.” Bill always thought that he would retire from competing when Robert retired, but with some nice young horses to ride, that plan is fluid. “I’ll stop riding when I can’t do it any more or when I no longer enjoy it. At the moment I still love it. “I have learnt so much about patience and perseverance. When things go wrong, it is usually because Robert has given me what I asked for rather than what I wanted! I have learnt to try to find a way to communicate better rather than

“You have to rise above the mistakes – they are just mistakes. The goal is to have that perfect harmony as a team, and that cannot be achieved through force or at the expense of the other partner.”

react. You have to rise above the mistakes – they are just mistakes. The goal is to have that perfect harmony as a team, and that cannot be achieved through force or at the expense of the other partner. “The name of our property, Raukura, refers to spiritual, physical and communal harmony and unity, the necessity of maintaining goodwill and the importance of peace within yourself and with others. We try to embrace those concepts in all aspects of our lives. “Success at this level of competition is very much a team effort; you have to have so many good people around you. The vet, the physio, the trainer – they all play a very important part. I train regularly with Andrea Raves, who is an awesome lady with integrity, and I trust her implicitly. “I feel very lucky with the horses I have and the network of people I have around me.” Also amongst that group are great friends and supporters Brett Kendall and Rosemary Carter, who co-own Robert with Bill, and who also bred and own Bill’s second horse, Centurion III, by Donnerwind. “Brett and Rosemary bred and started Centurion, then he came to me as a five-yearold because he’s just too big for Rosemary. He will come out at Level 8 next season. He’s a very workmanlike horse who is very trainable and tries his heart out; he’s not a flashy type.” Also in the paddock is Raukura Rocket, who was bred by Haylie Martin and is by Royston Rockstar out of an Anamour mare. Rocket is owned by Alex and has done well for her at Level 3; he will come out next season at Level 5. Finally, Bill has the ride on what he says is “the nicest young horse I have ever sat on.” Bella Diece (which means beautiful times ten!) is also owned by Haylie Martin. The Australianbred mare is by Bellisimo M out of a Monopol/ Graf Landau mare, and although she has been with Bill for a relatively short time, he’s very excited about her future. “Bella is the full package, both mentally and physically.” C

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INTERVIEW

THE ONE MARK TODD WON’T FORGET

“Our Little Hero - Charisma” IF THERE WAS EVER PROOF THAT GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES, CHARISMA, THE NEW ZEALAND THOROUGHBRED-CROSS KNOWN ALL AROUND THE WORLD, WAS IT. PHOTO Supplied | WORDS Laura Stenberg Charisma, or ‘Podge’ as he was called by those who knew him best, is still considered to be one of the greatest event horses ever to have competed. The little dark bay gelding rose to international fame with Sir Mark Todd after they teamed up in New Zealand in 1983. They were an unlikely pair, with the horse standing just 15.3hh and the rider at 6’2”, but they soon went on to win the National One-Day Event Championship and National 3DE at Taupo. Mark first saw Charisma as a three-yearold, when he was turned out on the hill block at David Goodin’s farm in Te Kauwhata. “I remember thinking what a nice little horse and what a shame that he would never be big enough for me,” Mark says, laughing. “The next time I saw him I was when I was teaching the Waikato team at Pony Club Champs. I didn’t click that it was him at first. I was then offered the ride on him for the Taupo Three Day, and he won all his events leading up to it as well as winning at Taupo.” At the age of 10, Charisma was already a handy all-rounder who had show jumped to B Grade level, competed to Prix St Georges in dressage, evented to Intermediate level and even done some showing. “He had quite a good eventing record already, but he was smaller than what I would normally go for and I wasn’t convinced at the start that he would be a four-star horse,” says Mark. “It was after Taupo that I realised he was pretty amazing – he had tremendous scope, a fast gallop, and amazing movement. The complete package really.” JOURNEY TO OLYMPIC GLORY After winning the 3DE, they were selected for the New Zealand team heading to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Charisma went to England at the beginning of the year to begin preparations. “He was in a class of his own at that time in New Zealand, so it was a case of setting out to Europe to see what we could do on the world stage,” Mark explains. Following a couple of tricky lead-up runs before a second placing at Badminton, they

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went on to win individual gold at Los Angeles. “Winning gold at my first Olympic Games was pretty amazing. It’s one of my best memories with him,” Mark recalls. “Then going back four years later and doing the same thing at Seoul, when people thought he was past his best at sixteen years old, was just incredible.” It wasn’t all smooth sailing to Seoul though, with their worst run ever at the second to last event before the Games, where Mark says Charisma was “naughty in the dressage, skittled the show jumps, and ran away with me on the cross country!”

"Together we travelled the world and enjoyed international success." A lot of hard work got him back on track, and they won the British Open Championships before getting on a plane to Korea a week later. They went on to win individual gold and team bronze at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. This was the last event for Charisma, who retired on a high after the Games. FINDING EACH OTHER AT THE RIGHT TIME Mark is very pragmatic when asked whether he thinks he would be where he is and have achieved what he has, had Charisma not come

into his life. “It was a pivotal point in my career. Who knows, I might have found another one to do it on or I might not have,” says Mark. “I do believe that these horses come into our lives for a reason though and we definitely found each other at the right time. I say ‘we’ found each other, because without me he may have stayed in New Zealand and had a normal life, but together we travelled the world and enjoyed international success.” THERE WON’T BE ONE THE SAME It’s been nearly forty years since Mark’s first international competition for New Zealand at the World Equestrian Games in 1978, and in that time he has picked up five Olympic medals and has won four times at Badminton and a record five times at Burghley, to name just a few of his achievements. Mark says that he’s had lots of good horses over the years, but although it has been 29 years since Charisma retired – and 14 years since he was put down at the age of 30 after breaking a shoulder at Mark’s farm in Cambridge – ‘Podge’ is far from forgotten. “To this day he remains the most special horse I’ve had,” Mark says. “And he wasn’t just special to me, he was known all around the world and meant a lot to so many people.” When Mark thinks about Charisma, he remembers not only an amazing competitor and a great partnership but also a lovely horse to have around. “He was the kindest horse, so easy to have in the stable. He loved everyone and he loved other horses. He was a bit of a feisty character when you were on him – not in a hot or naughty way, he just knew his job and was keen to get on and do it.” At the age of 60, having competed at his eighth Olympic Games in Rio, Mark would love to have another Charisma in his stable but knows he’ll never find one quite the same. “He was incredibly tough, sound, talented and intelligent. He was the whole package and there won’t be another one like him.”

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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Charisma would eat anything and was always on a strict diet.

• Finished 2nd at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1984 and 1985

• He had a huge following and received fan mail from all around the world.

• Won Individual Gold at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles

• He completed a gold medal tour of NZ in 1988 after returning from the Seoul Olympic Games.

• Won the Luhmühlen Germany Three-Day Event in 1986

• He served for many years of his retirement as a “nanny” horse for Mark’s racehorses in Cambridge.

• Finished 2nd at the Burghley Horse Trials, England in 1987

• Charisma loved to perform for a crowd and made appearances as a guest of honour at many events over the years, with his last appearance coming only a month before he died.

• Won Individual Gold and Team Bronze at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul

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• Won the British Open Championships in 1988

• Was voted Best NZ Sport Horse in the World in 1983 and 1985. C

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INTERVIEW

Hitting a new

High

Palmerston North-based dressage rider Susan Tomlin had the dream finish to her show season at Horse of the Year 2017, taking out the Level 8 Dressage Horse of the Year title aboard nine-year-old Dancealong in her first year competing at this level. We caught up with the busy full-time small animal veterinarian to find out more about her successful riding career, including a major discipline switch, and what’s next for her talented young horses, Dancealong and Reflexions. WORDS Laura Stenberg | PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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ike many riders, Susan Tomlin’s love affair with horses began at a young age. Coming from a non-horsey family in Wellington, Susan says she was always pony mad. “My father thought it was a good idea to give me a couple of riding lessons for my seventh birthday and I just thought that meant I could keep going. I ended up going to Ohariu Valley Riding School once a week.” However, weekly riding lessons were never going to be enough for the determined little rider who asked her parents to give her money for each birthday and Christmas instead of presents. By age nine, she had saved enough to buy her first pony for about $150, and the rest is history. Susan went on to become a successful eventing rider, competing to the highest level, including being selected in the New Zealand team for the 1986 World Three-Day Eventing Championships on Johnathan Grace, a half-Thoroughbred, half-Stationbred roan gelding owned by Shirley Swain. The event was held in South Australia and Susan says it remains a major highlight of her riding career to this day. “It was a big deal to me to be part of the New Zealand team. My horse was vetted out over there which was a real shame, but it was incredible to have been selected.” Not long after graduating from university with a veterinary degree in 1991, Susan found that full-time work wasn’t going to allow time for a team of top level eventers. “After graduation I went and worked in Australia for a couple of years and when I got home, I wanted to have a horse, so I bought a Thoroughbred with plans to event again. But that horse wasn’t keen on jumping, and I didn’t have time to keep horses fit enough for three-day eventing,”

says Susan, so it was at this point that the switch to dressage was made. Susan bought Kilimanjaro, a gelding by Mt Everest, which she produced through the grades to Advanced level. Together the combination had over seven years of competition success, including winning Advanced Dressage Horse of the Year in 2005 and making Susan’s second trip across the ditch, to compete in Prix St Georges classes at the Sydney CCI. Since then, Susan has produced several horses to Advanced level, including Domino MH and Giusto MH, who won Level 5 Horse of the Year in 2012. This past season she rode at her highest level ever, taking Dancealong to Level 8, and at the 2017 Horse of the Year Show they won all of their classes to take the Level 8 Dressage Horse of the Year title. Dancealong, a nine year old 17.1hh gelding by Dream Boy, was given to Susan as a two-year-old by the late Pat Dalrymple. “Pat thought I’d be the ideal person to look after him,” says Susan. “He’d had a little operation as a youngster and had some complications under anaesthetic which resulted in an irregular heartbeat. With me being a vet, she thought I’d be best to have him and keep an eye on his condition, and I’m pleased to say that thus far it hasn’t caused him any problems.” However, getting Dancealong to the level he is at now hasn’t always been straightforward. “There were times early on when I didn’t think he was going to be a dressage horse. He has a lovely temperament, but there have been challenges. But if I ever brought it up with Pat, she would say, ‘No, no, he will be fine!’ It has been really exciting this year to get to Level 8, as it’s the first time I’ve got to that level.”

My father thought it was a good idea to give me a couple of riding lessons for my seventh birthday and I just thought that meant I could keep going. SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

The Bates Innova keeps me really secure and comfortable, I get into other people’s saddles and think “I can’t ride in this! Susan’s plan is to keep working on Dancealong’s training over winter to prepare for a Grand Prix debut next season. “It’s going to be difficult stepping into Grand Prix with other horses who are already doing it, but that’s what competition is all about, and you’ve got to step up to the next level,” says Susan. Over winter she’ll be working on perfecting the Grand Prix movements while maintaining fitness. “The horses will stay in work most of the way through winter. I’ll keep them ticking over to keep their muscular skeletal system strong. With Dancealong, I’ll also be focused on getting 15 one-time changes, for example, rather than just seven, and working on building more elevation in the passage work. The judges have said more lift and cadence is needed in his passage.” Susan will split her time between Dancealong’s training and that of his younger sister, Reflexions, who competed at Level 5 last season. The seven-year-old mare is out of the same mare as Dancealong, by a German stallion, Rotspon, and Susan plans to step her up to Level 6 and 7 next season. “She’s the most trainable horse I’ve ever sat on and is doing all the moves for Level 8, but she needs to start at Level 6 and 7 first.” Throughout her winter training Susan will work closely with top dressage coach Andrea Raves, who has been an integral part of Susan’s team for years now. “I’ve trained consistently with Andrea since the days of Kilimanjaro. International trainers come and go, but Andrea has been my main coach for a long time, and over the years she’s become a very good friend. She’s a stickler for the basics, but keeps up to date with modern trends and her coaching skills encourage pupils to be mentally ‘in the zone’ and achieve the best possible performance on the day from their horses,” Susan explains. Along with great coaching, great gear is needed to help Susan and the horses perform at their best, and Susan has found that in the Bates saddle range. Riding in a Bates Innova Extended Contourbloc Saddle, Susan says it not only gives her comfort, but the horses too. “The Bates Innova keeps me really secure and comfortable. I get into other people’s saddles and think ‘I can’t ride in this!’ The saddles also fit the horses well, with nice wide panels and the Easy-Change Fit Solution and CAIR Cushion System, which they seem to really like.” Susan knows the saddles well too, having ridden in them for almost 20 years. “I think I’ve been riding in Bates saddles since 1998, when they first launched the Isabell, and I bought one for Kilimanjaro. I’m excited to announce that I’ve recently become an official Bates

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advocate! In addition to the Innova Extended Contourbloc saddle, I’ve recently started riding Reflexions in an Innova Mono+ saddle in the Luxe leather, which is super luxurious, and the knee blocks and stirrup bar positions can be adjusted to suit each rider.” Along with good gear, good horses and good coaching, plenty of commitment and hard work goes into the sport and with two horses and a full-time job, Susan does admit to being awake at some antisocial hours. “I get up at 4.45am during the week and I have lights on the arena so I can ride one horse in the morning before work. The horses get worked on alternate days during the week and each day on the weekends.” This hard work is certainly paying off, with Susan really hitting her stride at Horse of Year. While she doesn’t currently hold any further international competition aspirations, she is focused and ever practical about her goals. “I want to get out and compete at Grand Prix level with Dancealong and Level 6 and 7 with Reflexions, and just perform as well as I can.” C

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It is inevitable that as hounds in a Hunt’s pack age, they will need to be replaced. We learn more from Wairarapa Huntsman Cody Singer about integrating the next generation of hounds. WORDS Pip Hume | PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

iding a bold horse fast across country behind a pack of hounds in full cry is an exhilarating experience that is hard to rival. For many hunting enthusiasts, it’s all about the thrill of the ride, but for others, it’s about the age-old traditions around the sport – and the hounds. Here in New Zealand, our hounds are Harrier hounds. It’s an ancient breed, said to have originated in Britain in the Middle Ages and to have been derived from the larger Foxhound, interbred with Greyhounds and Fox Terriers. Then, as it is now, the breed’s purpose was hunting hares, hence the name Harrier. Harrier hounds have an acute sense of smell, and hunt as a pack by scent alone. Once on the scent of a hare, the pack will hunt tirelessly for as long as the atmospheric conditions allow the scent to remain. Hunting is very strenuous for hounds, and as they age they can suffer from arthritis, joint problems and injuries. The working life of a hound is typically eight or nine years – so long as they don’t get injured – so it’s important that there are always young hounds coming through. This year, the Wairarapa Hunt’s entry of young hounds is a ‘W’ litter – Willow, Warning, William, Womble, Wallace and Willy. In keeping with hunting tradition, the ‘W’ means they will always be identified by the year they were born, and their litter. The pups were sired by a Wairarapa Hunt dog, Spice, who was himself sired by a Manawatu Hunt dog. They are the first litter out of Polo, who is now in her ninth season of hunting with Wairarapa and is the oldest hound in the pack at the moment. Polo has been a top hound for the Hunt, and this will probably be her last season hunting, says Wairarapa Huntsman Cody Singer. As Huntsman, it’s his job to keep the hound pack fed, fit, happy and healthy, and it’s a role he is passionate about. The former jump jockey loves the thrill of a fast chase across country, and having spent two or three years working for Nigel Horton with the Manawatu Hunt, he is big

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on the traditions and etiquette of hunting, and very fussy about the presentation of himself, his horses and his hounds. “And I love dogs,” Cody grins, pointing to the raised kennels which house his team of working dogs. Alongside his hunt duties, Cody is also employed as a shepherd for Maungahina Stud. And besides his working dogs and the hounds, there’s also Butch the Fox Terrier, who seems to be everywhere, galloping around at full speed and romping with the young hounds. The young hounds were around nine months old at the start of this hunt season. Cody explains that the litter started life at the hunt kennels, where they learnt the basics of spending time around people and horses, before they went out to puppy walkers for six months. “Our hounds are trencher-fed, so the hounds leave the kennels and are looked after by hunt members, supporters and enthusiasts in the off season. They come back into the pack a couple of months before the start of our hunt season. “The pups were out on farms or lifestyle blocks getting socialised and learning to come when called, be tied up and walk on a lead that sort of thing. Hounds reared this way seem to be more social and outgoing. Kennelraised hounds tend to be more shy and timid and don’t like people as much. They don’t want to be around you as much and they are harder to teach to pack up.” He says that generally, pups would come back to the kennels to go into the pack at around ten or eleven months old, although sometimes they need a little more time to mature. This litter was a little younger due to the timing of their birth, but it was apparent to Cody that these young hounds were ready to hunt. “They were strong enough and mature enough; they’re very athletic pups and have the physique.” With a centuries-old heritage of hunting in their blood, Cody adds that the young hounds just need to be taught the basics of packing up, keeping with the pack, and leaving stock alone.

