After winning the Gold Tour on the first weekend at Takapoto, South Islander Tegan Fitzsimon continued her fantastic season by taking out today’s Silver Tour Final at the Takapoto Estate Showjumping. Combining with the 10-year-old mare, Double J Monarch, Fitzsimon was the only rider to record double clear rounds and was the deserved winner.

Tegan Fitzsimon and Double J Monarch

Thirty combinations were invited to compete in today’s final on what proved to be a very challenging course. We saw the first 16 combinations take at least one rail, before clear rounds were recorded by the 17th combination (Tegan Fitzsimon and Double J Monarch) and the 18^th combination (Emily Hayward and Belischi HM). These turned out to be the only clear rounds recorded.

Despite only having two participants, the jump-off was enthralling.

First to ride was Fitzsimon, who, as professional as ever, produced a fast, clear round to set the benchmark for Hayward. When Hayward and Belischi HM entered the arena, they know exactly what they had to do; ride a clear round in less than 55.21 seconds and the Silver Tour would be theirs.

Emily Hayward and Belischi HM

Throwing caution to the wind and showing bravery above and beyond her tender years, Hayward rode like there was no tomorrow. As they progressed around the course at a seemingly rapid rate, the sense of excitement grew as the crowd’s interest reached a crescendo. It certainly looked like she was going faster than Fitzsimon had, and, as she approached the last jump, still clear, the excitement was palpable However…. it was not to be.

Accompanied by a loud gasp from the crowd, Belischi HM clipped the top rail of the last and just as they flashed across the finish line, the rail hit the ground. Her time of 52.56 seconds would have been enough to win clearly, had that rail stayed in place. But it didn’t! Hayward would have to be content with winning the Silver Tour last weekend and second place today.

Third place was filled by Emelia Forsyth and Henton Faberge. This pair, who had won both qualifying classes for this final, could be considered unlucky. Her round 1 time was more than 10 seconds faster than the two combinations in the jump off, however, she took a rail at the first and had to be contented as being the fastest of the four-faulters.

Emilia Forsyth and Henton Faberge

The top six placegetters in this class were: