<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>A South Islander has taken the top title at
the National One-day Eventing Championships at Bill Borrie’s Richfields
Thoroughbred Farm, near Te Kauwhata, over the weekend, for the second
successive year.</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Defending champion Brent Jury, from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canterbury</st1:place></st1:city>, withdrew SE
Big before Sunday’s cross-country, opting to save him for the Puhinui Three-day
Event in a fortnight’s time, following a late preparation for the current
season due to injury. They were in third place at the time, 1.4 points behind
the overnight leader.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Christen Hayde and Tandarra Sweet As, from
Otago, but based in Palmerston North this season, won the Forest Gate Trophy
for the Advanced title, pulling up from ninth place after the dressage. They
had a showjumping rail down and 3.6 cross-country time penalties for a final
score of 68.8.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">NZ World Equestrian Games team member Jock
Paget finished second on Frances Stead’s Clifton Airtight, having led after the
dressage phase, but had three rails down in the showjumping, and 10
cross-country time penalties to finish on 75.4. Dannie Lodder pulled up from
tenth after dressage to take third place with Interflora of Renton, having had
one showjumping rail down and a clear cross-country, although time penalties in
both phases, finishing on a score of 78.</span></p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The overnight leader after the dressage and
showjumping phases, Simon Gordon and Simply Mitch, had a fall at the third
element of a combination early on the cross-country course, resulting in
elimination. Gordon held fourth position with his second tide, Fletch.com, but
they incurred 20 penalties for a run-out, as did second placed Ashleigh
McKinstry and Pioneer Makokomiko.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Hayde moves into second position in the
Bell Tea Super League as a result, with Paget third, but the gap has closed on
the leader, ensuring competition will be keen at the Puhinui Three-day Event,
which earns more points than a one-day event.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font style="font-size: 15px; "><strong><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US">BELL</span></st1:place></st1:city><span lang="EN-US"> TEA SUPER LEAGUE</span></strong></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font style="font-size: 14px; ">Standings after three events:</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Donna Smith, Just Chocolate, 75 pts;
Christen Hayde, Tandarra Sweet As, 70 pts; Jock Paget, Clifton Airtight, 55.5
pts; Shelley Ross, Alberta Tomba, 46.5 pts; Dannie Lodder, Interflora of
Renton, 45 pts; Campbell Draper, Sheilberite, 45 pts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">- Virginia Caro</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