“

The pups were out on farms or lifestyle blocks getting socialised and learning to come when called, be tied up and walk on a lead - that sort of thing.

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“

Every single hare we hunted on Monday was first put up by the pups, which in my eyes shows an amazing future for these fantastic young hounds.

“

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

“The hunting should come naturally to them. A young hound should naturally put its nose on the ground and start working. The ones that go out and don’t know what to do will never make it. “Going out with the older, seasoned hounds teaches the young hounds about packing up and hunting in the pack. They learn from the older hounds to take notice of the Huntsman and the Whips, and to hunt only hares and leave everything else alone.” Following his decision that the young hounds were ready to enter the pack, Cody has been thrilled with their performance, and particularly with Wallace and Willow, who starred early in the season. “The Hound of the Day is selected each hunt day. At the end of the day, the Master asks me to pick out a hound who has been a stand-out for the day – the hound who has performed above all of the others. On Easter Monday, Wallace and Willow performed at a level that is very rarely seen from pups, especially in their first few hunts of the season. “Pups can take a while to build confidence in giving tongue while on scent. Normally they will scent but will not give tongue. It’s not until their confidence grows that they become willing to do this. “But on Easter Monday both Willow and Wallace were the only two to make a decent amount of noise on a line and hunt a hare when most of the hounds had over-run. This shows them to be steady, with a great nose and attention to detail. They strove to pick up the smallest of scents in what would normally be seen as hard going. “Every single hare we hunted on Monday

was first put up by the pups, which in my eyes shows an amazing future for these fantastic young hounds.” This season, the Wairarapa Hunt has benefited from also acquiring an additional three hound pups from the Starborough Hunt in Marlborough, who will join the pack next season. Xena, Xion and Xavier are beautifully marked pups, of a chunkier type than the Wairarapa-bred hounds. They are by Vincent out of Treckle, and will add an outcross of bloodlines from Mahia and Brackenfield (in Canterbury) to the local pack. It’s all part of the ongoing exchange of genetics between the hunts to maintain robust breeding programmes and limit the inbreeding which would weaken the hunt packs. As a part of that commitment, the three New Zealand hunt regions each hold an annual hound show. The hounds are judged on conformation against the Harrier Hound breed standard and the type of hound being presented and compete in age group, dog and bitch classes, The judges are generally experienced Masters and Hunt staff from other areas. This year Cody took a handful of the Wairarapa hounds to the North Island Hound Show, which was hosted by Poverty Bay Hunt and ran during their 125th Jubilee celebration in April. “There were a lot of top hounds there,” reports Cody. “Target got a fourth in his dog class. Willow and Uno both got a call-back, but unfortunately weren’t placed. “It’s given me a lot to think about and work on. I’m not unhappy though, they were great and presented well.” C

TRAINING

Learn something new or refresh an old technique with advice from our leading trainer in this issue

SOUND BASICS

FOCUS ON GRIDS

HAVE A GO AT SHOW HUNTER

TRUST IS KEY

At a two-day clinic hosted by Otawa Equestrian, acclaimed show jumping rider and coach Duncan McFarlane shared the wisdom of many years, as he put Emily Fuller and her horse Lola through their paces.

Working your horse over a grid of fences will help to improve his balance, suppleness and confidence – all crucial elements for a successful clear round, plus it’s a nice way to vary his jump work.

Riding a Show Hunter round can seem a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, so we have put together this helpful guide to get you started along the Show Hunter path.

Andy Daines’ relationship with his horses is built on a foundation of trust and confidence. He gives us an insight into how he achieves this as he works with Prince, one of the younger members of his talented team.

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

TRAINING

d n Sou

s c i s a B n, uestria q E a ch Otaw ed by ider and coa of t s o h clinic ing r sdom o-day show jump ared the wi r and w t a t A e sh Fulle med acclai n McFarlan put Emily paces. e ir Duncay years, as h through the man orse Lola her h

uncan McFarlane’s credentials, earned during the many years he successully competed and taught in the USA, are impressive. At heart though, this high achiever remains a humble Kiwi, dedicated to helping riders here develop to their highest level. While accepting no compromises from rider or horse, he delivers nuggets of wisdom with respect, humour, and a keen eye.

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“

IT’S REALLY SIMPLE. THERE ARE FOUR THINGS A RIDER NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DO. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD, SLOW DOWN, TURN LEFT, AND TURN RIGHT.

THE TRAINER

watered and prepared. With up to 350 horses going through an arena in a day, it’s very organised and structured. “For the longevity of our good horses, it’s important that we learn from them and that we use the expertise available here for our arena surfaces.” On the subject of our horses, Duncan observes that we tend to lose sight of the fact that their top horses, particularly in the Hunter Jumper rings, have invariably come out of Europe, and have the basics in place from day one. “They can go on a stride and in a rhythm, so when there’s a problem it’s just a matter of reminding them. In comparison, our New Zealand horses can be a little uncivilised – they just don’t know, so we have to teach them. “In addition, our Thoroughbreds will react differently to warmbloods. There’s no quick answer for that type of horse and it’s best not to push too fast and create a lot of problems. They need to learn to go off the leg without frying the brain, so it’s all about getting the horse strong enough to canter slowly in self-carriage without falling behind the leg.”

THE RIDER

“

Duncan McFarlane was born and raised in New Zealand before moving to the USA in 1980, where he was initially based with renowned show jumpers Butch and Lu Thomas, before going into partnership with Australian Olympic rider Richard Sands. He then went on to set up his own very successful business, Windfall Farms. Having enjoyed competing to the top level in the USA, it was always Duncan’s intention to return to New Zealand, and in 2014 he and his British-born wife Helen McNaughtMcFarlane made that dream come true. They are now based at Outwoods Farm near Taupo and are in great demand, with regular training clinics and lessons all over the country. They both also continue to be popular competitors at top level. Duncan says that the show jumping scene here has come a long way, but one area where he sees scope for improvement is in arena preparation. “Over here the surfaces range from rock hard to very good. The Americans are super-organised when it comes to arena preparation and dust control. For example, during the course walk the warm-up arena is watered and harrowed, then while riders are warming up, the main arena is being

Emily Fuller has previously competed to Grand Prix World Cup level, with her Witzbold mare Weinville. During this clinic she is riding Lola, who is out of Weinville by Lansing. Lola is 10 years old and has been lightly competed to 1.15m, due to Emily’s other commitments. However Emily is now keen to get her out competing more regularly. “Lola feels as though she’s got as much talent as her mother, and I really just want to find out how far she can go. She enjoys jumping and is totally enthusiastic about

life – she always travels with her ears forward and is a happy horse, very self-assured. She has got a bit of a feisty streak though! “The clinic was great. I was really happy after the first day. On the second day the exercises were more difficult and I felt like I just hadn’t been in the saddle enough! “Duncan has a lovely approach and always tells you what needs to happen in a way that makes you want to do it.”

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

THE WARM UP

After a walk around the arena for a look and a few short trots, Emily picks up the trot on a large circle, bending Lola around her inside leg, before Duncan asks her for a ‘square’ turn. He encourages her to ride actively in a rhythm. “It’s really simple. There are four things a rider needs to be able to do. You have to be able to go forward, slow down, turn left, and turn right. Correct basics mean being able to do these four things, while maintaining a rhythm and making a distance. “You choose the speed and the rhythm of the trot. Slow the rhythm in the corners, ride inside leg to outside rein and soften the inside hand. In working trot rising, you want to be energetic on the long side, and shorten and collect through the corners.” During this warm-up phase, Lola spies a ‘spooky’ sign that Duncan has deliberately placed at the side of the arena. “Spooking often means a careful horse,” he reassures Emily. “She’s not in trouble for spooking, but you have to be able to control where the horse’s focus is. You can let the horse do what she wants, or you can get her to listen to you and focus on what you want her to do.” He adds that, “Course designers deliberately set problems for the riders to deal with. Your horse has to learn to keep her focus on the job and go where she is told. Take note when you are walking a course and make sure your horse sees anything spooky from the direction they will be travelling. “If your horse has a look at fill during a round, maintain the leg-to-hand connection. The moment you soften your hand, you have lost her,” he says. “Don’t drop the reins in front of the fence – make sure you are in balance from the outset and keep your leg on, keeping that leg-to-hand connection.”

SOUND BASICS

Duncan also urges Emily to be particular about rising on the correct diagonal, and says it is surprising how often he sees very competent riders not paying attention. “You have to have a feel for what’s going on and what your horse is doing without thinking about it. It has to be automatic.” In canter, Duncan encourages Emily to shape the turn, allowing a bigger canter on the long sides and changing direction with a simple change of lead. “Lola has a nice way of going. I don’t like to see the horse pulled into a frame with nothing happening behind,” he tells Emily. “Just get organised, get your canter lead and focus on the rhythm. When you are jumping, you make your distances from the rhythm.” Duncan uses a variety of exercises in the warm-up, all designed to have the horse in a calm, balanced and attentive state prior to jumping, and as horse and rider loosen up, the work incorporates quarters-in on the long side, changes of rein through a small circle and walkcanter-walk transitions.

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JUMPING EXERCISES

3, 4 or 5 strides

r7 6o

rid st

^ Trot pole >

18m - 4, 5 or 6 strides

Duncan’s jumping exercises are designed to help build the horse’s strength, balance and adjustability, while at the same time encouraging riders to develop consistency in making the distance so that they can replicate their success during training in competition. “Developing the show jumper is about building strength, adjustability and confidence. Who is in charge – you or the horse? In the show jumping arena, you have to be able to have a plan and make a distance. Is it a forward line, or a waiting line? Get good at those decisions! “Through combinations, the striding is critical. For the rest of the course, the striding depends on your horse and your plan.” The gymnastic exercises Duncan sets are those that are seen all over the world, teaching riders and horses how to solve problems. The jumps are quite small, so that for both rider and horse, the experience is one of success. “Failure leads to loss of confidence,” he says. “Gymnastic work is really flat work with a few small jumps thrown in. This isn’t a horse show; it’s training to strengthen and balance the horse so that it uses its hind end and becomes adjustable. “There’s really no point going on to bigger jumps and bigger courses if you can’t do the basics well. There’s no magic bullet, it’s just hard work and perseverance. You don’t have to be the best rider in the world, but you do have to get the basics right.” Duncan’s arena layout is fairly symmetrical, with plenty of flexible options. Emily starts on the right rein, going around the outside of the arena and through the small combination in the corner. Two small, cavaletti height rails are set at right angles, one each side of the arena corner. These can be ridden with three, four or five strides between the two, and Duncan asks Emily to ride the combination in a specific number of strides. He cautions Emily to make a distance for the horse to leave the ground. “Keep her in front of the leg and keep the leg to hand connection. Use your inside leg to stop her from cutting the corner, “ he tells her. “You will need to get organised before the turn, so it’s land and balance.” The distance across the top of the arena can be ridden in four, five or six strides. “If you get a waiting distance, it’s five strides. If you see four strides, ride four strides,” Duncan instructs. Emily then pops Lola through the corner combination and trots into the combination on the arena centreline before veering right and going over the oxer. “The distance from the combination is an open six strides, so get organised – land, look, and balance. The combination is a waiting exercise so stay slow. Turn and have a look at the jump instead of looking at the horse’s ears. Looking at the fence reinforces the direction you want to travel in.” Throughout the jumping work, Duncan urges Emily to make decisions on how she plans to approach each line and each jump, to control her tendency to hurry, and to keep her eyes in the direction she wants to go.

SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

Duncan encourages Emily to look for the next fence

“Land, balance, then turn.”

Duncan wants accurate striding through the combination

05 - Tru Care - ShowCircuit.pdf 1 29-Apr-16 12:49:16 PM

DUNCAN’S WISE WORDS “In everything you do with your horse, whether it is on the ground or ridden, you are either training the horse or you are untraining the horse. Everything you do with your horse has a result, either good or bad. Make it a positive experience.” • In show jumping, the canter rhythm is everything. • Take your time. Don’t hurry to a mistake. • Manage what you do, better. • If you and your horse are struggling or finding an exercise difficult, break it down. Do it in pieces until you can accomplish the whole thing. • Break your show jumping rounds into manageable parts, then decide how to tackle each part. • Rider building blocks develop automatic responses, which will enable the rider to continue to ride correctly while focusing on what is coming. • Get good at the basics. There’s no magic bullet. C

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE

During the session, Duncan identifies Emily as a very competent rider who is doing a good job with her attractive mare. He also sees her as a problem solver who leans towards being a perfectionist – an analysis Emily agrees with. “You ride well, but you have a tendency to hurry – just slow down, take your time and look where you are going. Manage your rounds by breaking them into pieces, and solving each piece. “Realise though that it won’t be perfect – it will never be perfect!” C

CMY

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- FOCUS ON -

TRAINING

GRIDS

vertical

12’ (3.6m) vertical

Before you start, it’s important to get your distances correct and build your horse’s confidence with a structured grid work plan.

BENEFITS OF GRID WORK •

It encourages your horse to be more reactive off your aids and make a better shape over fences

•

It improves his rhythm over fences

•

Straightness issues can also be improved using grids

•

Helps your horse to improve their jumping style and power if they tend to be flat and careless

•

It helps you both to improve your balance

•

Different fences and distances between fences teach him to lengthen and shorten his strides

•

It enables you to be more aware of your position

•

It helps you to ride fences more accurately

•

It increases your confidence when jumping

•

It improves the suppleness of you and your horse

•

It improves his bascule over fences.

20’ (6m)

19’ (5.8m)

10’ (3m)

cross-bar

Set up the grid in a straight line down the middle of your arena with the fences at a height at which you and your horse are comfortable. Add ground lines on either side of each jump, without any fill (walls, flower boxes, etc.). Use colored rails, preferably the striped variety, which helps you stay centred. Be sure there’s plenty of room around the grid to make smooth, looping turns from one jump to another.

If your horse has never jumped a grid, start very simply and keep the fences low or even just have poles on the ground

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one stride

vertical

SETTING UP

TOP TIP

one stride

oxer

WARM HIM UP FIRST Before you get started on a gridwork session, it’s important to get your horse warmed up. Going through the paces on both reins will help to get your horse’s muscles loose and have him listening to your aids.

bounce

9’ (2.7m)

trot poles

4’ (1.2m)

bounce

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TRAINING

HAVE A GO Riding a Show Hunter round can seem much more daunting than show jumping. As well as having to jump the jumps and leave them up, both horse and rider have to impress the judge with their form over the fences. And then there are the technical aspects: correct gear for horse and rider, distances, striding and lead changes… It can all seem a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, so we have put together this helpful guide to get you started along the Show Hunter path. WORDS Pip Hume PHOTOS kampic.com

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at Show Hunter WHAT IS SHOW HUNTER? Show Hunter is the technical art of jumping where the horse is judged on his way of going – balance, rhythm, manners and jumping style, rather than simply his athletic ability to jump a clear round. The requirements and course layouts are very specific. The discipline originated over thirty years ago, and is derived from the Hunter Jumper classes which are such a huge part of the North American equestrian scene. Show Hunter aims to develop safer jumping with riders who are more balanced, sympathetic and analytical, and horses which are better schooled, more balanced and confident. It is the ideal environment

for less experienced riders (or riders returning to the sport) as well as for young or green horses to experience competition, and also allows the opportunity for experienced riders to focus on technique and riding skills. In New Zealand, the Show Hunter discipline sits alongside show jumping and is affiliated to Jumping NZ within the governing body, Equestrian Sports New Zealand. For recognised classes, the horse and rider must be registered – there are options for registration ranging from day starts to annual membership, so check the ESNZ website for more information about this.

05 - Tru Care - ShowCircuit.pdf 1 29-Apr-16 12:49:16 PM

Show Hunter is the technical art of jumping where the horse is judged on his way of going – balance, rhythm, manners and jumping style, rather than simply his athletic ability to jump a clear round.

What is required? THE COURSE

The course is usually flat and level, within an enclosed arena. Courses consist of eight to ten jumps, with flowing wide angles or U-shaped turns designed to promote a smooth, easy round. The jumps are natural in style: verticals with ground lines, ascending oxers and ramped gates, and where fill is used it will be natural such as brush, plants and flowers. There will be at least one change of direction (more usually two) and one or two combinations. Lines consist of one, two or three fences set on the long side of the ring or across the diagonal. They may be straight or curving gently enough that the the natural rhythm of the stride will not be interrupted. The jumps are not numbered – riders refer to a course plan at the gate to the arena, which also shows the required number of strides where jumps are on a line. The course is jumped at canter, and where there is a change of direction, the rider must change the canter lead. At training level this may be done through trot strides, however a flying change is required in all other classes. Horses will be penalised for a disunited canter or for switching leads right in front of a fence.

TURNOUT

The general rule for Show Hunter turnout is that less is more, and the tack should be as unobtrusive to the overall picture as possible. Brown tack is preferred, and ideally all the tack should match the horse, e.g. brown tack on a brown horse, breastplates should be subtle and saddle blankets should be shaped and match the saddle (or horse). Jackets should be navy, black or grey, with a pale shirt/stock, and riders should wear cream breeches, a hairnet and dark gloves. Manes should always be plaited, and excess hair trimmed. Correct turnout for pony riders is jodphur boots with clips, especially in Category A & B classes. C

CMY

JUDGING

Judging starts as soon as the horse and rider enter the arena, and finishes when they leave. As time is not a competitive factor, there is no starting bell, but riders should check that the judge has finished writing and is watching before commencing their round, often starting with a ‘courtesy circle’ to establish their pace. This is a good opportunity to make that first favourable impression by dazzling the judge with the high quality of your presentation!

What is the judge looking for? The horse should have a superior natural jumping style, good manners, and a quiet, smooth way of covering the ground, jumping off an even stride without noticeable adjustment by the rider before the jump. The horse should canter into each jump on a straight line and jump it in the middle, then canter away in a quiet, relaxed and steady manner. The speed and rhythm should remain consistent throughout the round and there should be no evident tension or insecurity. Riders should make the most of the arena space and ride wide, flowing corners to allow

their horse to have a straight approach to the next fence on course, as they will be marked down for cutting corners. Over the jump the horse’s knees should be tidy and above the horizontal from elbow to knee, with the legs folded high and evenly. The horse should show a proper bascule with the head and neck stretching out and down, rounded into loose shoulders with the back following the arc of the jump. Unsafe and poor quality jumping will be penalised, whether the horse touches rails or not. Horses will also be marked down for tapping rails, regardless of whether the rail falls.

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Scoring

The judge has a score sheet and every fence that is jumped is marked with a symbol. At the completion of the round the horse is given a score out of 100. Ties or equal placings are not allowed; judges must decide their preference between similar rounds. A total of three refusals anywhere on the course results in elimination. When a horse refuses at the second element of a combination, the rider has the option to re-attempt only the second element or rejump the entire combination, in which case the first element is scored only the first time it was jumped. Once the round has started, trotting is heavily penalised with an automatic score of 66% or below in recognised classes. However, trotting a lead change is allowed in training classes. Apart from opening and closing circles at the start or finish of a round, circles or crossing your tracks are scored as a disobedience. Going off-course or presenting the horse to a jump without intending to jump results in elimination. • 90s - Excellent accurate performance • High 80s - Very good performance (with only very minor errors) • Low 80s- Very good performance (with several minor errors in mechanics) • 70s - Minor chipping in front of the fence, average performance • Wrong lead with no change before next fence on course - will be scored at the judge’s discretion • 60s or below - Serious jumping faults such as hanging front legs, diving, twisting • 50s - Dangerous leap • 40s - Rail down or refusal • No score - Use of equipment on the ‘not allowed’ list will result in no score for the performance.

“When turning out for Show Hunter keep it simple and classy. Less is definitely more!” - Chloe Hansen (nee Akers) Five-time Show Hunter of the Year

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What is allowed?

(Reproduced from the ESNZ Show Hunter Rules Version 9.0 2016, with their kind permission.)

Equipment Allowed • • • • • • • • • •

A correctly fitted cavesson noseband Spurs: including spurs with a smooth moving ball Short crop: maximum length 75cm including the flapper Leg boots and/or bandages Standing or running martingale Breastplate Any form of snaffle bit where the primary action is on the horse’s mouth, including corners of the mouth, bars and tongue Pelhams and Kimblewicks if used in their entirety (with a correctly fitted chain), where the primary action is on the horse’s jaw. Pelhams must be used with either two separate reins or joiners. A slotted Kimblewick may only be used where the reins are not fixed in the rein slots. Double bridle Stud guards.

Equipment Not Allowed

Use of ‘not allowed’ equipment will result in a no-score for the performance • Drop or any kind of noseband below the bit • Unconventional bits where the primary action of the bit is on the poll, including a leverage action causing downwards poll pressure e.g. butterfly bit, puzzle bit, gags, Pessoas or Dutch gags • Filcher snaffles, hanging bits or fixed rein bits. A Kimblewick with the reins used in the slots is considered a fixed rein bit therefore not allowed. • Bitless bridle • Hackamore and Elevator bits • Unconventional bits used as an artificial turning aid • German martingales, Market Harboroughs • Chambon or other training equipment and draw reins • Rowel spurs: any spur with a moving part, with the exception of a smooth moving ball • Dressage whip • Shadow roll, stone guard, fly screen or nets • Ear muffs • Bit guard • Bell boots, hoof bands and fetlock rings (unless the judge chooses to make an exception due to extremely muddy and/or deep footing or a veterinary injury requiring protection). NB: The judge must be informed of the injury before the class or result in a ‘no score’. • The Judges Advisor committee has the right to assess the use of any bit as ‘allowed’ or ‘not allowed’ equipment. Their decision will be final. In the interests of safety, the stirrup iron and the stirrup leather (this also applies to safety stirrups) must hang freely from the bar of the saddle and the outside of the flap. The rider must not directly or indirectly tie any part of their body to the saddlery. Competitors are allowed to use a dressage whip when working on the flat but are strictly forbidden to use or carry a whip which is weighted at the end at any time, or to carry or use one which is more than 75cm in length (including the flapper) in the arena, exercise or schooling areas when riding over poles or any obstacle. No substitute for a whip may be carried. Failure to comply with this paragraph will incur elimination. The total maximum weight of equipment allowed to be added to a horse’s leg, front or hind (boots, bandages) is 500g (shoe excluded). Failure to comply with this paragraph will incur disqualification. C

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TRAINING

About the trainer Andrew Daines, better known as Andy, made his mark as one of New Zealand’s up-and-coming young event riders when he completed his first 4* at Adelaide in November of 2016. After living and training in England and Ireland for four years, Andy settled in Kumeu in 2015, with the aim of producing young dressage and event horses, and riding consistently at 3* level, with the hope of making it onto New Zealand international teams in the future.

trust is key Andy Daines’ relationship with his horses is built on a foundation of trust and confidence. He gives us an insight into how he achieves this as he works with Prince, one of the younger members of his talented team. WORDS Ryan Teece | PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

s Andy walks towards the arena of his regular coach, Olympian Clarke Johnstone, in Matangi, it quickly becomes evident that his horse Prince is feeling a little tense. “He’s really nervous about life in general. It means he’s sensitive, which I like, but it also means he’s scared of his own shadow,” Andy says with a grin. “I take every opportunity I can to get him out and about to look at new surroundings, arenas and jumps!” Nearing the arena, with Prince’s eyes on stalks, Andy continues to talk about his approach with this horse. “Because of his nerves, he tends to overthink things. So, when it comes to jumping, he either rushes to a fence or jumps so big that it scares him even more.” With that in mind, Andy explains that he keeps all the jumps small, only about 80-90cm. “He’s a naturally very talented jumper, so it would be easy to keep putting the jumps up higher and higher and ignore the small issues. But eventually, at the bigger heights, those small issues will become big issues and they will be a lot harder to deal with.” By keeping the jumps small, it also allows Prince to make mistakes without scaring himself. “I don’t have to worry about the jump with him. It’s all about the approach and the departure from the fence. So the height of the fence is really irrelevant.” Andy wants all of his horses to leave the arena feeling confident and wanting to go back and do more the next day. “If I come out here, in a new arena, and jump around a course of big fences – if we get the distance a little wrong at one, or have speed issues into another, he’s going to smash through it and it’s going to take weeks to get him back to where he is now. So I would rather leave them small. Then, if we have any mistakes, it’s not really going to matter!”

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Get it right on the flat first Despite being by the Prix St Georges dressage stallion Worldly, Andy concedes that Prince isn’t overly fond of flatwork. “We just keep it simple. I don’t really do more than five minutes at a time with him.” Giving Prince a walk in between small amounts of work gives him a chance to think about everything, digest it and relax before Andy picks up the reins and carries on. He explains that training is all about having the right tools and putting them to their best use. “I tend to do a lot of work on a circle with the young ones. When you’re on a circle, it does the job of keeping the bend, so as long as you’re not letting their shoulders bulge, half of your work is done for you.” At this point in his training Andy is just establishing that all the buttons are working – that Prince moves forward freely when asked, that he comes back lightly, and that he moves away from his leg aids and follows the bit without resistance. In the beginning, Prince is fresh and quite ‘looky’, but Andy keeps a soft leg and soft hand, correcting any small issues. “The first time into trot he resisted a little bit, which he tends to do, so I bought him back and did it again. It’s all about building their confidence. Do it again if it’s wrong, and give big rewards if they do it right.” Just like in the walk-trot transition, when Andy asks Prince in to canter for the first time, the horse catches the bit and rushes forward a little. “It’s important to get the small things right,” Andy explains. “If I can’t get a simple transition, we are bound to have issues as we move into the jumping.” It would be easy to reprimand his horse for this mistake, but Andy simply brings him back to trot, rebalances him and then asks again for canter. Once he gets the transition he desires, Andy rewards Prince with a pat. “When I asked for canter the first time, he did react to my legs by going forward, and that’s essentially what we want, but it wasn’t quite the right answer. So I brought him back and tried again, and followed it with a big reward when he got it right.” To start with, in the canter, Andy stays out of the saddle in two-point so that Prince doesn’t get tight across his back. Prince clears his nose a couple of times, a good indication that he is relaxing along his topline, and at this point Andy sits back into three-point position and continues his work. While he has kept everything simple, Andy feels that Prince is now working softly with no tension and is ready to move on to the jumping exercises set up in the arena. “If I didn’t get him to a place where I thought he was ready for jumping, I wouldn’t have bothered today. I need them to be ready to move on, or I will do more damage than good. In saying that, his flatwork has been great today, so there is no point drilling him over and over waiting for him to make a mistake. Get what you want, reward and then move on.”

Stay o saddle ut of the on a horse when young you into ca nter u first go ntil t relax t heir b hey ack.

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If y troubl ou have after a e with contr ol fe horse, nce on a yo ung set up your g on the ri short side of ds arena the , so tha ty the ar ena ed ou have ge to h elp stop th em.

Jump to it All three exercises that Andy uses on this day are designed to achieve similar results. “With a horse that likes to rush into fences or jumps too big, we want to encourage him to think about where he is placing his feet and encourage him to use his back and neck over the fence, and continue in the same canter afterwards.”

cause Just be n jump orse ca g your h keep puttin t ’ nd n big, do up higher a s ce e the fen . Work on th r e d high e an l befor contro e fence. h after t

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Exercise one:

Exercise two:

Andy chooses to warm up over a bounce rather than a single fence when schooling the young horses. “Using the bounce gets them thinking straight away,” he explains. This exercise encourages the horses to look down and use their back and neck. It also encourages them to slow down, back themselves off the fence and think about where they are placing their feet. “He is so scopey that when we first jumped him through a bounce like this, he tried to jump it as an oxer,” laughs Andy. “So everything is about him slowing down and maintaining a rhythm before and after the fence.” Andy jumps the exercise one way, halts, turns and jumps it back through the other way. He does this a few times and with each attempt Prince makes a better shape over the fence, lands more calmly and comes back to a halt with less resistance. “Just like with the flatwork, I like to make things black and white. He jumped through this really well, so he gets rewarded with a break and then we will move on to something else.”

This exercise helps to maintain a rhythm into and away from the fence, by using the placing pole to control where the horse takes off and lands, in relation to the fence. If the pole is close on each side, the horse will need to take off nearer to the fence, encouraging them to get relatively deep and sit on their hind end, which will help with their shape over the jump. Having the placing pole on the landing side of the jump encourages the horse to look down and think about where he is placing his feet, rather than just landing and moving forward straight away. To begin with, Andy has the pole set at a nice, easy distance for Prince, and as expected he jumps it well both ways. He then rolls both poles in a little closer, encouraging Prince to take off and land closer to the fence and create a bascule over the jump, rather than jumping too flat. “This exercise is great for helping him not to rush at the fences, because there is something before and after for him to think about. But it’s still simple and straightforward.” Andy then puts the jump up a few holes. “Because he’s making a great shape over the fence and he’s maintaining his rhythm before and afterwards, I feel I can put it up a bit to get him to use his body a little more and try a little harder. But as you can see, it’s still a small jump and nothing that will scare him.”

Cross bar – bounce – cross bar

Placing pole – cross bar – placing pole

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Exercise three:

Cross bar – placing pole – oxer Just like the first two exercises, this is all about rhythm, and helping the horse to make a shape over the fence without rushing. As Andy canters down the line the first time, he quickly realises that he has set it a little too long for Prince, but the horse still jumps it well. “That was a lot longer than ideal, but he didn’t panic, he listened and made an effort to clear them. And he did it well, which shows that the exercises we are doing are working. But because it was long, he jumped rather flat so I’ll bring them in a bit and go through it again.” With the distance shortened, Andy makes a second attempt through the line. This time Prince still canters through a bit long and flat and knocks the last rail. “That’ll wake him up a little bit,” Andy says. “He obviously didn’t look at the fences, he just assumed it was the same as last time, and I didn’t want to be pulling on him through the line to make him shorten up. I want him to work these things out for himself so he grows in self-confidence.” The next time through, Andy can remain soft and Prince finds his way down the line well. He backs himself off at the base of the fences and jumps with more power and shape over the fence, exactly what Andy was hoping for.

