Dressage is to equestrian sport what floor gymnastics are to athletics, in that it requires the contestants to complete, as elegantly – and expressively – as possible, a series of set exercises demonstrating level of training and ability and the harmony between rider and animal.
In the case of the equestrian version, it also includes the horse which must show off its obedience, flexibility and paces. Occasionally, in Kur - or musical freestyle - the pair is able to “show off” in a kaleidoscope of music and movement, and the Kur is the competition that has popularised dressage with the general public because it’s fun and they can understand what’s going on, as opposed to the occasionally esoteric set tests.
Next weekend, March 2nd-5th at the National Equestrian Centre, Aratiatia, Taupo, just under 200 horses and riders will be competing in six arenas at all levels of the sport from Preliminary to Grand Prix, for the Bates New Zealand Championship titles.
Alongside that, there will be an FEI (International Equestrian Federation)-sanctioned judges’ clinic, conducted by visiting Official Judge, Stephen Clarke from the United Kingdom. Clark is one of the world’s leading dressage judges, with World Equestrian Games, World Cup and Olympic appointments on his CV. He is also an international trainer and, as a member of the FEI Dressage Committee, is heavily involved with the training of future FEI Candidate and International judges.
Clarke’s presence as a judge also offers the competitors at the top level – Grand Prix – who have aspirations to compete at WEG in Germany, the opportunity to gain a Certificate of Capability. This is the standard from which selectors can decide whether or not to send combinations to international events, although the gaining of the certificate is only the first step to final selection. Consistent performance has to follow.
Competition at Taupo will include the finals of the season’s Challenges, with the qualifiers fighting out the titles on Friday. Saturday is devoted to the national championships.
The large number of entries indicates the growing popularity of dressage, which offers special challenges to participants, even if they are not of the adrenalin variety found in eventing and show jumping.
One young man who has, unusually, turned from show jumper to dressage rider – he was a Pony of the Year winner some years ago – is David Nickalls of Putaruru. Nickalls is riding the four-year-old part Clydesdale stallion Airthrey Highlander, and is mightily impressed with the horse which is out of a Coober Prince mare.
“He’s the only four-year-old to qualify for three national titles – the dressage, the show jumping and show hunter and he was second in the last.”
Nickalls spent time training in a show jumping yard in Holland, which included regular dressage lessons and he’s putting that experience to use in training Airthrey Highlander – and enjoying it as a challenge.
“When you know you can go out there and be successful, the drive is there,” says the engineering apprentice. He comes from a well known family in the horse world, his late father the trainer of the Waikato Pony Club horse trials team for many years, his brother Andrew, a leading young farrier who lives in the UK and has been NZ team farrier at major international events.
Some years ago, Ottilie Kawabe’s name suddenly emerged as a contender for a New Zealand dressage team, although she had not competed in this country. Based in England as a teenager, she enjoyed some success in what is known as the “small tour” events, just below top international level. Now her parents – her father is Japanese, her mother Australian - are settled in Rotorua and Kawabe is married and living in Auckland and is rekindling her dressage career.
Perhaps one of the most exciting features of the championships for the future of the sport is the high number of young riders now in open competition…once thought of in this country as the equestrian activity for those who were either too old or too scared to jump, dressage is growing fast and pulling its adherents from all age groups.
Kallista Field (Pahiatua), who competed for New Zealand at the Sydney Olympics, played a role in this, demonstrating that dressage was cool for her generation, and anyone with the determination and the talent could get to the top. Now Kallista, one of the most experienced in the sport, is being succeeded in the youth ranks by the likes of Amanda Goldsbury (Hawke’s Bay), Emma Malcolm (Nelson), Brigette Learmonth (Kumeu), Sarah Wilkinson (Kaukapakapa), all of whom are capable of giving their elders a run for their money at Taupo.
Participants come from a wide spectrum…ex-air hostess Vanessa Way (New Plymouth) who gave up flying the skies for training horses, ex-Olympian Margs Carline Rotorua) who was in the Seoul three day event team and is now farming, Jenny Scotter (Christchurch) who juggles a scientific research career with horses and singing, Gretel Weber who is an equine feed specialist.
