Kihikihi Gears Up for Best-Ever Event
Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Record entries and top-flight fields are guaranteeing the 2014 BNZ Kihikihi International Horse Trial is on track to be a real cracker.

The event, which starts with the dressage phases on Friday at the Kihikihi Domain, is considered one of the premier gatherings on the New Zealand eventing calendar.

The star attraction of Kihikihi is the innovative and challenging cross country course designed by the internationally-applauded John Nicholson, brother of the world’s number one ranked eventer, Andrew.

The BNZ CIC3* class has 14 entries and is spear-headed by 2013 winner Dannie Lodder (Ararimu) aboard Moochi (owned by Petra Eatson and Lodder) along with the World Champs team bronze medallist Clarke Johnstone (Te Kowhai) with his 2014 NRM Horse of the Year Show eventer of the year Balmoral Sensation.

They are just two in a field that could go to so many. Also in the mix is Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance accelerator squad member Joe Waldron (Te Awamutu) and Springvale All Black, former Olympian Matthew Grayling (Taranaki) and NRM Lowenberg, Angela Lloyd (Hunua) on Song, Donna Smith (Te Kauwhata) on Balmoral Tangolooma, Simon Gordon (Karaka) on Fletch.com, Samantha Felton (Cambridge), who recently took the quinella in the CIC2* at the NRM Horse of the Year Show, aboard Ricker Ridge Pico Boo, and Christen Hayde (Auckland) on Tandarra Sweet As among others.

The winner of the 3* will receive the inaugural Bounce Trophy, being presented by Vaughn Jefferis in honour of his superstar Olympic and world champion horse. Several combinations have made no secret of their desire to be the first to win the prestigious trophy.

The CIC2* at Kihikihi has attracted almost double the entries from last year, with huge interest also in the CIC1* and CNC1* classes.

New on the card is a fun teams’ event which will run alongside the national and international classes.

It has been a challenge for organisers this year, fitting everyone in for dressage tests and on cross country day, with nearly 300 horses entered requiring extra yards, daylight saving having ended and the royal visit putting additional pressure on hire companies.

The Fact File

What: The BNZ Kihikihi International Horse Trial
Where: Kihikihi Domain
When: April 11, 12 and 13, 2014
Info: www.thehorseevent.co.nz