Putting it to the test Andy is pleased with how Prince is jumping. He’s soft, there is no tension and he’s thinking for himself. So he decides to put the morning’s training into practice over a small course of new fences with fill that Prince has not yet seen. “This will really show me whether what we have been doing is working,” Andy

admits. He still takes things right back to basics, putting in some circles prior to the jumps to make sure the horse is listening and supple through his body, then lets Prince find his own way to the fences. He jumps a lovely round, staying in a nice rhythm and jumping each element well without Andy having to interfere. “I am really happy with that. He felt really confident moving up to the fences, even though he hadn’t jumped the fill before. He’s obviously really starting to trust me.” Without a doubt, as the aim is for Prince to be Andy’s next eventing star, that kind of mutual trust will be key to their success. C

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PHOTO ESSAYS We bring you coverage from your favourite events, big and small, from around New Zealand and overseas

80 Badminton Horse Trials | 86 Glistening Waters Jumping Championships 92 Grand National Showing Championships (AUS) | 102 Festival of Future Stars 108 Kihikihi International Horse Trial | 114 NZPCA Eventing Championship 120 New Zealand Under 25 Dressage Championships 126 Poverty Bay Hunt Club - 125th Anniversary SHOWCIRCUIT MAGAZINE

SPECIAL FEATURE 80

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“He isn’t built like a Ferrari, but I’ve been driving him like one for a long time.”

Photo: © Nico Morgan

Andrew Nicholson

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Show Circuit spoke to Andrew after his win at Badminton Horse Trials 2017 WORDS Catherine Austen - PHOTOS Adam Fanthrope When we asked Andrew whether his life had changed since winning Badminton, he assured us that it hadn’t. “No, I rode 10 horses on Monday and 10 today!” But how does he feel about getting that Badminton monkey off his back? “It wasn’t so much that it was a big deal that I hadn’t won Badminton, more that I’d been in a position to win it and that I’d lost it, including more than once on Nereo,” he explained. “In 2011, Nereo hadn’t taken a rail for two years and I went and had the first two fences down. I was far too casual about it.” British showjumper Steven Smith has been helping Andrew with his show jumping for a year now, and was with him on the Sunday of Badminton. “He’s given me a better understanding of the warm-up on all my horses,” said Andrew. “He doesn’t say a lot, but what he does say is in a very simple, clear way, which suits me.” So what does the future hold? “Nereo looks very good. He will spend a bit of time in the field, then we will aim for Barbury [where Andrew has won the CIC3* for the last five years in a row] and then maybe Burghley Horse Trials. If at any point he tells me he doesn’t feel so good, then we will stop. But these top horses love working – they are almost humanised in their routines and their lives and I think while they are fit and well and enjoying it, it is kinder to keep them in those routines. He isn’t built like a Ferrari, but I’ve been driving him like one for a long time.” Andrew himself has no plans to stop competing either. Why would he, on the back of a Badminton win – even if his wife Wiggy would probably rather he watched it on television? “I think she knows, deep down, that I would be a nightmare if I wasn’t doing it!” he said. When asked whether there any chance of a rapprochement with the New Zealand team authorities, Andrew is dubious. “It seems unlikely. I’m beyond worrying about it.” But there may be an added dimension to his career going forward, in the shape of some work with the all-conquering German team. He walked the cross-country course with them at Badminton – his first ‘gig’ in helping with their cross-country, following the departure of Chris Bartle to the British camp. “I organised to meet them at 8.30am to walk the course, and the first person there, 10 minutes early, was Michael Jung. It is touching when a rider of his calibre wants to listen to you and hear what you have to say,” Andrew said. “It’s only a loose arrangement at the moment, but maybe it will go on to bigger things.” C

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PHOTOS

Nico Morgan

Adam Fanthorpe

PHOTO ESSAY

Badminton Horse Trials

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Mark Todd - NZB CAMPINO, 4th on 50.4 penalties

Andrew Nicholson - QWANZA, 12th on 67.9 penalties

Jesse Campbell - KAAPACHINO, retired on cross-country

Tim Price - XAVIER FAER, 3rd on 49.2 penalties

Ingrid Klimke - HORSEWARE HALE BOB OLD, 9 on 62.6 penalties

Andrew Nicholson - NEREO, winner on 41.1 penalties

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Andrew Nicholson shares a moment with his children after his win

Blyth Tait - BEAR NECESSITY V, retired on cross-country

Michael Jung - LA BIOSTHETIQUE SAM FBW, 2nd on 44.0 penalties

Mark Todd - LEONIDAS II, 6 th on 58.1 penalties

Daniel Jocelyn - DASSETT COOL TOUCH, 29th on 97.3 penalties

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WORDS Catherine Austen

AT LONG LAST The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials is the world’s most prestigious three-day event, but winning there is never easy. Andrew Nicholson’s first experience at Badminton was in 1980, as a raw 18-year-old grooming for Mark Todd. Mark had never been to Badminton before either, but he went straight out and won it. “I thought it would be easy – you just turn up and take the prize home. But I learnt it’s not so easy,” Andrew Nicholson admitted after his first win at the event, on his a record-shattering 37th attempt. Andrew has won everything else that the sport of eventing in Europe has to offer – and he has also taken out the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in the USA – but Badminton ever eluded his strong grasp. He has come agonisingly close. In 2015, he led after the dressage and cross-country phases on Libby Sellar’s Nereo, only to take down three show jumps and lose the lead. When Andrew broke his neck a few months later, there

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were a lot of people who thought his chances of riding at all – let alone ever winning Badminton – were gone forever. But he has forged his way back to the top of the sport, and this year, riding the same wonderfully tough, rangy chestnut gelding, now 17 years old, Andrew quietly formed a plan. “We’d tried being in front and that didn’t work, so I thought if I could be close enough to the leaders to really put the pressure on them, then that might,” he explained. A dressage score of 38 put Andrew and Nereo into equal fifth place, fewer than six points behind the leader, Australian Christopher Burton on Graf Liberty. The great Michael Jung and his double Olympic champion, La Biosthetique Sam FBW, were sitting ninth on 40 penalties, while his fellow German teammate Ingrid Klimke was second with 36.4 penalties. The scores were already nail-bitingly close, but everything can change on cross-country day, and the course would prove to be a real challenge. As soon as the first images of new designer Eric Winter’s cross-country course had appeared, it had become apparent to all that Badminton was not going to be a dressage competition. The track was extremely demanding, both in size and technicality, and riders repeatedly said it was the biggest they had ever seen there. Mark Todd was second to go on Leonidas II, and he came home clear but with a handful of time-faults. “It’s hard work out there – I’m quite pleased I’m home safe and sound,” he said. Six of the eight New Zealand horses jumped clear – only Blyth Tait (Bear Necessity V) and Jesse Campbell (Kaapachino) retired on-course after run-outs; certainly the best percentage of any nation. Experience told, for both horses and riders, although there were a couple of striking performances from less-experienced Brits, such as Rosalind Canter on Allstar B and Alexander Bragg on Zagreb. Michael Jung and Sam were the first combination to make it home clear within the time, and remarkably, New Zealand’s Tim Price, aboard Xavier Faer, was the only other competitor to do so. After overnight leader Chris Burton on Graf Liberty, and third-placed Irish rider Jonty Evans on the lovely Cooley Rorkes Drift, both had refusals, Ingrid moved into pole position on Horseware Hale Bob OLD, adding just 3.2 time-faults to her score. She finished the cross-country phase at the top of the leaderboard on 39.6 penalties, with Michael right behind her on an even 40. Nereo made short work of the cross-country course, and Andrew would have taken the lead if he had finished inside the time, but the wily 55-year-old stuck to his plan of pouncing from the rear. He rode a brilliant clear round and picked up only 2.4 time-faults. “When Nereo slipped behind a couple of times towards the end of the course, I gave him a slightly wider route on the turns, and was very happy that he finished so comfortably,” Andrew said, attributing the horse’s slipping to the fact that he lost three studs while on course. Andrew would go into the show jumping on a score of 40.4 – less than one penalty behind Ingrid, but just over two fences ahead of fourth-placed Tim Price, who was sitting on 48.2. There were a handful of Kiwis sitting in the top ten, and they all show jumped admirably well, with Sir Mark Todd going clear on both NZB Campino and Leonidas II. Tim picked up just a single time-fault to stay right behind Andrew on the scoreboard, which was a meteoric rise from having been 34th after dressage, and proved how influential the cross-country had been. “As Tim came out of the ring, I knew he had jumped clear but with one time-fault, which meant that I could have two fences and a time-fault and still finish third,” Andrew recalled. With the psychological advantage of knowing that third place was virtually secure, and that the pressure of the win was his to apply onto the two riders ahead of him, Andrew masterfully guided Nereo around the course as the crowd held their breath. Nereo battered a couple of rails but left all of them up, just incurring a single time-fault. But it wasn’t enough to give Ingrid and Michael a fence in hand, and taking that fraction of extra time had enabled Andrew to make sure of the clear round he needed to stay near the top. After that, it came down to waiting to see what the others would do, and hoping they would help him out. Even the best horses and riders can have an off day, as Andrew knew. “I’ve managed to scrape past Michael from third place to first twice before in the past – at Kentucky and Pau,” he recalled. The pressure was well and truly on, and it soon showed. Michael started well, but Sam took the rail off the front of the oxer at fence six, dropping them below Andrew on the scoreboard. The crowd then watched with bated breath as Ingrid entered the ring, and began the course. Her horse jumped beautifully up to fence six, but gasps went up from the stands when Horseware Hale Bob OLD also dropped the front rail of the water tray, handing Andrew the win at long, long last. Ingrid’s day only got worse as she finished with an uncharacteristic 16 jumping and seven time-faults, relegating her to ninth place and elevating Tim Price into third. Sir Mark finished fourth and sixth on his two rides, and Andrew’s second mount, Qwanza, also jumped double clear for 12th. But it was his brilliant win on Nereo that everyone will remember Badminton 2017 for, and Andrew’s beaming smile as he galloped round the arena on his lap of honour said it all. He now has a record 37 Badminton completions under his belt – and one glorious, hard-earned victory. C

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Sophie Scott - BENOSE PLAYTIME, winner of the Equissage Pony Grand Prix Grand Final and 2nd in the Pony Grand Prix Series

Harry Feast - DOUBLE J BOUNCER, winner of the FMG Young Rider Grand Final

Rebecca Porter - KIWI JET, winner of the Main-Events University Challenge Series

Tegan Fitzsimon - WINDERMERE CAPPUCCCINO, winner of the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Grand Final and the Six-Year-Old Series

Lucy Fell - TINAPAI, 6th in the Country TV Premier League Grand Final

Brayden Aarts - GEORGE JETSON, winner of the Lincoln University Junior Rider Grand Final and the Junior Rider Series

Emily Hayward-Morgan - AP NINJA, winner of the Bayleys Real Estate Horse Grand Prix Series

Emma Watson - FUN HOUSE, winner of the Equissage Pony Grand Prix Series and the Spark FEI World Children’s Challenge

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Emma Watson at the awards dinner

Devon Van Til - WINTERBERG, 3 in the Cortaflex Seven-Year-Old Grand Final

Victoria Rattray - VERSACE NZPH, winner of the Let’s Bale Pro Amateur Rider Series

Mathew Dickey - QUANGO, 4 in the Country TV Premier League Grand Final

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Karen Bruce - DOUBLE J BREEZE ON, in the Six-Year-Old Series class

10. Robert Steele - LT HOLST BERNADETTE, 4th in the ESNZ Eight-Year-Old Series

Maurice Beatson - MANDALAY COVE, winner of the Bayleys Real Estate Horse Grand Prix Grand Final

11. Merran Hain at the awards dinner

Tegan Fitzsimon - DOUBLE J MONARCH, winner of the ESNZ Eight-Year-Old Series

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Ruby Mason - MR ACHO, 2nd in the Equissage Pony Grand Prix Grand Final

Phoebe Burns - GALAXY MASTERPIECE, 2nd in the Spark FEI World Children’s Challenge

Lucy Fell - FARATONA STS, 3rd in the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Grand Final

Crystal Hackett - CRACKLIN ROSE, 4th in the Spark FEI World Children’s Challenge

Steffi Whittaker - MOONLIGHT GLOW, 6th in the Equissage Pony Grand Prix Grand Final and 4th in the Pony Grand Prix Series:

Katharine Van Tuyl - CENTAVINO, 5th in the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series

Emily Hayward-Morgan at the awards dinner

Chloe Hansen - KIWI MOTTO, in the Horse 1.30m

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PHOTO ESSAY

Sydney International Equestrian Centre PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

Isabella Bould - EXOTIC, winner of the Grand National Child’s Saddle Horse over 15hh

Stephanie Barrington - EXOTIC, winner of the Grand National Rider 21 years and under 30 years

Elizabeth Taylor - BROADWATER PARK CARTIER, winner of the Grand National Rider 9 years and under 12 years

Margot Haynes - HIGHCROFT HEAVENLY, owned by Andrea Shore and produced by Natacha Otto, competing in the Grand National Large Pony as part of the New Zealand team

Lillie Wallace - WHITMERE ROYAL CONSORT (owned by Tanya Plucknett) 3rd in the Grand National Child’s First Ridden Saddle Pony

Brooke Cadwallader - EASTDALE DIVA, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 9 years and under 12 years

Trysten Blanch - DICAVALLI ROYAL GUSTAV, winner of the Grand National Large Show Hunter Hack

Tyler Kelly - WALDEN PARK COLUMBUS, winner of the Grand National Rider 12 years and under 15 years and Grand Champion Rider

Taylor Hunter - WILLOWCROFT COCO CHANEL, winner of the Grand National Small Saddle Galloway

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10. Vanessa Everton - LADY’S HONOUR RP, competing for New Zealand to be sashed Top 10 in the Grand National Saddle Horse over 16hh 11. Natacha Otto - CUV’EE, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Small Saddle Horse 12. Judges from left; Shelley Perham, Kirstine Douglas and Anna Levy from the United Kingdom

13. The Douglas family - IMPERIAL BONUS, winner of the Grand National Show Hunter Leading Rein Pony (ridden by Piper Thompson and led by Elyse Douglas), Grand National Small Show Hunter Pony and Grand Champion Ridden Show Hunter (ridden by Mackenzie Thompson) 14. Jordan McDowall - DP INDULGENCE, winner of the Grand National Small Saddle Horse

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Trinette Crawford - BRAEBURN PARK OSCAR DE LA RENTA (owned by Andrea Shore), winner of the Grand National Large Show Hunter Pony

Mia Cadwallader - THE PINK PONY, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 6 years and under 9 years

Jess Stalling - ROYAL QUEEN OF SEFTON, winner of the Grand National Small Show Hunter Galloway

Ella Rankin - FARLEIGH HOLLYHOCK, competing for New Zealand to be sashed Top 10 Grand National Rider 12 years and under 15 years

10. Lillie Wallace - LANGTREE JUST CAUSE (owned by Kylie Raymont), in the Grand National Child’s First Ridden Show Hunter Pony

Mikayla Trott - NEVERLAND, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 9 years and under 12 years

Kate Treneman-Duncan - OWENDALE REMBRANDT, winner of the Grand National Child’s Large Show Hunter Pony

11. Lindsay Everton - LADY’S HONOUR RP, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Child’s Saddle Horse over 15hh

Madison Munro - DICAVALLI ROYAL GIANNI (owned by Sarah Ryan), riding for New Zealand to be sashed Top 10 in the Grand National Rider 17 years and under 21 years

Tayla Berry - CALVIN PARK DARK KNIGHT, winner of the Grand National Child’s Saddle Galloway and Grand Champion Child’s Ridden Saddle Horse

12. Adam Oliver - ROLEX II, winner of the Grand National Large Saddle Horse

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Eileen Morris - GEM PARK DEBONARE, winner of the Grand National Child’s Small Show Hunter Pony

13. Ebonie Lee - ROYAL OAK FIGURINE, winner of the Grand National Child’s Small Saddle Pony

14. Ken Uren - DICAVALLI ROYAL GUSTAV, Top 10 in the Grand National Rider 21 years not over 30 years 15. Trey Cadwallader - EASTDALE DIVA, competing for New Zealand to be sashed Top 10 Child’s Small Saddle Pony 16. Janna Borich - PROOF OF LIFE, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 30 years and over

