Dateline: Hastings, New Zealand

OLIVER EDGECOMBE WINS BELL TEA HORSE OF THE YEAR CROWN - from Diana Dobson

No-one could have picked a better ending to the Bell Tea Horse of the Year class at the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year in Hastings today if they had tried.

Waipukurau farmer Oliver Edgecombe celebrated his birthday a day early in taking out the premier showjumping class of the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year Show when he edged out Australian Paul Athanasoff to win the Olympic Cup.

You could have heard a pin drop in the packed stadium at the Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds as thousands rode every fence of the jumpoff with local hope Edgecombe.

And it wasn’t the only exciting news to happen during the class, which had attracted 30 of the top combinations from New Zealand and Australia.

Between rounds, show sponsor Sam Kelt along with organizers Kevin and Warrick Hansen, Hastings district mayor Lawrence Yule and Bell Tea chief executive Mark Hamilton announced the 2009 Bell Tea Horse of the Year class would be worth $1 million dollars.

Next year the class is worth $500,000.

Visiting internationals at the show have said it would elevate the show to the top half dozen in the world, attracting some of the best horses on the globe.

But today the day belonged to Edgecombe, who turns 32 tomorrow (Monday).

Thirty combinations started the class with 10 going through to the second round. Missing out was reigning Horse of the Year queen Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) and Sacred Hill Answer Back. They picked up four faults after dropping a rail.

In the second round, clears were a little thin on the ground with just Athanasoff and Edgecombe going clear. Missing out this time was Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) on Lexicon NZPH along side Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) on My Gollywog who dropped the last fence and picked up a time fault, and Julie Hart (Hastings) on Clypso and David Robertson (Australia) on Sharpe Seal who also both took the last.

Edgecombe has had an excellent show – he won the puissance on his other mount Vancouver and rode extremely well for the victorious New Zealand tri-nations team.

Bill Noble (Papakura) and Vincent St James is the 2007 grand prix dressage horse of the year.

New Zealand may have finished third in the final round of the Tri Nations showjumping, but their points were enough to give them the leg. Australia and South Africa are tied on second.

South Africa went into the final day trailing but came out firing with five faultless rounds from their six eight starts from the four riders.

After the first round today, there wasn’t much in it with Australia and New Zealand sitting on five faults apiece and the South Africans on zero.

But with the second round came pelting rain making the ground a little slippery and bringing with it plenty of rails. New Zealand finished with 20 faults from the round, Australia eight and South Africa one.

The next leg will be held in South Africa in June.

Charlotte Myers (Hawera) had a beautifully smooth ride on her showy grey pony Miss Coruba to take the Pony of the Year title in a three way jumpoff.

The 15-year-old, in her first season at top level and her first start at the Pony of the Year was too good, clocking just four faults from the two first rounds and going fast and clear over the jumpoff course.

Second was Megan Schischka (Waiwera) on Good As Gold who chased Myers time hard but paid for it with a rail. Third went to Sam Roke (Ohakune)

Today’s class ended five very packed days of competition at the show involving 2500 horses, riders and handlers competing for top honours over 16 disciplines.

Results –

Showjumping, tri-nations (final round): South Africa 1 fault 1, Australia 13 faults 2, New Zealand 25 faults 3. Overall points for the series after first leg: New Zealand 8 points, South Africa and Australia 6 points =2. Bell Tea Horse of the Year: Oliver Edgecombe (Waipukurau) JJ Freelance 1, Paul Athanasoff (Australia) Wirragulla Nicklaus 2, Chris Chugg (Australia) Vivant, David Robertson (Australia) Sharpe Seal, Julie Hart (Hastings) Clypso =3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog 6, Paula Hamood (Australia) NV Capone, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Lexicon NZPH, Oliver Edgecombe (Waipukurau) Vancouver =7. Intermediate rider: Juliet Scott (South Canterbury) Hip Chick 1, Georgina Power (Canterbury) Johnny On The Spot 2, Samantha Peters (Whangarei) Total Gold 3, Sarah Worker (Auckland) Wild South 4, Jacqui Wright (Tuakau) Cheekie Boy 5, Vicki Wilson (Whangarei) Showtym Girl 6.

Pony of the Year: Charlotte Myers (Hawera) Miss Coruba 1, Megan Schischka (Waiwera) As Good As Gold 2, Sam Roke (Ohakune) Co Calico 3, Natasha Muollo (Upper Hutt) Limerick’s Black Samba , Kate Hurley (Feilding) The Shepherd and Greta Porter (Hawke’s Bay) Chobidong =4.

