Kelsey Leahy and Showcause Take Out Amateur Qualifier 2 at Takapoto
The second qualifying round in the Takapoto Estate Jumping Amateur Tour was held this morning under cloudless clear blue skies. Forty-four combinations were entered and with no jump off for this class, the pressure was on to perform from the start.
Second combination out, Zoe Shore and Saffron, were the first to record a clear round, so all the following combinations knew that nothing short of this standard would give them a chance. Australian visitor Damien Churchill on the borrowed horse Midway Detroit was the next to go clear, but with a time slower than Shore’s.
We had to wait until the 20th combination for a new leader, when the dairy farmer from Foxton, Kelly Smith and Corlinka went clear in 69.98 seconds. There were two more clear rounds but it wasn’t until the 31st out, Kelsey Leahy and her 13-year-old chestnut gelding, Showcause, went clear in 68.81 seconds that we had a new leader. Leahy had a nervous wait while the remaining combinations competed, however, nobody else was able to record a clear.
The top six placegetters in today’s class were:
| PLACE | RIDER | HORSE |
| 1st | Kelsey Leahy | Showcause |
| 2nd | Kelly Smith | Corlinka |
| 3rd | Paxton Conder | La Fonteyn |
| 4th | Zoe Shore | Saffron |
| 5th | Damien Churchill | Midway Detroit |
| 6th | Phillipa Corcoran | Cardrona |
The Amateur Tour at Takapoto Estate Showjumping serves as a round of the Global Amateur Tour (GAT). Since not all riders in this class are competing in the GAT, only those who are registered can score GAT points. Paxton Conder and La Fonteyn as well as Kelsey Leahy and Showcause have both been very consistent over the two qualifying rounds and they are currently tied in first place.
Kelsey Leahy and Showcause
The congested leader board means that a number of GAT particpants have the chance to take out this round of the GAT. After two rounds at Takapoto, here are the standings of the leaders.
Kelsey Leahy and Showcause
| PLACE | RIDER | HORSE | R1 | R2 | TOT. |
| 1st | Paxton Conder | La Fonteyn | 30 | 31 | 61 |
| 2nd | Kelsey Leahy | Showcause | 27 | 34 | 61 |
| 3rd | Alexander Dattelkremer | Double J Beyonce | 31 | 29 | 60 |
| 4th | Kelly Smith | Corlinka | 28 | 32 | 60 |
| 5th | Kaleigh Kent | Double J Sponge Bob Square Pants | 34 | 24 | 58 |
| 6th | Danielle Wheeler | CP Aurelio | 25 | 27 | 52 |
Another aspect to today’s class was the teams’ event. Participating combinations were divided into eight teams each of four combinations, with the best performing team being awarded the Global Amateur Teams Trophy.
Team Matai comprising of Australian visitor Damien Churchill and Midway Detroit, Kelly Smith and Corlinka, Robbie McKay and Tulsa Time, and Laura Daly and Just William HL were victorious.
