Dressage stars Bill Noble and Vanessa Way have been battling it out all season for top honours, and it was no different today (Sunday) at the NRM Horse of the Year Show in Hastings.
But in the end it was Waikato horseman Noble and the stunning stallion Airthrey Highlander (owned by Linda Moughan) won won the very coveted Dressage Horse of the Year crown, with Way (Taranaki) and NRM KH Arvan reserve.
Noble, a former Dressage Horse of the Year winner, has been riding the 12-year-old Airthrey Highlander for four years.
“Last year we were second behind Vanessa . . . we have been hammer and tongs all season, which is so good for dressage,” said Noble. “She's a great rider and a nice girl – we just had the luck of the day.”
Way won the grand prix on the first day of the big dressage competitions, with Noble just five hundredths of a percent behind. The roles were reversed for the grand prix special and the freestyle today.
“I am just delighted for the horse – he is so genuine and he deserves a big prize. It is wonderful for both him and the owner.”
Results - Dressage Horse of the Year: Bill Noble (Waikato) Airthrey Highlander (owned by Linda Moughan). Reserve: Vanessa Way (Taranaki) NRM KH Arvan. Grand Prix Special: Bill Noble (Waikato) Airthrey Highlander.. Reserve: Vanessa Way (Taranaki) NRM KH Arvan. Grand Prix Special National Class: Lynley Stockdale (Waimate) Komplete Kaos 1, Jayne Craike (Taupo) Papanui Showfields Crusader 2. CID2* Intermediate B: Penny Castle (Palmerston North) Magnus Spero. Reserve: Abbie Deken (Oakura) KH Ambrose. Advanced Horse of the Year: Vanessa Way (Taranaki) NRM KH Allandro. Reserve: Wendi Williamson (Kumeu) Cortaflex Déjà VU MH. Young Rider Musical Freestyle National Class: Una Cahill (Auckland) Achenbach. Reserve: Zoe Towler, (Napier) Winterstern.
Young Rider of the Year (title): Catherine West (Oakura) Anarocz. Reserve: Nicola French (Blenheim) Don Freese.
ClearView Estate Winery Intermediate Freestyle: Penny Castle (Palmerston North) Magnus Spero 1, Abbie Deken (Oakura) KH Ambrose 2, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Ali Baba 3, Chelsea Thom (Waitemata) Ananique 4, Nicki Stone (Waitemata) Kabo Castenada 5.
Intermediate Horse of the Year (title): Penny Castle (Palmerston North) Magnus Spero 1, Abbie Deken (Oakura) KH Ambrose 2, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Ali Baba 3, Chelsea Thom(Waitemata) Ananique 4, Nicki Stone (Waitemata) Kabo Castenada 5.
Level 5 Horse Horse of the Year: Penny Castle (Palmerston North) BL About Time. Reserve: Otillie Upshall (Rotorua) Regal Xavier. Level 4 Horse of the Year: Julie Brougham (Palmerston North) Furst Fellini. Reserve: Kaye Asham (Awanui) Dante MH (owned by Matthews Hanoverians). Level 3 Horse of the Year: Aliesha Moroney (Hamilton) Sinderella FE. Reserve: Nicola French Rubiks Cube II Level 2 Horse of the Year: Jutta Rosenblatt (Wanganui) Vollrath Lauretta. Reserve: Christine Weal (Te Awamutu) Stoneylea Lord Locksley. Level 1 Horse of The Year: Tracy Smith (Hamilton) Lord Louis. Reserve: Kaye Ahsam (Awanui) Decadance MH. Level 3 Pony of the Year: Jordan Giltrap (Taranaki) Celtic Limelight. Reserve: Rebecca Donovan (Kaitaia) Whistledown Kristopha. Level 2 Pony of the Year: Alena Dorotich (Auckland) Ngahere Romeo. Reserve: Claudia Hurley (Patea) Skibbereen Kentucky. Level 1 Pony of the Year: Sarah Scott (Whangarei) Thumbellina II. Reserve: Claudia Hurley (Patea) Rosewood Classic Fame.