19. Abbey Lovell - SILKWOOD TRUE BLUE, winner of the Grand National Large Pony 20. Reegan Tarrant - SKIBBEREEN LEGACY, competing in the Grand National Small Show Hunter Galloway for New Zealand 21. Rebekah Bennett - EBL ONE NIGHT IN PARIS, Runner Up Grand National Rider 21 years and under 30 years

17. Ava Halloran - GEM PARK SOCIALITE, winner of the Grand National Child’s Show Hunter Galloway

22. Sarah Ryan - HOLLY’S GALAXY, winner of the Grand National Large Saddle Galloway and Grand Champion Ridden Saddle Horse

18. Adrienne Van den Berk - MONICEITO PARK TOYSTORY, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 17 years and under 21 years

23. Mikayla Wildermoth - DAISY PATCH HARLEQUIN, competing for New Zealand in the Grand National Rider 9 years and under 12 years

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Most of the New Zealand team members from left; Alan Copeman (manager) Madison Munro, Jeanette Van den Birk, Shannan Rankin, Adrienne Van den Birk, Janna Borich, Ella Rankin, Michelle Wildermoth, Grace Tripe, Mikayla Widermoth, Reegan Tarrant, Lindsay Everton, Brooke Cadwallader, Brian Everton, Ashleigh Everton, Lillie Wallace, Trey Cadwallader, Mia Cadwallader, Fiona Honeyman, Chantelle Banbury, Vanessa Everton, Nannette Cadwallader, Ben Thomson, Jason Rankin

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Ken Uren - UHAVTA INTUNE ‘N’ INTIME, Top Ten in the Grand National Small Saddle Galloway

Grace Tripe - BEECHCROFT PLAYBOY, competing as part of the New Zealand team in the Grand National Large Show Hunter Galloway

Lillie Wallace - BAMBOROUGH SABRINA, Top 10 in the Grand National Rider 6 years and under 9 years as part of the New Zealand team

Ben Thomson - FLOWERVALE MASERATI, competing for New Zealand to be sashed Top 10 in the Grand National Rider 21 years and under 30

Trinette Crawford - ROSWORTH MERRY POPPINS, winner of the Grand National Small Saddle Pony

Jess Stalling - WADBILLIGA MAJOR IMPACT, winner of the Grand National Large Show Hunter Galloway

Lindsay Everton - PROOF OF LIFE, competing as part of the New Zealand team in the Grand National Rider 15 years and under 17 years

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SPECIAL FEATURE

finale A GRAND

A tour of Australian shows, organised by the recently established New Zealand Show Horse Council, provided our show riders with an exciting opportunity. One of the New Zealand team members, Natacha Otto, shares some details of her trip.

WORDS Ryan Teece | PHOTOS Show Circuit Magazine

ailing originally from the Waikato, although more recently residing in Auckland, Natacha and her once-in-alifetime horse Cuvée have claimed every title available to them within New Zealand. They have won Park Hack of the Year six times, National Park Hack Champion five times, Premier Park Hack Champion four times and countless Champion and Supreme sashes at A&P shows nationwide. With a résumé that impressive, you could easily assume that there was nothing left in showing to lay their hands on – at least until the New Zealand Show Horse Council (NZSHC) was founded in 2016. With it came a raft of new ideas, initiatives and, in November of that year, the NZSHC National Championships. This introduced a new National title for Natacha and her beloved ‘Frankie’ to seize, and that they did, being the first to take out the NZSHC National Champion Small Show Hack (over 15hh and not exceeding 16hh) title.

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As well as adding this feather to their cap, the combination qualified to compete for New Zealand at the Show Horse Council of Australasia Grand Nationals. Enter the NZSHC committee and their forward-thinking ideas. With President of the Council Alan Copeman at the helm, they put together the NZSHC Grand Nationals tour, comprising three shows in Sydney. The tour started at Equifest, followed by the Grand Nationals and rounding out the trip with the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Seventeen of the qualified riders took up the opportunity, with six horses making the trip and the rest of the riders borrowing mounts for their respective classes. Most of the team were away for a total of six weeks, although some opted to skip the Sydney Royal in favour of school commitments. Natacha is no stranger to international competition, having competed at the 2010 Australasian Show Horse Nationals in Melbourne on her multiple Hack of the

Year title winner Regal Romar (who went on to be a successful eventer for both Clarke Johnstone, and latterly Sarah Young, at the conclusion of his showing career). But there was something special about this latest trip, as not only had Natacha qualified as part of the team, but her sister Vanessa Everton and niece Lindsay Everton had both also qualified and were joining her on her travels. “Going with my sister and her family was a dream come true. We are incredibly close, so to be over there together was priceless. We are each other’s biggest supporters so it made it all so much easier. It was just like being at a show back home.” After losing their father earlier in the year, the sisters were determined to make him, and their mum, proud. “Dad was such a great supporter of ours from the very beginning and he would love that we were over there competing together, as a family, like we always have.”

He felt very relaxed and was soaking it all up. He knows his job, but even he knew this was a big deal.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LEAD UP TO GRAND NATIONALS Two days before: The horses had already been at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, built for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, for a week at the time of my arrival and all looked relaxed and happy in their home away from home. Two Wade trucks had kindly been lent to the team for their trip, and along with a collection of hired caravans, had been festooned with New Zealand flags and sponsors’ logos. The New Zealand team were well and truly settled in. Natacha and Frankie had an early roll call for their indoor arena practice time and then were able to make the most of the picturesque setting at SIEC, going for a hack along the multitude of laneways intertwining across the grounds. This was also the first day of competition, Children’s Day, which was run under a different format to the rest of the show. The first of the New Zealanders were soon competing, including Natacha’s niece Lindsay aboard her mums Lady’s Honour RP, and a proud auntie was spied watching from the stands, along with plenty of Kiwi support.

The day before: Of all the competitors at the show, Natacha and Frankie would have to have been together the longest, so she knows him very well. “We had another early start in the indoor and he felt really great, so I didn’t over-do it.” While their classes were not until the following day, the second day of competition was a great opportunity for Natacha to see how the classes were running and to get an insight into what the judges might be looking for. It was, of course, also a chance for her to support the other New Zealand riders competing.

The day of: 5:00am

Frankie had a small breakfast

5.45am

Indoor riding time

6.15am

A bit more schooling in one of the outdoor arenas. Natacha used this time to have a run-through of what she was going to do with her two-minute free workout

7.00am

Wash down and a pick of grass

8.00am

A feed and an Equissage for Frankie who was then left for some time to himself

10.00am Washed and covered 12.30pm After a warning from fellow Australian competitors that Natacha didn’t want to underestimate the atmosphere of the indoor, particularly at night, a decision was made for Natacha’s husband Richard to lunge Frankie. “But he was so chilled that we decided he only needed ten minutes in the end!” 12.40pm

Natacha started to plait and get ready for the afternoon class, which was meant to be on at 3pm, but kept getting pushed back later and later.

3.00pm

With the classes now running well behind, Frankie had time for an extra Equissage which helped to relax him and get everything flowing before he was saddled up.

3.30pm

Giving herself plenty of time, Natacha saddled Frankie and then went to get herself ready.

4.15pm

Finally getting on, but realising she was still too early for her class, Natacha took Frankie for a quiet hack around the grounds. “He felt very relaxed and was soaking it all up. He knows his job, but even he knew this was a big deal.”

5.30pm

Natacha was finally called into the marshalling area. The class was about to begin.

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TEAM NEW ZEALAND Adrienne Van den Berk – MONICEITO PARK TOYSTORY* Rider 17 years and under 21 years Ben Thomson – FLOWERVALE MASERATI* Rider 21 years and under 30 years Brooke Cadwallader – EASTDALE DIVA Rider 9 years and under 12 years Ella Rankin – FARLEIGH HOLLYHOCK* Rider 12 years and under 15 years Grace Tripe – BEECHCROFT PLAYBOY Child’s Ridden Show Hunter Galloway Large Show Hunter Galloway Janna Borich – PROOF OF LIFE* Rider 30 years and over Lillie Wallace – BAMBOROUGH SABRINA* Rider 6 years and under 9 years Lindsay Everton – LADY’S HONOUR RP Rider 15 years and under 17 years Child’s Ridden Hack Madison Munro – DICAVALLI ROYAL GIANNI* Rider 17 years and under 21 years Margot Haynes (Aus) - HIGHCROFT HEAVENLY Large Show Pony Mia Cadwallader – THE PINK PONY* Rider 6 years and under 9 years Mikayla Trott – NEVERLAND* Rider 9 years and under 12 years Mikayla Wildermoth – DAISY PATCH HARLEQUIN* Rider 9 years and under 12 years Natacha Otto – CUVÉE Small Show Hack

It was so encouraging having the team in the grandstand watching and cheering for you.

Reegan Tarrant – SKIBBEREEN LEGACY Small Show Hunter Galloway Trey Cadwallader – EASTDALE DIVA Small Show Pony Child’s Ridden Show Pony Vanessa Everton – LADY’S HONOUR RP Large Show Hack *Borrowed horse/pony

Grand Nationals needs to be seen to be believed. The team behind the show put on a true spectacle of the show horse, with bright lights, chandeliers, mirrors, a car (to be won, I might add), and more plants than a nursery! The whole event is encapsulated in the name – it truly is grand. Natacha explained that New Zealand horses and riders are not used to the atmosphere experienced at some of these big indoor shows. “I was a little worried about going in from the dark to a big, bright, noisy arena. But from the moment we went through the archway, he felt fantastic. Everything went to plan and I was ecstatic when we left the ring. The cheer we got from the crowd, especially the Kiwis who were all there watching, was so loud it gave both me and Frankie a fright. But it was awesome; it still makes me smile.” After what could be described as one of the best workouts the pair have done throughout their illustrious career, it was disappointing when their name wasn’t called forward to be ridden by the judge and then stripped for their conformation assessment, but Natacha was quick to brush it off. “It did hurt, particularly when it was such a fantastic workout, but

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that’s showing. I am happy knowing that he gave me everything that night.” The event continued into the night with Grand Champions being sashed, as well as singers, dancers and the night’s final prize – the keys to the car – being handed over to its new owners at 12.30am. By this stage, bed was starting to look very appealing! The following day, Natacha had “a nice easy morning.” She had a wee sleep in, and Frankie enjoyed his usual Equissage and a hand walk. The team then headed to the local pub for a relaxing lunch and some reminiscing over a well-earned wine or two. It was a job well done by the whole team, who had picked up a number of Top Ten placings across their classes, and that is where I left them. Chatting to Natacha on her return to New Zealand, after competing at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, she revealed that she had just made a very tough decision. “I decided to leave my Mr. Perfect in Australia,” she explains. “We have nothing left to prove here and there are plenty more big shows for him to see in Australia. But he will eventually come home to retire.” Moving on quickly, to avoid shedding a tear I’m sure, she continued, “It was such a great

trip. Everything was so well organised and we all had a ball.” It was nice to hear that the team got away from the confinements of the show grounds during their time in Australia. “It wasn’t just about the horses,” Natacha says. “We had days out and had some fun together. We even managed to take our daughter Olivia sight-seeing and she loved that.” Showing is not usually a team sport, but Natacha thoroughly enjoyed this new opportunity. “I loved being with the team, and it was great getting to know different team members from different areas of New Zealand. We all get so busy at shows, so to have time in between to get to know the others was great, and it was so encouraging having the team in the grandstand watching and cheering for you. I have come away with even more wonderful friends, and having the kids on the trip was fantastic. They all had a ball, and were such fun to be around.” When asked whether she would do the trip all over again, Natacha replied without hesitation. “I would love to. With the right horse and the right circumstances, why wouldn’t you?” C

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Festival of Future Stars PHOTOS Dark Horse Photography

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Amy Stewart – GRAVITATE DG, Reserve Champion Junior Filly

Chris Lovelady – HENTON ALLOUETTE, 2nd in the Young Dressage Horse 4-year-old

Joy White – ASTEK GANGSTA GIRL, Champion Senior Mare

Linda Hammond – ALLANDER COLTEN, Reserve Saddle Hunter

Annabelle Read – MAGNUS SWB, NZWA Supreme Led Warmblood, Champion Stallion

Emma Rowe-Pledger – WHISPERS MATAPIRO, 2nd Young Dressage Horse 5-year-old

Janelle Sangster-Ward – SE GREENWICH TIME, Young Dressage Horse 4-year-old Champion

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Sophie Griffith – FERRING, in the 4-year-old Young Dressage Horse

Tania Boyd – ARCODA’S I’M XCEPTIONAL, 2nd Senior Gelding 4-6 yrs

Dani Simpson – INTEGRITIES PROMISE, Champion Riding Horse

Holly Merritt – GEPETTO, in the 4-year-old Young Dressage Horse

Rhiannon Moss – GYMNASTIC GIFT, NZWA Champion Classified Warmblood Mare, Champion Novice Riding Horse, Reserve Riding Horse

Kerryn McLean – LAVETTA, Young Dressage Horse 7-year-old Champion

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Emma Rowe-Pledger – WHISPERS MATAPIRO (Ch), ASTREAUS (R.Ch), Champion and Reserve Senior Gelding. With Judge Kim Martin (AUS)

Jan Morice - DENMARK, Young Dressage Horse 5-year-old Champion

Nicola Kennedy – HEZ ALL THAT JAZZ, 1st Young Dressage Horse 4-year-old FEI

Matt Ryan – ROVALE GRASSIANO DG, Champion Junior Male

Holly Merritt - GENIFIQUE, Champion Junior Filly

Vanessa Pickens – RUBINESQUE, NZWA Supreme Champion Warmblood, Reserve Senior Mare (Led), Champion Saddle Hunter

Anne Cochrane – LOVELY RITA, Young Dressage Horse 6-year-old Champion

Karen Withell – DENBIE GIESHA BELLA, Reserve Novice Riding Horse

Vanessa Baxter – COALSTAR, 2nd Senior Gelding 7 yrs and over

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Paving the pathway for future stars! FESTIVAL OF FUTURE STARS WORDS Linda Warren-Davey

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The Canterbury Dressage committee have been wanting to progress the Young Dressage Horse competition concept for some time, and have been inundated with accolades after deciding to bite the bullet and run the SI Warmblood Championship Show alongside a Young Horse competition. This provided the perfect platform for showcasing the Young Horse concept, as well as offering a broad selection of classes for competitors that included in-hand classes, standard dressage classes, musical freestyles, and classes for pony and training riders. Cantabrian Linda Warren-Davey is an ardent supporter of the Young Horse concept in New Zealand. “Over the past four years, I have been in Europe several times preparing for my international judge’s exam, and the more I have learnt while being exposed to this type of judging and attending seminars, the more I understand and believe how valuable and important this concept is in the development of the young horse’s education”. Over 120 competitors entered this inaugural show with riders travelling from Nelson, Blenheim and as far south as Queenstown. FEI 3* judges Kerrie Swan-Bates (AUS) and Linda Warren-Davey (NZL) are both Australian-accredited Young Horse judges, and were joined by Australian show judge Kim Martin, who judged the Warmblood led and ridden classes. Both dressage and show riders enjoyed having the opportunity to cross over and compete in both disciplines, and dressage riders relished the opportunity to perform their freestyle tests one last time at the end of the season. With Zilco Equestrian Products sponsoring the championship rugs, grooming kits and sashes, Syncroflex sponsoring the rugs and sashes for the YH classes, Mitavite sponsoring the Show classes and Rangiora Equestrian supporting the unregistered, there was an abundance of prizes for competitors. The committee included the newest FEI Young Horse test for 7-year-olds, and with 17 combinations entered across the age groups, Canterbury’s Chairman and Event Manager Aubrey McRae was pleased with the overall support. He looks forward to a substantial increase in numbers next year. “Unfortunately, the show dates clashed with Southland’s two-day show, and we know there is support from riders further south for the Young Horse concept, so we will be mindful of this for next year’s dates. Considering that we chose to hold a ‘Championship’ type show much later in the season, we knew this would be a risk, as our competition entries tend to slowly reduce after the South Island Championships. However it is a better time for the young horses to compete, as they have a little more maturity and understanding of what is required, and it also extends the season for all our competitors.” Judges Kerrie Swan-Bates and Linda Warren-

