Olivia Robertson and Briar Burnett-Grant continued their dream seasons with victory in the two big classes today at the Equestrian Sports New Zealand Series' Grand Final Show in Masterton today (Saturday).
Robertson and Ngahiwi Cisco won the Excel Premier League Grand Final, pulling them up to fourth place in the series. Series winner Helen McNaught-McFarlane (Taupo) and Carnutelbryere were last-minute withdrawals from the show, but were unbeatable going into the final rounds.
Robertson and her East Coast-bred horse also won the Country TV Horse Grand Prix Series and were sixth in the Canterbury Equestrian Young Rider Series.
Robertson also took out the East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Grand Final aboard Dartanian, who was bred by her mother Jan Hunt.
At 14, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) could be the youngest-ever winner of the Young Rider Series, in her first season at the grade that caters for
14-21 year olds. She had the slightest of leads going into the grand final today, and her sixth placing aboard Dunstan Carlo (owned by the McVean family) was enough to give her the series by just five points over Rose Alfeld (Leeston).
But Burnett-Grant wasn't finished – she also won the ESNZ Pony Grand Prix Series aboard Fiber Fresh Kabo Silver and was second with Pioneer Jade, and this afternoon took out the Pony Grand Prix Grand Final on Silver.
Carol Stewart (Tokoroa) and her rescued horse Hit Parade were popular winners of the Mitavite Six Year Old Series and Grand Final. The 68-year-old rider, who figures she won her first ribbon at three, was delighted with the success of the mare.
Also winning series today were Larina Dolman (Gisborne) and Kiwi Lansing who took out the Goldengrove Stud Seven Year Old Series, adding it to a trophy cabinet that already holds the national, North Island and Horse of the Year seven year old titles.
Oliver Edgecombe (Waipukurau) and Double J Escape won the East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Series, adding to the big wins in their house – his finance Brooke Zander yesterday took out the Pro-Amateur Rider Series.
Tonight is the awards dinner for the series winners, and competition at the Trust House Glistening Water Showjumping Champs wraps up tomorrow.
Course designer Heather McDonald has produced some exciting and very close jump-offs from quality-stacked fields.
Results -
Excel Premier League Grand Final: Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) Ngahiwi Cisco 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Strathcarron Zaurak and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Conyers =2, Lucy Akers (Opiki) Letitbe 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Schimmel Warrior 5.
Excel Premier League Series: Helen McNaught-McFarlane (Taupo) Carnutelbryere 193 1, Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark (owned by June Berrington) 142 2, Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Breeze 97 3, Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) Ngahiwi Cisco 71 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog, Claudia Hay (Mosgiel) Euro Sport Centavos and Vicki Wilson (Hikurangi) Ngahiwi Showtym Premier 64 =5.
Amended results of the Country TV Horse Grand Prix Series: Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) Ngahiwi Cisco 69 points 1, Claire Wilson
(Waipukurau) McMillan's Tipsey 68 2, Claudia Hay (Mosgiel) Euro Sport Centavos 62 3, Vicki Wilson (Hikurangi) Ngahiwi Showtym Premier, Brad Cunningham (Christchurch) Kiwi Crusher and Kelly Evans (Cave) Hammertime
44 =4.
Trust House Pony Grand Prix Grand Final: Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Kabo Silver 1, Ally Carson (Putaruru) Tony the Pony 2, Steffi Whittaker
(Christchurch) Moonlight Glow 3, Ally Carsen (Putaruru) Tiger Tale LS and Maddison Bult (Kumeu) Mr Black Magic =4, Grace O'Sullivan (Rangiroa) Galaxy Masterpiece 6.
ESNZ Pony Grand Prix Series: Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Kabo Silver 166 1, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Pioneer Jade (owned by the Allen family) 140 2, Steffi Whittaker (Christchurch) Moonlight Glow
131 3, Maddison Bult (Kumeu) Mr Black Magic 120 4, Grace O'Sullivan
(Rangiroa) Galaxy Masterpiece 109 5, Maddison Bult (Kumeu) Pioneer High Jinx and Molly Buist-Brown (Canterbury) Miss Mae West =6.
Canterbury Equestrian Young Rider Grand Final: Nicole White
(Invercargill) Cricklewood Ace 1, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) Biarritz 2, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) My Super Nova 3, Rebekah van Tiel (Pukekohe) Adeaze 4, Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) DH's Ceniki 5, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Dunstan Carlo 6.
Canterbury Equestrian Young Rider Series: Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo)
158 1, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) 153 2, Emily Hayward-Morgan (Te Awamutu)
152 3, Nicole White (Invercargill) 148 4, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga)
147 5, Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) 143 6.
East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Grand Final: Olivia Robertson (Christchurch) Dartanian (Euro Sport Centavos-Ashbury Olga by Kingsway Diamond. Bred by Jan Hunt) 1, Amanda Illston (Bulls) Barcelona 2, Oliver Edgecombe (Waipukurau) Double J Escape 3, Laura Knight (Palmerston North) Allouette 4, Chloe Akers (Opiki) Fancy Pants 5, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Kiwi Ridge 6.
East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Series: Brooke Zander/Oliver Edgecombe (Waipukurau) Double J Escape (Euro Sport Centavos-Double J Prima Donna by Repicharge. Bred by Robyn Jacobs) 76 1, Olivia Robertson
(Christchurch) Dartanian 66 2, Tegan Fitzsimon (Christchurch) Corlinka
60 3, Laura Knight (Palmerston North) Allouette 54 5, Hannah Bodle
(Waikato) Whakanui de L'Amour 44 6.
Mitavite Six Year Old Grand Final: Carol Stewart (Tokoroa) Hit Parade (breeding unknown) 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Kiwi Doll 2, Carissa McCall (Auckland) Cera Caruso 3, Ashley Hart (Hastings) Kiwi Lux 4, Sarah Dalziell (Masterton) Valinquish 5.
Mitavite Six Year Old Series: Carol Stewart (Tokoroa) Hit Parade (breeding unknown) 60 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Kiwi Doll 52 2, Carissa McCall (Auckland) Cera Caruso 46 3, Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up, Julie Davy (Hastings) Centaroc 44 =4, Lisa Cubitt/Dakota Philibert
(Cambridge) Velvet NZPH 40 6.
Goldengrove Stud Seven Year Old Grand Final: Maurice Beatson
(Dannevirke) Wishing Crown (Wishing Crown-Iron Crown by Ironclad. Bred by Maurice Beatson) 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove 2, Sean Cubitt (Cambridge) Bates Corradino 3, Carissa McCall (Auckland) Esteban MVNZ 4, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillan's Fredrika RE 5, Annabelle Gourlie (Havelock North) Mosaic II 6.
Goldengrove Stud Seven Year Old Series: Larina Dolman (Gisborne) Kiwi Lansing (Lansing-Kiwi Cherodula by Caldula Tu Tillard. Bred by Graeme
Hart) 119 1, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove 110 2, Lisa Cubitt (Cambridge) Unlimited NZPH 102 3, Zoe Shore (Ashburton) Burberry
100 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Wishing Crown 78 5, Oliver Edgecombe
(Waipukurau) Ultra Blue NZPH 66 6.