Dressage, grand prix B 2003 (title): Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Landioso 1, William Noble (Papakura) Vincent St James 2, Charlott Bayliss (Cambridge) All Black II 3, Julie Brougham (Manawatu) JK Super Sonic 4, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Donnerwind 5 5, Sharon Field (Pahiatua) Soda 6. Open elementary pony musical freestyle (title): Nicola French (Blenheim) Buckton Tumbledown 1, Sarah Davis (Albany) Abelard 2, Amber McGovern-Wilson (Johnsonville) Bay Calypso 3, Genevieve Rogers (Auckland) Cheleken Apollo 4, Margaux Powdrell (Wairoa) Ridgewood Cricket 5, Andie Morgan (Auckland) Cimarron Magnum 6. Dressage young rider of the year: Rebecca Goldsbury (Waipukurau) Glenturret 1, Charmain Pearson-White (Auckland) Abendstern 2. CDI W grand prix freestyle 2006: William Noble (Papakura) Vincent St James 1, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Landioso 2, Julie Brougham (Manawatu) JK Super Sonic 43, Charlotte Bayliss (Cambridge) All Black II 4, Sharon Field (Pahiatua) Soda 6.

Clydesdale, working horse of the year: Fred Pilling (Hamilton) Fellbeck Misty.

Show hunters, Category B pony show hunter of the year: Paxton Conder (Tirau) Evermoore Scholar 1, Jessie Chappell (Kaikohe) My Smart Remark 2, Heidi Cloitworth (Te Kauwhata) Princess Jassmine 3, Sarah Young (Tokoroa) Valiant Sky High 4, Tinesha Carey (Hastings) Mt Tulloch Royal Command 5, Kate Allen (Morrinsville) Llandovery King Cole 6. Category C pony show hunter of the year: Courtney Brown (Pokeno) Storm Cat 1, Letice Carey (Hastings) Jefferson George 2, James McDonald (Cambridge) Dipped In Silver 3, Megan Schischka (Waiwera) As Good As Gold 4, Mathew Dickey (Taranaki) Wilful 5, Jana Campbell (Albany) Tarahua Sherwood 6. Amateur show hunter of the year: Joan Couper (Rotorua) Rata Mill Perry 1, Denise Crispe (Waiuku) Das Plateau 2, Kathryn Corry (Te Kuiti) Squirt 3, Denise Crispe (Waiuku) Time’ll Tell 4, Jane Dickson (Whangarei) Coastal Classic 5, Melanie Dudding (Tuakau) Town n Country 6.

Show classes, intermediate rider of the year, 13-16 years: Tinesha Carey (Hastings) Kirkwood Marcus 1, Sally Field-Dodgson (Christchurch) Amberleigh Elite 2, Chelsea McLaughlin (Springton) Glen Cree Kelsea 3, Amanda Clayton (Waipukurau) Rivelin Aramis 4, Kelsey Duncan (Rotorua) Hidden Treasure 5, Nicola French (Blenheim) Buckton Tumbledown 6. Paced and mannered pony of the year: Amanda Clayton (Waipukurau) Rivelin Aramis 1, Sally Spicer (Christchurch) Maxwelton Give Us A Wish 2, Rebecca Pine (Alexandra) Roseagle Spring Fair 3, Emma Pilcher (Blenheim) Rosewood Little Maestro 4, Lucy Allen (Blenheim) Nala Emblems Nichole 5, Alana Singer (Palmerston North) Mirinda Harlequin 6. Champion rising star saddle hunter: Belinda Bull (Methven) McJake. Reserve: Tania Taylor (Warkworth) Hollywood Taylormade reserve. Champion NZ bred pony: Emma Trillo (Hamilton) Brookfields Dream Maker champion, Nicola French (Blenheim) Buckton Tumbledown reserve. Pony of the year – not exceeding 128cm: Kelsey Duncan (Rotorua) Aranui Chablis 1, Sarah Fannin (Hastings) Oaklands Park Royal Dalton 2, Kenya Kinley (Waitoa) Lochlea Cinnamon 3, Zoe Towler (Napier) Maxwell Give Us A Hug 4, Georgia Brown (Masterton) Eastdale Legacy 5, Alana Singer (Palmerston North) Mirinda Harlequin 6. Pony of the year 128cm – 138cm: Rachel Irvine (Auckland) Maxwellton Give Us A Cuddle 1, Abby Thomas (North Canterbury) Willocroft Spring Song 2, Nicola French (Blenheim) Buckton Tumbledown 3, Taylor Yarndley (Te Awamutu) Mansfield Park Magnolia 4, Billie Richards (Auckland) Greenlee Chippendale 5, Sally Spicer (Christchurch) Maxwellton Give Us A Wish 6.

Arabians, champion partbred/anglo Arabian stallion: Penelope Johnson (South Canterbury) Maxwellton Woody Wood Pecker. Champion ridden partbred Arabian: Brittany Mclaughlin (Springton) Aranui Galahad 1, Kristie Thomas (Auckland) Jazz 2. Best rot, ridden partbred: Brittany Mclaughlin (Springton) Aranui Galahad 1, Kristie Thomas (Auckland) Jazz 2, Charlotte Hide (Palmerston North) Graemar Armani 3.