Two of the crowd favourites really turned the heat on each other at the 2014 New Zealand Championships and CDI 3* at Feilding and both Grand Prix level classes were decided by the smallest margins. A tough duel between Bill Noble and Vanessa Way took place at the show ground, but in the end Way had her way and rode to the national Grand Prix title.
Bill Noble on Linda Moughan’s Aithrey Highlander threw down the first challenge, winning the Grand Prix on 65.16% with Vanessa Way on the 15-year old Hanoverian gelding Anamour gelding KH Arvan so close behind on 65.04%. Moughan was thrilled with her big bay stallion, considering it to be his biggest win to date.
Way knew she was going to have to really ride an error free test to have any chance of heading off Noble in the Freestyle as his trade mark is a high degree of difficulty with interesting choreography and music. The Saturday night musical spectacular did not disappoint the crowd with little separating the top three combinations.
Hannah Best was first to go on Zactac Graceful and performed a foot perfect routine to her classical music which really highlighted the lightness and elegance of this mare. Judge Jane Ventura (AUS) loved this combination having them in 1st place on 71.25% “A night at the ballet,” she said, "bravo." An overall score for this pair of 67.975%
Way and Arvan had a couple of “wobbles” after the first halt but soon regained their composure to show the experience she gained over the past twelve months with Carl Hester in the UK finishing on a solid 69.7% and going into the lead.
First day winner in the national class, Julie Brougham and Vom Feinsten were experiencing their first big indoor freestyle competition and “Steiny’s” exuberance could not always quite be controlled in the atmosphere, but they still finished on 65.125%. Interviewed afterwards, Brougham said how fantastic it was for the sport that an event of this calibre was now being offered in New Zealand as this kind of atmosphere and experienced judging panel really helped prepare riders for international competitions abroad.
Noble and Airthrey Highlander came in and immediately appeared to be really enjoying themselves with their usual flambuoyant freestyle starting their routine with piaffe and passage. The crowd was on the edge of their seats wondering which way it would go – and even the judges had a little difficulty deciding ! Only one judge, Tiina Karrkolainen (FIN) had way in first place, while Wust, Seefried and Hughes-Keen all had Noble ahead.
Last to go was in the Freestyle was Karen Trotter and Flamenco G – this upstanding elegant bay horse has one pale blue eye - quite a unique characteristic amongst dressage horses. Their test started well but unfortunately for Trotter there were some unexplained technical hitches with her music further on in her test which were disappointingly costly.
In the final analysis Way edged out Noble by 0.175% to take the Freestyle title and cement her position as NZ Grand Prix Champion for another year. Way had a great show also winning the Prix St Georges Championship with her rising star KH Allandro
Catherine West and Anarocz won the Young Rider National title back in January and showed continued good form with a win in both the Young Rider Individual Class (65.5% ) and the Young Rider Freestyle (68.3%) Runner up to West in both tests was her good friend Nicola French riding Don Freese. Don Freese had 9 months of rehabilitation following an injury sustained just after this event and this was their first start since March 2013 so it was a very happy French reunited with her Young Rider level mount “Harald”. Both these riders attend Massey University and are part of the Massey Equestrian Team programme and train under the guidance of Penny Castle
Castle also had a very successful show riding the syndicated Magnus Spero in the new FEI level Intermediate Tour held as national classes at the event and taking out the Championship title at this level. Castle has Rio 2016 on the radar with this horse.
The Elite Equine Young Dressage Horse Championship was won by the four year old MH Decadance owned and bred by Matthews Hanoverians in Awanaui in the far North. Ridden by Kaye Ahsam, this chestnut mare (by Dacaprio x Anamour) impressed the judges with her fluent forward and expressive way of going – showing good balance and activity.
The 2014 National Championships showed that the standard of training and quality of horses is on the up down under with some great competition at all levels.
Text by Wendy Hamerton - Photos © Libby Law
Related Links
Catherine West Wins 2014 New Zealand Young Riders Championships
Stockdale Wins 2013 New Zealand Grand Prix Championship
Louisa Hill Wins 2012 New Zealand Grand Prix Championships
Vanessa Way Claims 2011 New Zealand Horse of the Year Title