Davey were both full of praise for the quality of the young horses in the competition, and were delighted to hear from several riders who thought that the feedback they received was valuable, and would assist with the further training and development of their horses over the winter months. Linda is keen for the Young Horse concept to be more widely understood and accepted in New Zealand, with Young Horse competitions running in parallel with the current competition format as we know it. After speaking with many stakeholders in young horses throughout the past season, Linda believes the current format still requires tweaking, and has put forward a proposal to the Dressage New Zealand Board. “Hopefully we can change that for next season to allow better opportunities for riders, and more opportunity for breeders to be involved.” Kerrie is also confident that Young Horse competitions will become popular in New Zealand as riders, owners and breeders of young horses become more familiar with the concept. “Young Horse classes give riders, trainers and breeders a clear guide of the training expectations required of young horses and the quality of gaits necessary for a successful dressage horse. Of course, all horses develop mentally and physically at different rates, so some slow-developing youngsters may not be suited to Young Horse classes, but still go on to be super competitors.” Young Horse classes and well-established breeding programs have been in place in many other countries for decades and the results are evident in the production of their high-quality dressage horses. “Australia now has a ‘Future Squad’ in operation where quality youngsters with good performance records are encouraged and supported, after identification, through training opportunities to further their development,” Kerrie explains. “The New Zealand Young Horse classes are very much in their infancy but the quality displayed at the inaugural Zilco Festival of Future Stars and the results in other countries with the programme bodes well for the future.” Linda emphasises that the judging is different to standard tests. “There is a mark for each of the paces, the submission and the overall perspective of the horse. Feedback is provided on the horse’s strengths and weaknesses in this all-important development phase, including which areas require more focus as per the Training Scale for the horse to realise its full potential. “The Young Horse concept can and should become a part of the development and training regime, to use as a benchmark throughout the horse’s development where building the foundation of quality basics is essential to realise the horse’s potential. This can only be a positive in New Zealand where we have super quality horses and talented riders that may require a better understanding of the basics.” C

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PHOTO ESSAY

Kihikihi International Horse Trial PHOTOS Eye Witness Photography

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Warwick Douglas - RODRIGUEZ, in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Championship

Brooke Campbell - FREDDY DASH, 3rd in the Trust Waikato CIC2* but winner of the Waiteko Trophy for the One Day National CIC2* champion

Virginia Thompson - WAITANGI CHROME, 10th in the JLT CNC105 Championship

Bundy Philpott - TRESCA NZPH, 2nd in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Championship

Paula Henderson - RENEGADES NIGHT RIDER, in the Vosper CNC105 Open B

Alex Chambers-Steward - F.I.S DE LAGO, in the Horselands CIC1*

Jane Morgan - HOT TOMATO, in the Vosper CNC105 Open A

Clarke Johnstone - BALMORAL SENSATION, winner of the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE DIVINE RIGHT, 7th in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Championship

10. Melissa Armit - BARRINGTON, 5th in the Vosper CNC105 Open A 11. Vicky Browne-Cole - ELI, in the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

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Sally Gunn - KIWI HIGHLIGHT, 9th in the JLT CNC105 Championship

Charlotte Sellar - QUIMBO, in the Vosper CNC105 Open B

Matthew Grayling - NRM TRUDEAU, in the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

Donna Edwards-Smith - DSE CLUNY, 6th in the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

Abby Lawrence - SONG, in the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Championship

Clarke Johnstone - IN DISGUISE, winner of the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Championship and the Ferndale Salver for the winner of the One Day National CIC1* champion

Heelan Tompkins - SNOW LEOPARD, 5th in the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

Kate Herdson - EON, 5th in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Championship

Hannah Doak - RALPH, in the JLT CNC105 Championship

10. Samantha Felton - RICKER RIDGE ESCADA, winner of the Waipa Home of Champions CIC3* Championship and the Forest Gate Trophy for the One Day National CIC3* champion

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Anna Mesman - CHESTER FW, winner of the Vosper CNC105 Open A Championship along with sponsor representative Nick Brooks and placegetters from left: Anna Nelson - CRICKET (2nd), Kaasandra Chee PRESQUE NOIR (3rd), Paxton Conder - YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS (4th) and Melissa Armit - BARRINGTON (5th)

Georgina Forsyth - JOIA HARA, in the JLT CNC105 Championship

Joanne Bridgman - MISS POPPET, in the Vosper CNC105 Open B

Elise Edwards-Smith - DSE MENDOZA, in the Trust Waikato CIC2* Championship

Ashley Johnston - MISS VEE NZPH, in the Horselands CIC1*

Amanda Pottinger - THE COMEDIAN, in the Horselands CIC1*

Dannie Lodder - EYE SPY, 3rd in the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Championship

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Let’s talk about Kihikihi - the FEI and the cost of eventing | Kihikihi International Horse Trials is an absolute favourite on the eventing calendar, and this year it also played host to the New Zealand One-Day Eventing Championships. However, like so many other events, it was almost called off due the seemingly unstoppable deluge of rain that has blighted the autumn season. But officials for the event stood strong and, with the co-operation of riders, held off making the final call on whether to run the event until Thursday morning. With the dressage slated to start on Friday, they cut it close, and those who’d had a long trip to get there waited nervously before the ‘okay’ was given at 9 a.m. It was the right call, and everyone’s patience paid off as the conditions and weather ended up being perfect throughout the three days of competition. The Trans-Tasman rivalry stepped up a notch this year, with the Oceania Teams Championship to be held at the Melbourne ThreeDay Event shortly after Taupo. With two of our Olympians (Jock Paget & Clarke Johnstone) now back in the country, and some other top 3* riders notching up competition miles on Australian soil, it will be a very competitive fight for a place in the team. Kihikihi was a good chance for riders to impress the selectors before the final team is named at the end of the season, and those looking for Young Rider or Senior selections dug deep and pulled out some fantastic performances over the three days. For eventers, Kihikihi is a place to truly test one’s mettle. Known for its tough technical tracks designed by John Nicholson, it is a course that rewards brave riding but demands accuracy. Some of the fences are the stuff of legend – the aptly-named ‘Sh*tter’s Ditch’ has been terrifying riders for years now! With the eventing at HOY being cancelled before the cross-country, this event was doubly important for those trying to get very important MERs (Minimum Eligibility Requirements) before the Taupo Three-Day. This is especially relevant for horses and riders at the higher levels if they wish to keep advancing, with so few qualifying opportunities available and the cost of entering FEI events straining most people’s pockets. Despite the grounds being, without a doubt, the best in the country, due to the tough nature of the course, Kihikihi generally sees quite a high attrition rate in the cross-country phase and this year was no different. A big white corner in the Waipa Home of Champions 3* challenged many, including all of the riders in the three top spots after dressage. All three picked up faults or put an end to their round here and it left many walking back to the truck park. Young Renee Faulkner, on the other hand, was having a stunning round, riding beautifully through some tough combinations before she was pulled up by officials halfway around the track for missing a compulsory passage, ending her chances to complete. This is not the first year that riders have been pulled up for missing flags – a few years ago multiple riders were eliminated for the same thing. It was one of the biggest 3* fields to date, with seventeen riders starting on Friday, but it was Samantha Felton on Ricker Ridge Escada, her big bay Thoroughbred gelding, who took home the Forest Gate Trophy and One-Day title with consistent accurate riding and performance through all three phases. The Trust Waikato CIC2* class was an exciting one to watch, with a mixed bunch of entries that included Clarke Johnstone aboard his Olympic ride Balmoral Sensation and Amanda Pottinger aboard Just Kidding, on which she won Taupo Three-Day last season. However there were also a lot of young riders and up-and-coming combinations in the class who put in great performances. While Johnstone and Pottinger clinched the top two spots on show jumping day, it was the gracious and smiling Brooke Campbell on Freddy Dash in third place who took home the One-Day Championship title and Waiteko Trophy for being the best placed 2* combination. In the Wade Equine Coaches CIC1* Ferndale Salver One-Day Championship, the top three combinations after dressage stayed at the top through to the finish, with just a slight reshuffling of the order. All three jumped clear in both phases, but a few cross-country time faults for dressage leader Dannie Lodder aboard Eye Spy saw them finish in third place, while Clarke Johnstone and In Disguise took the title and Samantha Felton and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ took second.

The cost factor

It is at this point that it’s worth briefly touching on the subject of how FEI events work, why CIC events like Kihikihi are so important, and the cost of eventing, which is always the source of many truck park conversations. Eventing will always be slightly more expensive than other disciplines. For starters, eventing requires cross-country courses, which are expensive to build, design and maintain. Yet courses like Kihikihi,

WORDS Chloe Phillips-Harris

where it’s an honour for riders to compete on such beautiful grounds, and a pleasure for spectators to watch horses jumping obstacles that are in themselves pieces of art, justify a lot of the cost. It does take a huge amount of hard work to get horses up the grades, and for riders, it sometimes seems that the higher you go and the more effort you have put into the sport, the worse you get stung by the huge cost of entries. However, this is not really the fault of Eventing New Zealand, event organisers, sponsors or ESNZ. It’s delusional to think that anyone is making money out of hiking entry fees up - just sit in on your local committee meetings a few times to see where the money goes. But the way that the FEI qualifications now work, and their fees, do affect us greatly here in New Zealand. This is where it gets confusing. We have three types of classes in this country – CCI, CIC and CNC. Seeing them all written down together can make one’s eyes blur and it can easily become a bit mind-boggling, so let’s clear it up a bit in the simplest of terms.

CCI (CONCOURS COMPLET INTERNATIONAL)

Any class with the prefix CCI is a three-day event class or long format event – think Taupo, Puhinui and the South Island Championships. These classes are run under FEI rules and are technically an international class. The cross-country will be set at a longer distance than a standard horse trial. To compete in a CCI, you need to have done a CIC at the same level as well as a CCI at the level below, both with MERs (Minimum Eligibility Requirements) met. The idea of MERs is to ensure that inexperienced riders cannot buy a top horse and go straight out and compete at the higher levels, where they might not be skilled enough yet to ensure safe riding over big obstacles.

CIC (CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL COMBINÉ)

CIC events are run over a shorter distance, usually in more of a one-day format, but can still be run over multiple days. Kihikihi is a CIC event run over three days, and it is one of the precious qualifiers for our CCI threeday events.

CNC (CONCOURS NATIONAL COMBINÉ)

CNCs (or CCNs) are national classes. Your horse doesn’t need to be registered with the FEI, as they do for a CIC or CCI, so these events are generally cheaper to enter. However, they don’t count as MERs to upgrade, qualify for a CCI or compete at a higher level. So in short, riders have to compete at CIC and CCI events in order to move up the grades. To accommodate this, events now hold more CIC classes so riders can get the qualifications or MERs that they need. The FEI classes have their own fees which need to be covered, plus officials flown in and other requirements that must be met before an event can actually be run as a CIC or CCI. This makes it expensive to run, a cost which is then handed down to the relatively small number of riders in this country. Basically, the FEI in a big way dictates the cost of our entries at the moment, which is why many more events are suddenly very expensive. (It’s not the only reason, but the others are too numerous to go into in more detail, and this has probably already confused everyone enough as it is!) It’s a hard situation and there is no easy solution, however it’s not hopeless and nothing is impossible. It’s worth going to eventing meetings to talk to those involved at the management side of the sport. More events are trying to offer both national and FEI classes in order to accommodate everyone. And there are also still plenty of cheaper events out there – Northland, with its amazing park-like grounds, has to be one of the best value-for-money events around. Fortunately, eventing has fabulous sponsors who help to keep things ticking along. Anyone who went to Matamata Horse Trials would have appreciated the sponsored drinks and nibbles for the riders and officials on Saturday evening, while Kihikihi also held a dinner for 3* riders and officials on the Friday night. This was brilliant for the riders, as the food was probably far superior to the mediocre culinary enthusiasm many can muster after walking cross-country or putting the final scrub and polish on their horses! These functions are also a great chance to mingle with those who contribute to the sport and it is worth riders making the effort (food aside) to attend. As we look to the last events of the season coming off the back of Kihikihi, which is the poster child for a well-run, scenic, spectator- and rider-friendly event, let’s hope the rain holds off and those still chasing qualifiers can get them. Kihikihi will always be many riders’ favourite event, but there is still a need to stay focused, with the Taupo Three-Day looming on the horizon. C

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PHOTOS Dark Hors Photography

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NZPCA EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIP

PHOTO ESSAY

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Jessie Fitzjohn - WHATS THE BUZZ, 7th in the A1 Championship for the Canterbury team

Emma Gibb - A PATCHY PONY, competing in the DC Championship as part of the Wairarapa Wellington/ Waikato team

Sylvie Maclean – MY BLACK BEAUTY, 6th in the A1 Championship competing for Northland/Auckland

Emma Sorensen - HH RED ROCK, competing for Taranaki/MNWC in the A1 Championship

Mackenzie Belfield - ALL IN TIME, competing in the DC Championship for the Waikato team

Carys McGrory - MUSTANGS BLUEPRINT, in the DC Championship for Hawkes Bay/Canterbury

Francesca Masfen - KINNORDY GALLILEE, winner of the MT Championship for the Auckland team

Melissa Wallace - DUNURBAN MAOTAI, competing for Otago Southland in the A1 Championship

Gemma Hampson - PINTADO PRIMA ROSA, winner of the A1 Championship for the Waitemata Rodney team

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Miya Fleming - ROYAL EDITION, competing for Northland/Auckland in the DC Championship

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Anya Johnston – SWEET ADDITION, competing for Otago/Southland in the DC Championship

Samantha Belsham – GYPSY GOLD, in the MT Championship

Meg Dempster – PIXIE CARAMEL, winner of the DC Championship for the Manawatu West Coast team

Vania Mason – JKA SEDUCTION, part of the Wairarapa Wellington/ Waikato team competing in the MT Championship

Peta Kuluz – PK PURE ZING, 6th in the DC Championship for the WR/ BOP/WAI team

Alena Dorotich – CLIFTON COMANCHE, competing in the A1 Championship for the Auckland team

Tayla Moriarty – SIR JACK SPARROW, competing as part of the Canterbury team in the DC Championship

Alyssa Harrison – DA VINCI CODE, 5th in the MT Championship for the WR/BOP/WAI team

Summer Denize – LIMERICK’S BLACK SAMBA, competing for Northland/ Auckland in the MT Championship

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Molly Nelson – TAWA-ITI PRINCESS, in the MT Championship for the Waikato team

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Keeva McCambridge – TOO MUCH PIZZAZZ, competing in the MT Championship for the Waitemata Rodney team

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Teams lined up during prize giving

Ella Simcox – ROO BALOO, 2nd in the DC Championship for Hawke’s Bay/Canterbury

Brody Goodmon-Preddle – MAC BLACK, competing in the A1 Championship as part of the WR/ BOP/WAI team

Beth Wilson – ALTO ET AUDAX, 2nd in the A1 Championship for the Franklin Thames Valley team

TEAM PLACINGS 1st Canterbury

Charlotte Thomas – Picollo Sophie Jarvis – Time to Tango Too Niamh Rayne – My Hallucination Tayla Moriarty – Sir Jack Sparrow Jordan Kruger – Bamboozle Jessie Fitzjohn – Whats the Buzz

2nd Marlborough Nelson West Coast Kirk Magner – Marsden Magic Ella Rae-Wood – Tallyho Princess Maisie Hopkins- Awatuna Classic Rose Gretchen Anderson – Tallyho Cleopatra Todd Magner – Kawhaka Concorde Kendal Thompson – Awatuna Alpine Rose

3rd Auckland Francesca Masfen – Kinnordy Gallilee Mollie O’Leary – Willisden Green Phoebe Kirk – Telemagic Claire Webster – Artful Dodger Alena Dorotich – Clifton Comanche Rose Rieger - Toa

