Queen Quinara Rules at North Island Champs
Above: Annabel Francis guides La Quinara to victory in the POLi Payments Premier League North Island Championship (sponsored by Waikato Equine Vet Services) at Hawera this afternoon. Photo by Cornege Photography.
Annabel Francis’ winning roll continues, this time taking the quinella in the North Island title in the POLi Payments Premier League at the Egmont A&P Showgrounds in Hawera.
The Waikato Equine Vets North Island Championship Premier Jumping Show attracted more than 500 horses whose riders were chasing titles in both showjumping and show hunter.
The Premier League is the most prestigious of the show and didn’t disappoint with 18-year-old Annabel the star of the class with her two double clear rounds aboard her imported horses Carado GHP and La Quinara.
Eight of the original 12 starters came back for the second round with Annabel with both her mounts and veteran Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) aboard Central Park on zero faults. Clears in the second round came again from young gun Annabel with both her horses, with La Quinara ahead of Carado GHP, as well as Robert Steele (Dannevirke) aboard LT Holst Bernadette to give him third place. Maurice picked up fault faults in the second but with a slower time than Robert, was relegated to fourth.
Annabel said winning the top class was certainly a goal for the show and she didn’t mind which horse came out on top. “They both felt really good in the warm-up and we had a good run into today,” she said. It is the first time she has won the premier North Island crown but comes on the back of a purple patch for the teen who earlier in the month won the FEI World Cup NZ Series and final. “This win is really special especially as we head into Takapoto Estate Show Jumping and the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show . . . and if I do get to go to the World Cup Final in Sweden.”
It was a lovely flowing Pip Howells-designed course today that seemed to suit the experienced combinations in the field.
“I thought the course was nice – it wasn’t too big but was technical enough that there were a lot of rails coming down in different places.”
Annabel admits to feeling a little more pressure to win these days but she doesn’t let that get into her head. “I am a pretty calm person, so it’s ok,” she says. She’s also got coach Jeff McVean with her too. “He is certainly a calming influence to have around.”
Annabel also won the Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old North Island Championship (sponsored by Greymouth Petroleum) aboard Chic Xtreme earlier in the show.
Eighteen lined up in the Country TV and Jude Watt Memorial Pony Grand Prix North Island Championship with nine combinations, on eight faults or less, coming back for the second round. The opener produced clears from Georgie Wilson (Taupo) aboard Showtym Boss, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) with Tony the Pony, and Penny Borthwick (Wairarapa) on Foxdens Merlot.
In the second, only Georgie could keep a clean slate to take the win with a smart double clear in 51.23 seconds. Madison Jackson (Pukekohe) and Rednalhgih Cowan were also clear with the fastest time of the round, but carried eight faults from the first to settle for fourth. Rylee and Penny were second and third respectively with their four-fault rounds.
The hotly-contested FMG Young Rider (sponsored by Egmont Horse Coaches) North Island Championship was won by Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) aboard AP Ninja whose speedy double clear sealed the deal. The top five were all double clear with Georgia stopping the clock at 45.88 seconds, just ahead of Annabel Francis (Taupo) aboard LT Holst Elizabeth who came home in 46.32 for second. Current Young Rider of the Year, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) and Fiber Fresh Veroana were third in 46.79 seconds.
Melissa Berridge and Onetai Fire and Ice were the winners of the Taranaki Equestrian Pony Points Prize, riding off with the John Henry Cup. John Henry was renowned throughout the North Island in the 1970s and 1980s as a top eventing and showjumping pony. He was owned by the Atkinson family from Taranaki with the cup presented for the past 25 years to the leading local rider across a number of shows, starting at Waverley A&P in November, through the Egmont A&P, the Stratford A&P, and culminating with the Taranaki Jumping Area Show.
Results –
Showjumping, POLi Payments Premier League North Island Championship (sponsored by Waikato Equine Vet Services): Annabel Francis (Taupo) La Quinara 1, Annabel Francis (Taupo) Carado GHP 2, Robert Steele (Dannevirke) LT Holst Bernadette 3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Central Park 4, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 5, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Cavallino 6.
Country TV and Jude Watt Memorial Pony Grand Prix North Island Championship: Georgie Wilson (Taupo) Showtym Boss 1, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Tony the Pony 2, Penny Borthwick (Wairarapa) Foxdens Merlot 3, Madison Jackson (Pukekohe) Rednalhgih Cowan 4, Zara Main (Auckland) Blue Crush 5, Zara Preece-Twose (Greenhithe) TC Piano Man 6.
Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old North Island Championship (sponsored by Greymouth Petroleum): Annabel Francis (Taupo) Chic Xtreme 1, Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Onessa MVNZ 2, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH 3, Sam Whale (Cambridge) Fleur De Lacour 4, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Global PH Carentino 5, Bailey Harvey (New Plymouth) Haupouri Evandro NZPH 6.
UltraMox Six-Year-Old North Island Championship (sponsored by Skin On 45): Jeremy Whale (Cambridge) Bannockburn ECPH 1, Samantha Carrington (Takapau) Double J Hurricane 2, Kirk Myers (Taranaki) Blueprint 3, Jaime Campbell (Otaki) Cassio Xtreme 4, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Kasalla 5, Julie Davey (Hastings) LT Holst Freda 6.
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old North Island Championship (sponsored by Clelands Construction): Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Giulia MH 1, Jono Smith (Taupo) SP Victor 2, Ike Baker (Raukawa) Double J Graduate 3, Jaime Campbell (Otaki) Classify Xtreme 4, Louise Bowie (Pahiatua) Kiwi Embrace 5, Sarah West (Te Aroha) Six Sixty SP 6.
FMG Young Rider North Island Championship (sponsored by Egmont Coaches): Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) AP Ninja 1, Annabel Francis (Taupo) LT Holst Elizabeth 2, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 3, Parys Marshall (Taranaki) LG Whata Balou 4, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) Belischi HM 5, Samantha Carrington (Takapau) Double J Breeze On 6.
Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider North Island Championship: Shanae McKay (Levin) ME KD’s Affair 1, Jo Andrews (Otaki) Coco Petite 2, Michelle Wakeling (Wellsford) BMW Chaccolilli 3, Shelley Bridgeman (Auckland) Oaks Vendetta 4, Taryn Beattie (Nelson) Cassino Xtreme 5, Helen McNaught (Taupo) Double Whoopy 6.
Harrison Lane Pro-Am Rider North Island Championship (sponsored by Fixine): Nicola Hammond (Cambridge) Carlo I 1, Tanya Hansen (Taranaki) Euro Champagne 2, Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Onessa MVNZ 3, Paula Mussen (Pukekohe) Déjà vu NZPH 4, Phillip Steiner (Tauranga) Cassina Dior 5, Chloe Hansen (Palmerston North) Kiwi Motto 6.
Mainland Coaches Junior Rider North Island Championship (sponsored by Horton & Co Ltd): Madison Smith (Cambridge) Biarritz 1, Francesca Corich van der bas (Paremoremo) LDS Lavanda 2, Lilly Carpenter (Taihape) Kinnordy Rhani 3, Amelie Chaplin (Auckland) Truman V 4, Karis Spurway (New Plymouth) Kapattack 5, Sophia Blackbourn (Hamilton) Octavia MVNZ 6.
Main-Events Tertiary Challenge Series: Samantha Megchelse (New Plymouth) Rata Mill Eclipse 1, Margot Curtis (West Melton) Double J Barista 2.
Pounamu Oilfield Services Ltd Horse Speed North Island Championship: Emma Gaze (Ohaupo) Kowhai Bug 1, Ike Unsworth (Tauranga) Charlie NZPH 2, Jeremy Whale (Cambridge) Idol D 3, Jesse Linton (Hastings) LT Holst Elsbeth 4, Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Enya MH 5, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Delphine NZPH 6.
Fixine Pony Speed North Island Championship: Madison Jackson (Pukekohe) Rednalhgih Cowan 1, Amelia Munro (Paremoremo) MF Spot On 2, Zara Preece-Twose (Greenhithe) TC Piano Man 3, Dylan Bibby (Onga Onga) My Funky Monkey 4, Samantha-Lee Wakeling (Wellsford) BMW Sharpshooter 5, Georgie Wilson (Taupo) Showtym Boss 6.
Taranaki Equestrian Pony Points Prize: Melissa Berridge (Taranaki) Onetai Fire and Ice.
Kyrewood Park North Island Area Teams Competition: Waikato 1, Northern Hawke’s Bay 2, Central and Southern Hawke’s Bay 3, Bay of Plenty 4.
For full results, head to www.equestrianentries.co.nz .
Source: Diana Dobson for ESNZ