<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><strong>A Kaimanawa pony from
the Bay of Islands brought on the tears at the 2012 New Zealand Horse of the
Year Show in Hastings tonight (Saturday).</strong><br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Tegan Newman and her
seven-year-old bay Watch Me Move won a heart-stopping jump-off to take the Pony
of the Year crown.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Tears flowed when the
16-year-old from Kerikeri realised she'd won the much sought-after crown.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">I didn't actually think
I could do it,” said Newman, who admitted to having healthy doses of Rescue
Remedy before each round.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">And there were some
anxious moments for the thousands in the grandstand when Newman and Boon turned
super tight into a fence early in the jump-off, then lost their way momentarily
before getting back on track.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A cool head saw them go
clear in 40.76 seconds with just two to go. Before them Becky Harkerss
(Leeston) and Brooklee Smallchange set a cracking pace of 35.32 seconds, but
took two rails.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Following Newman came
pint-sized 11-year-old Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) and the lovely Mighty
Maximus who turned too tight into an early fence, taking a rail, then took the
first of the double, but managed to pull off some magic to get through the
combination finishing on eight faults in 37.99.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Last to go was Elle
Phillips (Waikato) and Fruialishas who pulled back slightly after dropping a
rail at the second fence and finished on four faults in 44.13.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Newman has had the
seven-year-old pony for three years. She bought him off her trainers Vicki and
Amanda Wilson, who taught the horse to jump. This was their first season at
grand prix level, and Newman's first ever Pony of the Year class.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">I was going for a nice
steady clear round,” she says. “Elle was always going to be the one to watch
though, but Vicki just told me to ride to win.”<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">And for her – like many
– to win at this level is a dream come true.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">There were lots of tears
from everyone,” she says. “You don't realise how big the win is until you're
there.”<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Newman credited her
trainers and her “good luck charm” Amy Kerr, who always helps her warm up for
classes.<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Thirty-two started the
class and 18, with four faults and less, came back for the second round. From
there, just four were still all clear, and went through to the nail-biter of a
jump-off. </span><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; ">Results- </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Pony of the Year: Tegan
Newman (Kerikeri) Watch Me Move 1, Elle Phillips (Waikato) Fruitalishas 2,
Becky Harkerss (Leeston) Brooklee Smallchange 3, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo)
Mighty Maximus 4, Nakeysha Lammers (Northland) Airborne Magic and Lily Tootill
(Papakura) Millbrook =5.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