4th Wairarapa Wellington / Waikato

Hollie Falloon – Phoenician Soho Vania Mason – JKA Seduction Jess Viviers – Trogg LS Emma Gibb – A Patchy Pony Jenny Bevege – Ngatamahina Joy Ride

5th Waikato Molly Nelson – Tawa-Iti Princess Clay Harris – Swan Lake Sian Macdonald – Chellar Mackenzie Belfield – All in Time Storm Harris – Irish Foxtrot Dayna Fox – LV Little Chief 6th Manawatu West Coast Kaitlyn Freeman – Rhapsody II Georgia Moody – Irish Sky Meg Dempster – Pixie Caramel Grace Henley-King – Griffin Jackie Giesen – Missing Pieces Charlotte Gray – Coup Perfectly Done

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PHOTO ESSAY

NEW ZEALAND UNDER 25

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Harriet Redmond - TEODORO, 3rd in the Livamol Young Rider Level 6/7 FEI Young Rider Team Test

Amy Sage - RM ALL ABOUT ME, Livamol Young Rider Level 6/7 Champion

Alicia Ryan (AUS) - HAPSBURG PSH, Affordable Pools Young Rider Level 5 Reserve Champion and winner of the Hanoverian Award (L4-9)

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Claudia Purvis - PAPANUI DON JUAN, Livamol Young Rider Level 6/7 Reserve Champion

Emily Ramsden - ARANUI BOLERO, Weatherbeeta Newcomer Under 12 Open Reserve Champion

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Chanel Flyger - HOT CHOCOLATE MH, winner of the Affordable Pools Young Rider - Level 5 Test 5C

Devon Raos - BUSUTO, Hygain Young Rider Level 8 Champion

Piper Crake - REBEL RICOCHET, in the Hygain Pony - Level 1 Test 1C

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Alannah Beuth - ASTEK GLENTUI, 2nd in the Affordable Pools Young Rider - Level 5 Musical Freestyle

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Irina Smith - GLAMOUR STAR, 7th in the Livamol Young Rider - Level 6/7 FEI Young Rider Musical Freestyle

Alix Campbell - HPH PHELIX PHELICIOUS, Maxisoy Young Rider Level 2 Champion

Natacha Wedzinga - ARGENTINA STAR, 4th in the Dynavyte NZ Young Rider Level 4 Test 4C

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Willa Aitken - ALPHA BETA, Andrea Raves Dressage Young Rider Level 3 Champion

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A week of celebrations with four hunts, the North Island Hound Show, a Teams Chase competition and a social “Evening Meet”. Master – Nikki McHugh | Huntsman – Colin Ingram | Jubilee Secretary – Sarah Smith

POVERTY thBAY HUNT INC.

125 Jubilee PHOTOS Rebecca Williams

6 7 1.

The field riding out at Tangihanga Station

Tracey Wilson at Amua Station

George Faulkner with mum Sandra Faulkner at Amua Station

From left: Master Nikki McHugh with Barry Beatson (Dannevirke) and Jason Roebuck (Hawkes Bay)

Faye Spence serves stirrup cup at Amua Station

Front row from left: Ngahuia Wilson, Phoebe Williams, Hannah Wallbank, Sage Harding, Jack Hirst (end of row back – Toby Wallbank)

Whip Selene Ingram at Amua Station

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Master- Nikki McHugh at Paringahau Station Holly Baines helps Sonno Holden at Amua Station Jason Roebuck at Amua Station From left: Tony Holden and his father Bruce Holden clear the fence together at Tangihanga Station From left: Sam Bull - Deputy Master, Shelagh Nolan - Whip, with Bill Fletcher and Rebecca Watson at Paringahau Station Jessie Bourke – Jubilee Committee Member at Paringahau Station Master Nikki McHugh at Tangihanga Station From left: Charlotte Mogg and Karina Moore at Tangihanga Station Three generations of the Peters family, from left: Ian Peters, Lachlan Peters and Bruce Peters at Paringahau Station Rodger Jefferd at Tangihanga Station Janey Pease (King Country) at Tangihanga Station Isabella Collier at Paringahau Station Ngahuia Wilson – Whip at Paringahau Station

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POVERTYthBAY HUNT INC.

125 Jubilee WORDS Nikki McHugh

In 1892, enthusiastic locals invited a couple of people from Hawke’s Bay to bring their pack of hounds up to hunt at Poverty Bay. The invitation was accepted, and the trip was made by ship. Reportedly, the journey was rough, but by all accounts the reception at the Gisborne wharf was ‘most jolly’, with almost the entire population of Gisborne turning out to welcome them. Several days later they hunted, and it is said that around 600 of ‘the most weird and wonderful collection of horse flesh it would be possible to imagine’ arrived to see the first hunt. Five hunts later, the Hawke’s Bay folk returned home, leaving behind them five couple of hounds that had been purchased to form the Poverty Bay Hunt. Now, 125 years later, the Hunt is still in full cry, with its first female Master, Nikki McHugh, and second generation Huntsman Colin Ingram, leading the chase. The Poverty Bay Hunt Jubilee celebrations were held over the week of ANZAC Day and included three hunts, plus a Visitors’ Hunt with the neighbouring Mahia Hunt, a Hound Show, an Inter-Hunt Teams Chase, and an Evening Meet with dancing, held at the

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Poverty Bay Showgrounds Event Centre. Over 300 riders from all over the country travelled to Gisborne, staying mostly with local country people who were able to graze their horses and provide the hospitality that Poverty Bay is renowned for. The Opening Hunt was at the Holdsworth family’s Paringahau Station at Te Karaka, where followers enjoyed some decent sport and and stunning views over the wellprepared country. An ANZAC service, followed by a colourful and entertaining lunch hosted by Friends of the Hunt, which attracted a large crowd, set the scene for the Hound Show and Teams Chase. It was a very hot day for Wednesday’s hunt at Wi Pere Trust’s Tangihanga Station, where followers were again able to enjoy the big open country that Poverty Bay has to offer. Fortunately there was a refreshment gazebo out on the station, and the hunt was followed by a typically sumptuous breakfast held in the decorated marquee that was duly shifted from one venue to the next. The Mahia Hunt hosted a Visitors’ Hunt at the Playle family’s Hackfalls Station at Tiniroto.

Followers had an active day’s hunting, enjoyed the beautiful autumn colours of the Arboretum and were again treated with wonderful hospitality at the breakfast. The Showgrounds Events Centre was transformed into a stunning venue for the Evening Meet. Hunting scenes painted by members during the 1950s decorated the walls. Floral decorations adorned the light fittings, doorways and tables, and bunting made from the hunt colours of all of the New Zealand Hunts was draped around. This was an evening to honour the history of the Hunt and to acknowledge the generosity of landowners, sponsors, cattle grazers, friends and supporters. A large crowd danced well into the night, enjoying the beat of local band MO2. The closing hunt was on the Moore family’s Amua Station at Whatatutu, and riders following the hounds covered most of the country on offer. Speeches at each of the week’s events acknowledged the enormous efforts of a small crew, who made the celebrations fun and memorable. C

Huntsman Colin Ingram bringing in the hounds at Paringahau Station

From left: Fraser Moore, Rodger Harris and Wally Moore at Amua Station

Andrea Miller at Tangihanga Station

From left: Yvonne David and Gaynor Russell (Eastern Bay of Plenty) at Tangihanga Station

Sophie Hawthorne at Amua Station

Sofie Dever at Amua Station

From left: Nicole Hyland and Jeremy Silva at Amua Station

Jack Hirst at Paringahau Station

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RECIPE

CRISPY HASH BROWN

HAYSTACKS A great way to start Sunday during the off season is with brunch at home (after feeding the horses, of course!) and these hash brown haystacks with corn and fresh parsley are a tasty option. Great on their own or paired with the usual brunch suspects! Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves: 12 Ingredients 4 cups loosely packed (450g) finely grated russet potatoes 1 shallot, very thinly sliced 1 small white onion, finely chopped ¼ cup (15g) fresh chopped parsley ½ cup (83g) corn (if canned, very well drained) 2 Tbsp (28g) melted butter (or substitute with coconut oil) 1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch (for binding) ½ tsp each sea salt and black pepper, more to taste Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Arrange a rack in the centre of the oven and generously grease a standard muffin tin with oil of choice. 2. Add potatoes to a large mixing bowl with shallot, parsley, corn, onion, melted butter, cornstarch, salt and pepper and stir to thoroughly combine. 3. Divide mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins, filling each tin with about ¼ cup of the potato mixture. Press down gently to form. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes. 4. At the 20-minute mark, increase oven temperature to 220°C and bake for 10-12 minutes more, or until the tops appear golden brown, and the edges are dark golden brown. 5. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides with a butter knife and gently lift out with a fork. Serve immediately as is or with aioli. C

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HEALTH

Keep your horse and yourself happy and healthy with our tips for achieving peak performance

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HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR HORSE?

IT’S ALL IN THE HIPS

Does your horse really need that supplement?

Exercises to help improve your hip mobility while riding.

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HEALTH

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR HORSE We all want our horses to be in the best of health and to look and feel great, but walk into any feed or saddlery store and you will find a bewildering array of supplements on offer. While these promise to help energise or calm your horse, to support joint health or boost immune function, or provide any other support you feel your horse may need, the large number of products available means it can be difficult to be sure which one is right for your horse – or if, in fact, your horse needs the supplement at all! The majority of horse owners feed some kind of pre-mixed concentrate feed, along with meadow hay or lucerne chaff, or a

Veterinarian Kelley Barrington takes a look at what we are giving to our horses - whether or not they really need it. WORDS Kelley Barrington

fermented fibre product such as FiberEzy or FiberPro. These pre-mixed concentrates are supplemented with vitamins and minerals at a balanced level suitable for horses at grass, and in light to moderate work. This often means that additional mineral and vitamin additives may be unnecessary for a horse in light or moderate work. Fortunately, in most cases any overdosing or doubling-up of vitamins or minerals is excreted by the horse through the gut or in urine. However, that can mean that your expensive vitamin supplement is just being turned into rather expensive urine…

ABOUT KELLEY Kelley graduated from Massey University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Equine Medicine, and is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (MANZCVS) in Equine Medicine. In 2015, Kelley started her own business, Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre, in Clevedon where she specialises in veterinary care and rehabilitation for sport horses. Kelley is currently studying for a Certificate in Equine Rehabilitation through the University of Tennessee and Colorado State University.

HOW HORSES WORK

Horses are monogastric herbivores, with a long and complex gastro-intestinal tract (GIT). They have a relatively small stomach of 5-10 litres in volume, which can distend to a maximum of 20 litres. The stomach empties into the duodenum, and then into the long and coiled jejunum. The small intestine is responsible for the majority of soluble carbohydrate absorption. The small intestine is the primary site for protein digestion and amino acid absorption, and is also the main site for fat digestion. The fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are absorbed in the small intestine, along

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with some B vitamins, calcium, and a little phosphorus. The ilium then empties into the large sacculated dorsal and ventral colon, and caecum. A longer food retention time is needed in the large colon for microbial digestion and fermentation of fibre. Horses are hind gut fermenters. They are designed to ferment large quantities of relatively low quality fibre in their voluminous, sacculated large colon and caecum. The large colon and caecum has a population of millions of microbes and protozoa who produce enzymes that break down plant

fibre. This plant fibre is then converted into short-chained volatile fatty acids (VFAs) which are absorbed and used as energy. Glycogen is stored short term in the liver and released into the blood stream for energy to the muscles or the brain as required. Excess glycogen can then be stored as fat for conversion into energy when needed. Fibre spends a significant amount of time transiting through the large colon and caecum, some 36–72 hours on average. Many B vitamins are also synthesised by the microbial population in the hind gut, and these are absorbed here also.

VITAMIN C Horses produce an enzyme called L-gulonolactone oxidase in the liver which converts glucose into vitamin C. This enzyme allows horses to synthesise their own vitamin C, so additional dietary supplementation with vitamin C is generally not required.

BIOTIN

Biotin is a B vitamin that is perhaps one of the most commonly supplemented. It has been suggested to be of help in encouraging the growth of better quality hooves, so is added to most hoof supplements or fed on its own for this reason. The role of biotin is as an enzymatic co-factor in metabolism. The main source of biotin is pasture, although lucerne is also an excellent source. There are moderate amounts of biotin in grains. It is important to note that vets have been unable to reproduce conclusive studies demonstrating that biotin is beneficial for increased hoof growth rate or quality. In 1998, a study was carried out by the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Four pairs of ponies with healthy feet and no hoof capsule defects were split into a treatment and control group.

SELENIUM

Selenium is a trace element and probably the most important mineral when considering mineral supplementation in horses, predominantly because of the risk of toxicity if selenium is overdosed. Selenium is an essential component of glutathione peroxidase, a naturally occurring anti-oxidant. Its role is to support and protect cell membrane integrity. It has a similar role to, and works in conjunction with, vitamin E. Selenium is present in soil, and in varying amounts is pasture and hay. While New Zealand soils tend to be deficient in selenium overall, this varies between and within regions. It should not be assumed that your area is low in selenium without soil testing or talking to local farmers who have soil testing performed regularly. Selenium deficiency can cause changes in performance or behaviour. Seleniumdeficient horses are prone to tying-up, often show muscle tightness, and have depressed immunity. Reduced fertility in broodmares is also commonly seen. However, there is great potential for toxicity if over-supplementing with selenium. Overdosing with selenium results in laminitis,

VITAMIN E Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is present in high levels in green grass. Horses on stable rest with no access to green grass may potentially become deficient in vitamin E. Vitamin E is a potent anti-oxidant and an essential dietary nutrient. It is the primary lipid soluble anti-oxidant that maintains cell membrane integrity, and enhances humoral and cell-mediated immunity.

The treatment group were supplemented with 0.12mg/kg of biotin daily (60mg biotin per horse per day). The control group were not supplemented. After five months of supplementation, a 15% increase in hoof growth rate was seen in the treatment group compared to the control group (35.34mm hoof growth compared to 30.69mm). Yet conversely, a 1995 Swiss study found no significant difference in hoof growth rates or quality after feeding 20mg of biotin daily for a nine month trial. The suggested supplementation amount is 20mg of biotin daily. It is important to realise that any response will be slow, as new hoof takes time to grow down from the coronary band. Supplementation should be given for 8 – 12 months before any assessment is made as to effectiveness.

weight loss, and the mane and tail falling out. Performance horses have increased selenium demands as they are exercising at high levels. When exercising, muscle cells require antioxidants to deal with the increased numbers of free radicals released as byproducts of the muscle energy use. We can assess a horse’s blood selenium level by taking a blood test. The majority of body stores of selenium are stored in the liver, which can be assessed by taking a liver biopsy, although this is rarely done in horses as it is very invasive. The blood test will give a good baseline of the blood selenium level, and follow-up bloods can then be taken to assess the horse’s response to supplementation with selenium over time, and to prevent inadvertent over-supplementation. Traditional supplementation is 1ml selenium per day or 5ml per week (selenium drench 5mg/ml = 5mg daily or 25mg weekly). In general this is a safe practice, but there is a very real potential to overdose if you are also feeding pre-mixed feeds that have high levels of selenium added, or mineral supplements that contain selenium, or if the horse is grazing in an area that is high in soil selenium.

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HORSES G RA PASTURE I ZING SIGNIFICA NGEST A NT AMOUN T OF SOIL WHIL E EATING

CALCIUM:PHOSPHORUS RATIO

Another commonly considered mineral balance is the calcium: phosphorus ratio. Low dietary calcium or phosphorus can result in an excess of uncalcified bone and widening of the metaphyseal cartilage. Nutritional secondary hyper-parathyroidism (“big head”) and other skeletal abnormalities can result from low dietary calcium and high phosphorus. The appropriate calcium to phosphorus ratio is thought to be 1:1 to 2½:1. If the calcium: phosphorus ratio falls below 1:1, calcium absorption is impaired. Excess dietary phosphorus interferes with calcium by competing with the absorptive site. Ratios of up to 6:1 in growing horses can be tolerated, provided the amount of phosphorus in the diet is adequate. Young horses respond to a high calcium intake by decreasing intestinal absorption and increasing calcium excretion in urine and faeces, and uptake in bone. Lucerne, high quality pasture and high quality hay are all high in calcium, while grain and low quality meadow hay are low in calcium. Grain is higher in phosphorus, with bran being particularly high.

