<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><strong>Australia consolidated
their lead in the Trans Tasman Senior Competition at the Kihikihi International
Horse Trial today (Saturday), but not without some heart-stopping moments over a
challenging John Nicholson-designed cross country.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Both New Zealand and
Australia had a team-member each eliminated –Christine Bates (Australia) headed
to hospital with concussion after a fall early in the course from her lovely
horse Delago, while Simon Gordon (Karaka) and Simple Mitch came unstuck at the
second water combination.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; ">Joseph Waldron (New
Zealand) and his stunning black thoroughbred Springvale All Black rode an
impressive clear to pick up just 8.4 penalty points for time, while overnight
leader Shane Rose (Australia) and Taurus were all class on their way to clear
with 5.2 penalty points for time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; ">It may have been Rose's
third time on the course, but he says there's no concession for familiarity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">This is a course that is
full on from the moment you leave that start box and it doesn't let up! That
second to last fence is as big a fence as you will find anywhere in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Rose feels the
Nicholson-designed course continues to be “the most intense” he has ever
ridden.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Taurus has been working
really hard and this was a good opportunity to test him before a (London
Olympic) selection in three weeks. This is certainly the biggest one day track
in the world.... and we'll be back!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="background-color: white; ">A</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; ">ustralian chef d'equipe
Prue Barrett knew her team weren't turning up for an easy time. “These guys are
trying to go to London so they knew they weren't here to jump a pre-novice
track – they've delivered and so has John.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; ">She had plenty of praise
for team-member Katja Weimann aboard BP Gallantry who went not long after
seeing Bates' fall.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Katja produced a rock
solid performance after seeing Christine become a lawn dart.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Weimann hit a jump very
hard early in the course, and went on to pull off some magic going through the
three skinny jumps at the second water combination.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br>Barrett said the course
did not lend itself to being anything but deadly accurate riding into every one
of the 36 jumps.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">She was rapt with Rose's
efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">He's pretty familiar
with the track and has a lot of confidence in John's courses – it's starting to
be a home event for him and as such gives him a real air of confidence.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Kiwi chef d'equipe Jean
Johnstone was proud of her team's efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">It was fantastic to see
Joe (Waldron) on his first big outing for New Zealand having such a great
round. It was a testing course as both teams discovered... but the competition
isn't over yet.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Australian-based
Waldron, whose two grandmothers and grandfather travelled from Otago to watch
him compete, was ecstatic.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">That course was huge!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">He remembers watching
Olympian Matthew Grayling win the Kihikihi event aboard Revo in 2004, never
thinking for a moment he would be lining up in the same event eight years
later.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Donna Smith (Te
Kauwhata) and Henton Executive missed out on being named in the team, but
showed her experience in steering her green horse into third spot with a great
clear round.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">There was a fair bit of
carnage on the three star course, with four eliminated, two retired and no-one
clear inside time. Four went clear but had time faults, with Rose the best
performed with only 5.2 penalties.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Samantha Felton
(Matangi) and Ricker Ridge Pico Boo continued their hot form of recent months,
and lead the Bayleys CIC** over Virginia Thompson (Auckland) on Ashbury Pee
Cee. Both are on New Zealand's trans Tasman young rider squad.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br>The Kihikihi event
culminates with the showjumping phase across all grades tomorrow (Sunday).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white; ">Results-</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Waipa Home of Champions
CIC***, incorporating the Trans Tasman Senior Competition: Shane Rose (Aus) Taurus
dressage 47.6, cross country 0, time 5.2, total 52.8, 1; Joseph Waldron (New
Zealand) Sprinvale All Black 61.8, 0, 8.4, 70..2, 2; Donna Smith (Te Kauwhata)
Henton Executive 66, 0, 22, 88, 3; Natalie Blundell (Aus) Algebra 54, 20, 14.8,
88.8, 4; Dannie Lodder (Auckland) Moochi 66.2, 0, 23.2, 89.4, 5; Annabel Wigley
(New Zealand) NRM Enzo 63.4, 20, 13.2, 96.6, 6.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Trans Tasman Senior
Teams Competition: Australia – Natalie Blundell, Algebra 88.8; Katja Weimann,
BP Gallantry 98.2; Shane Rose, Taurus 52.8; Christine Bates, Delago eliminated;
team total 239.8, 1. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">New Zealand – Joseph
Waldron, Springvale All Black 70.2; Annabel Wigley, NRM Enzo 96.9; Christen
Hayde, Tandarra Sweet As 114.4; Simon Gordon, Simply Mitch eliminated; team
total 281.2, 2.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Bayleys CIC**: Samantha
Felton (Matangi) Ricker Ridge Pico Boo 53.6, 0, 0, 53.6, 1; Virginia Thompson
(Henderson) Ashbury Pee Cee 54.7, 0, 1.2, 55.9, 2; Juliet Wood (Whangarei) Bold
Trader 58.6, 0, 0, 58.6, 3; Angela Lloyd (Hunua) Song 57.2, 0, 2, 59.2, 4; Lauren
Currie (Wellington) Wishful Thinking 60.6, 0, 0, 60.6, 5; Benjamin Bateman
(Palmerston North) Fiber Fresh Facade 60.8, 0, 0, 60.8, 6.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