Some make their living from horses and riding, like Athens Olympian Louisa Hill (Clevedon) or Bill Noble (Ardmore), whose wife, Felicity, a nurse is also competing. Former champions like Gaye Withers (Hawke’s Bay) and Sally Field-Dodgson (Christchurch) are back to try for more honours. Fiona Fraser (Auckland) International groom to Olympic and world champion three day event horse Ready Teddy, now in the police, is riding one of the young dressage horse entries. Some are like Beth Bielski (Hawke’s Bay), enjoying dressage because it keeps them riding as they reach the golden age.
All these riders and more will be competing for New Zealand titles in all grades from Novice to Grand Prix, as well as the finals of the seasonal Challenges. Social events include a special Golden Jubilee Dinner, celebrating – with many of the former winners – the 50th anniversary of the presentation of the supreme accolade, The Burkner Medal. Sunday’s young dressage horse championship and the Lion Foundation Grand Prix Freestyle competition will be followed by a Masterclass with leading young German competitor Hubertus Hufendiek.
Golden Year for Dressage in New Zealand
It is 50 years since the first New Zealand dressage championship, when the Burkner Medal was presented to Ron Cropp – who was to become long-time Huntsman at the Waikato Hunt, a successful trainer of steeplechasers like Hunterville and father of current champion jockey, Lisa.
Cropp is one of the former winners of the premier award in dressage expected to attend the Bates National Dressage Championships, at Taupo’s National Equestrian Centre over the weekend of March 2nd-5th.
In 1956 the Burkner Medal – donated in honour of his riding trainer by Nick Williams (Hawke’s Bay) who was to become New Zealand’s only Official FEI Judge in Dressage, the original a bronze sculpted by the late Esther Belliss, who had represented the country in show jumping in the early 1950s. Unfortunately, ill health will prevent Williams from travelling from his English base for the celebrations.
Most of the still-living winners of the “Burkner” are expected to attend a Golden Jubilee dinner on the Friday of the tournament, which is supported by The Lion Foundation, including Mrs “Tiny” White – mother of Olympic three day event medallist Tinks Pottinger – from Otane, Hawke’s Bay, who holds the record of eight wins between 1964 and 1978.
Marcia Bayley (Te Awamutu) won it six times, Sue Talbot (Hawke’s Bay) four times and both are expected to attend, along with other winners including Merran Hain (Gisborne), the only rider to represent New Zealand in all three equestrian disciplines: dressage, three day event and show jumping.
Bayley, who has been trying to find all the former winners, says that only a couple have slipped through her net and, although she has yet to hear from a small number, she’s confident that, apart from the three Australian winners who can’t come and those who have died, most of the years are covered.
This year, as more recently, the Burkner Medal will go to the combination with the most points over the three FEI tests, the Intermediate II, Grand Prix B and Grand Prix Kur, the latter the musical freestyle.
As one of the judges is FEI Official International judge Stephen Clarke (UK), those at this top level will have the opportunity to gain a Certificate of Capability, making them eligible for selection for this year’s World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in August.
Among the aspirants are mother and daughter combination Sharon and Kallista Field (Pahiatua), both former Burkner Medal winners and the latter Olympic representative at Sydney 2000 where she finished in the top 20. Sharon Field rides Soda, Kallista is on Jasper.
Defending champion, Mandy Littlejohn (Wanganui) is back, this time on Charlton Highbrow, her 2005 Burkner winner Jahan just back in work after some foot problems. Also in the line-up is 2005 Horse of the Year titleholder, Bill Noble (Auckland) with Vincent St James. Jody Hartstone on the imported Landioso from Raglan are due a big win, which has sometimes eluded them when the stallion produces some movements not in the test, just to show who’s boss! The others in the field are Julie Brougham (Palmerston North) with JK Super Sonic, Franzi van Bruggen (Blenheim) on the imported warmblood Cavour, Jacqui Winspear (Auckland) on the game little Appaloosa I’m Sunday’s Silhouette, whose breed is rarely represented at this level, and newcomer to Grand Prix, young rider Joanna York (Taupaki) on Kiteroa Kingston.