EXCESS DIETARY PHOSPHORUS INTERFERES WITH CALCIUM BY COMPETING WITH THE ABSORPTIVE SITE. 138

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COPPER, MANGANESE & ZINC

Low dietary concentrations of copper, manganese or zinc have been shown to result in cartilage and bone abnormalities. Their primary roles are as part of the metalloenzymes involved in cartilage synthesis or calcification. Copper supplementation to mares’ diets in late gestation has been shown to significantly reduce the amount and type of cartilage lesions in their foals, when compared to non-supplemented mares. The majority of the research in this area was carried out by Professor Elwyn Firth, along with other researchers at Massey University in the late 1990s. Simon Pearce and Professor Firth published a well-cited paper in 1998 investigated the effect of copper status on bone and cartilage lesions in 21 Thoroughbred foals. The foals and dams were grazed on pasture containing 4.4-8.6mg copper per kg of dry matter. These mares and foals were randomly split into four treatment groups, which allowed the effect of copper supplementation on the mares and their foals to be examined independently. The supplemented groups received 0.5mg copper per kg of live weight per day, while the control group was fed pasture only. The foal bone and cartilage development was assessed during growth and at post mortem at 150 days. Mares that were supplemented

with copper showed a significant reduction in the radiographic indices of physitis in the distal third metatarsal bone of their foals at 150 days. There was also a decrease in the prevalence of articular cartilage lesions. Copper supplementation of the foal had no effect on any of the bone or cartilage parameters. Copper supplementation of mares did not abolish developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) in growing foals, showing that it is a multifactorial issue. However mare supplementation with copper can be very beneficial in reducing the incidence of DOD in breeding farms with a high prevalence of these conditions.

LOW DIETARY CONCENTRATIONS OF COPPER, MANGANESE OR ZINC HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO RESULT IN CARTILAGE AND BONE ABNORMALITIES.

IRON

Horses grazing pasture ingest a significant amount of soil while eating. This soil is an excellent source of iron. A lot of tonics and supplements containing iron aim to increase the amount of haemoglobin in the blood, and therefore improve the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This aims to increase the amount of oxygen carried to the muscles and therefore may make the horse run faster or perform better. In reality, however, there are very few cases of actual iron deficiency in horses.

GASTRO-INTESTINAL HEALTH Gut health is a topic much discussed at the moment in human health, so it makes sense that a healthy, well-functioning gastro-intestinal tract is vital for a healthy horse as well. As we have already discussed, horses are designed to ferment low quality fibre as a food source. It is their large colon population of microbes and protozoa which allow them to carry this out so effectively. The question is whether it is advantageous (or even necessary) to try to increase the numbers of ‘good bacteria’ in the equine gastro-intestinal tract? Can we influence this, and should we even try? Probiotics sound like a great idea from a human perspective, but all research at the moment is showing that equine probiotic supplementation at best does nothing, and at worst may actually cause diarrhoea or death. Caecal transfaunation (stomach tubing a horse with healthy caecal contents from another horse) is a treatment that vets have been using for years in cases of intractable, non-responsive diarrhoea. This transfer of a healthy, normal caecal population into an “unhealthy” caecum can result in an almost

instant improvement in otherwise nonresponsive cases. Probiotic use in horses was grasped by veterinarians with great enthusiasm, particularly for foals, and in sick horses on antibiotics. Unfortunately the research has not been able to back up any claims of benefit from probiotic supplementation. An excellent paper was published by Schoster et al in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2015 – “Effect of a probiotic on prevention of diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens shedding in foals”. The paper found not only no benefit in administering a three-week course of probiotics, but potential adverse effects were noted. Foals treated with probiotics were more likely to develop diarrhoea, and the duration of diarrhoea and prevalence of Clostridia shedding was no different between treatment groups. Based on the research so far, there is a need for the prophylactic and therapeutic effectiveness of probiotics to be demonstrated before any precise health claims are made.

WHAT TO DO? In conclusion, it is our role as horse owners to be informed, and to do as much research as possible to ensure our horses are being fed an appropriate and balanced diet, and are being supplemented appropriately. Your veterinarian and equine nutritionist are excellent sources of knowledge and will be happy to discuss your particular situation, which will hopefully result in a healthier horse - and more money left in your wallet! C

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HEALTH

IT’S ALL IN THE Do you struggle to move with your horse when you’re in the saddle? Do you bounce around in the saddle, or struggle to remain stable throughout transitions? It’s not just about core strength – hip mobility is just as important, but it is often overlooked by riders. WORDS Nicola Smith When we are in the saddle, we should be mobile and free enough to be able to move with the rhythm of our horses. We also want to have enough strength through our pelvis and core to allow our seat bones to get into the saddle and remain stable. Being flexible and mobile isn’t about being able to do the splits or put your leg around your head! Instead, it’s about having the right amount of mobility around a stable pelvis. So we need a combination of good core strength and good hip mobility. It’s relatively easy to understand how diminished hip mobility will affect your performance as a rider. Tight hips can affect your framework and hinder your ability to move with your horse. Imbalances between your hip flexibility and strength can also lead to injury and joint pain, and can shorten your riding lifetime. In this article I want to demonstrate a few stretches that are great for riders to help achieve greater hip mobility. If you combine these into a routine together before you ride, you will feel much more balanced and be able to develop a greater connection with your horse.

hips

KEYHOLE STRETCH ^

Lying on your back, place your foot on top of your other thigh and then reach through to grab your shin. If you can’t quite get your shin, that’s okay. Just grab what you can and pull towards your centre. If it’s too much in this position, keep the other leg long on the ground and just focus on the top leg coming towards your centre. You’ll feel this stretch in your outer thighs, glutes and into your hips. This will help to relieve tension in your lower back, as well as loosen up your hips.

PIGEON POSE ^

Place one leg out in front of you and bend your knee so your foot is tucked into your hip. Allow the other leg to remain bent, or, to make it more advanced, lengthen the back leg as shown in the picture. You can ease the intensity of this stretch by having your hands on the floor rather than your forearms, as this will mean that your torso is more upright. Adjust the pose to suit your flexibility, and hold for 30 seconds each side. You’ll feel this stretch through your hips and your bottom as you stretch. It will not only help with hip mobility but also help to loosen up your lower back.

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FROG POSE ^

Facing down, line your knees and heels up so they are parallel and pointing directly behind you. Have your knees as wide as possible and slowly shift your seat bones towards your heels until you feel a good stretch in your inner hips. Don’t forget to breathe! This is a great stretch for those who ride wider horses, and to help develop a much deeper and softer seat.

georgia worth

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HIP FLEXOR STRETCH ^

Set yourself up into a lunge position with one leg back and, as long as you don’t have knee problems, lower that knee to the ground. (If you do have knee issues, keep your back knee off the ground or place a pillow under it). From this position, tuck your tailbone underneath you so that you tilt your pelvis and activate your lower abdominals. Then reach your hand up over your head to intensify the stretch. This stretch is targeting the front of your hips. When your hips are tight your hip sockets can also become tight and blocked. This can be reflected in the saddle with how freely you are able to move with your horse.

SEATED CROSS-LEGGED HIP STRETCH

Sitting on both seat bones, allow your right leg to cross over your left. Hug your knee and look back over your shoulder. Think of lifting tall through the spine. If this is too much, straighten your left leg out so it’s nice and long on the ground with the right leg still crossed over. You’ll feel this stretch in your outer thighs and down into your bottom, which will similarly help to relieve tension in your lower back as well as loosen up your hips. Both of these adjustments will help you feel much more supple when you are riding. C

021 152 9044 georgia@equinedentalcare.co.nz equinedentalcare.co.nz

Aim to h o these str ld each of seconds etches for 30 in have mo itially. Once you few wee re mobility aft er a ks of r increase egular stretchin g, each ho seconds . Obviou ld to 60 s ly often yo , the mo us re impact it tretch, the mor e will hav e on you riding p r osture.

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ADVERTORIAL

HEALTH TIPS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE HORSES WORDS Ken Moore B. Agr.Sc, DipEd

henever we move (e.g. walk, run, jump) our muscles contract. Oxygen is needed in the muscle cells so that energy can be released, and carbon dioxide is the byproduct of the chemical reaction. Red blood cells bring oxygen from the lungs, and remove the carbon dioxide. Back in the lungs, the carbon dioxide is swapped for more oxygen (a process called gas exchange). The harder and faster we move, the greater the need is for getting oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. Ultimately, speed and endurance in horses is dependent on the efficient uptake of oxygen from the lungs and its delivery to the muscle cells. This process is compromised when the horse’s airways are obstructed in some way, or the tiny air sacs in the lungs where the gas exchange takes place become partially blocked with dust, fungal spores and bacterial infection.

2. 1. 3.

Clean air = peak performance For a horse to perform at its peak, it needs clear airways and clean and healthy air sacs in the lungs. Fun fact: the combined surface area of these air sacs is greater than several tennis courts! Hay is the main source of dust, bacteria and fungal spores. Ideally hay should only be baled when properly dry, and then stored away from any dampness. Most hay, however, is made and stored under less than ideal conditions. Dried leafy material is fragile and breaks down into fine dust, and bacteria and fungus can develop in the hay over time. When the hay is fed out, especially if it is placed in a hay net or feeder high up on a stable stall, some of this dust, along with the bacteria and fungal spores, gets inhaled by the horse. The horse may develop respiratory problems, and no longer be able to perform properly. People handling the hay can also suffer from asthma and hayfever.

A brief overview of a horse’s airway 1. 2. 3. 4.

Upper Airway (naso-pharnyx) Central Airway (Trachea) Lower Airways (lungs) Alveoli

Don’t just soak, steam Soaking the hay in water is often done to lay the dust, but after soaking, the hay is wet and unpleasant to handle, and the bacteria and fungal content remain unchanged. The answer to this is to sterilise the hay by steaming it until it reaches 100 degrees, which kills the bacteria and fungal spores. The small amount of moisture added to the hay prevents the dust from being inhaled, and the sweet smelling hay is much more palatable. The Haygain range of hay steamers do an excellent job of sterilising hay, improving palatability and reducing wastage. The heated, moistened hay out of the steamer is much more pleasant to handle for the person feeding out, and hay allergies are no longer an issue. There is very little, if any, wastage, and the horses come running, drawn by the sweet smelling feed they are about to enjoy. There is one other important aspect to feeding hay. A horse’s natural feeding regime is near-constant grazing throughout the day. If a horse is given its daily ration of hay all at once, it eats it quickly and then has nothing to do for the rest of the day, which can lead not only to undesirable behavioural problems, but also internal consequences. Saliva released while chewing helps to neutralise the stomach acids which are being produced all the time. If the horse bolts its hay ration, then eats nothing for the rest of the day, it can develop stomach ulcers. Colic (clumping of feed in the gut) is also prevented when the horse eats the same amount of hay but over a longer period of time. Slow-feeding through the Haygain Forager maintains the flow of saliva and gives the horse something to do throughout the whole day. Slowing the intake of feed is also helpful in reducing the incidence of laminitis.

A new slow feeder

The Haygain range of hay steamers do an excellent job of sterilising hay, improving palatability and reducing wastage. 142

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The new Forager slow feeder from Haygain is ideal for simulating the natural feeding regime of the horse. It has been thoroughly tested alongside a wide range of slow feeders, and has outshone them all. It sits on the ground, allowing the horse to eat in a more natural position, so the horse is not straining its neck muscles as it might with a hay net. When unsteamed hay is being fed using a hay net or hay rack, dust is likely to be inhaled, but with the Forager any dust will simply drop to the bottom.

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Regulates the pace at which your horse eats Encourages natural feeding position and draining of the respiratory tract Prevents muscle tension in the back and neck Promotes a healthy gut and reduces the risk of colic Aids in the prevention of gastric ulcers, obesity and laminitis Stops cross-contamination of forage and bedding, saving you time and money Reduces stable boredom and the development of stable vices Accepted well by the horse due to innovative design allowing access for light and ventilation Easy to clean, ﬁll and ﬂat-pack for travel

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Breathing issues A horse can only breathe through its nose (unlike humans who can breathe through the mouth as well), so anything causing a constriction within the nasal passages is going to lower the rate at which air gets down to the lungs. An infection in the lungs themselves will greatly reduce the rate of gas exchange in the air sacs. Medication to treat lung infections has to be administered through the nose. This is normally done using an inhaler. The Flexineb nebulising inhaler atomiser chamber turns the liquid medication into a very fine mist that gets right into the tiny air sacs in the lungs. The Flexineb inhaler is most effective used immediately after exercise while the horse is still breathing heavily.

Chelated silver A new way for treating lung infections has been developed in Kentucky, USA. They have discovered that chelated silver (not to be confused with colloidal silver for external use) is a 100% safe and non-toxic product. The chelated silver particles attach themselves to micro-organisms (bacteria and fungi) and kill them within minutes. The nebulised particles are so small they can get right through to the tiny air sacs in the lungs, and eliminate most infections. The chelated silver doesn’t interact or interfere with other medicines being taken. Silverplex has proven to be a remedy for colds, coughs, heaves, and bleeding due to poor oxygen intake, or fermentation due to various bacteria and fungi. Chelated silver is administered through a nebulising inhaler (Flexineb is ideal for this) which converts the liquid into particles smaller than the 5 microns needed for the medication to get right down into the air sacs. And because chelated silver is not a drug, but a natural immune support, it can be used at any time.

If respiratory problems do arise, a nebulising inhaler using the various authorised drugs and/or the Silverplex chelated silver should get the horse breathing freely again.

What do the Vets say about silvaplex? I have used the silver product Silvaplex™ with success in the following disorders: • • • •

EIPH Chondritis Pharyngitis Immune Mediated Rhinitis

I have used this silver with Dexamethasone, Foal and Adult Pneumonia rotating with conventional antibiotics (like Naxcel) alternating treatment at 6 hours and it helps with Pharyngeal Hyperactivity.

NATHAN SLOVIS DVM Dipl. ACVIM, CHT (Certified Hyperbaric Technologist) I have used your chelated silver (SilvaPlex) as part of the treatment protocol for the following conditions: • • • • • • • • • • •

Subepiglottic ulceration Ulceration along the caudal margin of the soft palate Rhinitis Pharyngitis Arytenoid chondritis/Arytenoid granuloma Following transendoscopic laser surgery for epiglottic entrapment, ventriculocordectomy Aryepiglottic fold resection Subepiglottic cyst removal Arytenoid granuloma removal Part of the nebulization protocol for pneumonia Inflammatory lower airway disease, EIPH.

BRETT WOODIE DVM

Respiratory diseases Most respiratory diseases can be attributed to dust, bacteria and fungal spores inhaled by horses while eating hay (or balage). Steaming the hay to sterilise it will eliminate these sources of disease. Research carried out at various agricutural and equine universities, by independent research scientists and veterinarians in the UK, USA and Europe has shown that steaming hay for the required time of 50-60 minutes eliminates these sources of infection. Since the hay is rehydrated (some moisture added), there is no dust for the horses to inhale while eating the steamed hay. If respiratory problems do arise, a nebulising inhaler using the various authorised drugs and/ or the Silverplex chelated silver should get the horse breathing freely again. Rigorous training can improve the efficiency of gas exchange in muscle cells, but if the gas exchange in the lungs is compromised, the horse will never perform at its best. A Haygain hay steamer can do wonders in maintaining healthy nasal passages and lungs, ensuring top performance from sporthorses. C

For further information please visit the BMA Equine website: www.bma.co.nz or call Bruce Moore on 0274 341 433 or email bruce@bma.co.nz 144

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