The queen of New Zealand showjumping showed all her class today winning her sixth Country TV FEI World Cup Series with victory in the final round.
By her own admission, Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) has not had the best of seasons but that all changed this weekend at the Continental Cars Audi World Cup Festival at Woodhill Sands.
She’s had a blinder of a weekend, and just yesterday, said whatever happened in the World Cup final, she was just pleased for her team to have found form again.
But the former Olympian and World Equestrian Games representative needn’t have worried, taking the final and, after a heart-stopping few minutes, confirmation of the series as well. However, it didn’t all go her way.
Laurie – New Zealand’s best-ever performed World Cup competitor – had both Dunstan Breeze and Dunstan Casebrooke Lomond on the 14-strong card. She sat in fifth place on the leaderboard going into the final. Series leader Helen McNaught-McFarlane (Taupo) opted not to start her Polish import.
“He just isn’t right,” she said of her quirky grey who is the current Olympic Cup holder as New Zealand Showjumper of the Year.
“He has done so much for me and jumps from his heart but there is no way I would risk my horse.”
McNaught-McFarlane said it was no reflection of the show.
“I do love this show and they have done a brilliant job. The arena is beautiful and the footing out there is like a carpet, but he just isn’t right.”
Sitting in second place on the leaderboard going into the class were Lily Tootill (Karaka) aboard Ulysses NZPH and Lucy Fell (Opiki) aboard the oldest horse in the field, her former racehorse, the 18-year-old Tinapai.
Tootill and Ulysses parted company in the first round, meaning instant elimination. Laurie was eliminated aboard her second mount Dunstan Breeze after a fall part way through the Peter Gillispie (Great Britain) designed course.
At the end of the first round, Laurie and the grey stallion Lomond were the only combination with a clean slate. Fell and Tinapai, and Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) aboard Kapattack had four faults apiece, with Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) and Biarritz on five.
The second round saw clears from William Willis (Auckland) aboard Dollar Roll MS, Brooks and Mathew Dickey (Taranaki) and Quango.
Run in reverse order, Laurie just had to go clear in the second to take the class but when she dropped a rail early in the round, she had to step up the pace to head home good mate Brooks who sat on an accumulated score of four faults in 48.05 seconds.
Cool as a cucumber, Laurie did just that, coming home with four faults in 46.9 seconds.
“He’s just amazing,” said Laurie of the eight-year-old horse. “He warmed up really well and once we were over the fourth fence he felt like he was really jumping.
When they do that, it just makes it much easier to ride the course you want.
“I knew I had to cover Tash’s (Brooks) time and dad had told me to watch out for time faults,” she said.
Laurie hadn’t realised she was even in for a chance to take the series until the end of the first round.
“It hasn’t been the best of seasons so I hadn’t even thought about it,” she said.
“Sparky – Lomond – has really grown with each start this season and I felt today it all just clicked.”
As winner of the series, Laurie could represent New Zealand at the world final, but she says she won’t be taking up the option. She and her family will move to Australia after the Horse of the Year Show in March.
Brooks was ecstatic with the efforts of her former racehorse.
“I couldn’t be happier,” she said. “We’ve had three starts for a first and a second – I couldn’t ask for more.”
And she was thrilled for Laurie.
“She needed to win one. It will still be bubbles tonight. Finishing second to her is pretty much a win anyway!”
Third-placed Mathew Dickey was very pleased with his nine-year-old horse.
“It is the first season in World Cup for both of us, so I am just stoked.”
The combination also finished sixth in the series.
McNaught-McFarlane was chuffed to still pick up second in the series.
“I am delighted to get something for all his (Carnutelabryere) hard work this season,” she said.
Samantha Morrison, who finished fourth today and third in the series, was ruing a rider error that saw her take a rail in the second round, but still really pleased with their efforts.
The final at Woodhill Sands today marked the end of three brilliant days of jumping.
Results –
Country TV FEI World Cup Final (NZ series): Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Casebrooke Lomond (owned by Sheena Ross and the McVean and Laurie families) 1, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Kapattack 2, Mathew Dickey (Taranaki) Quango 3, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) Biarritz 4, William Willis (Auckland) Dollar Roll MS 5, Lucy Fell (Opiki) Tinapai 6.
Country TV FEI World Cup (NZ) Series: Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) 73 points 1, Helen McNaught-McFarlane (Taupo) 69 2, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) 68 3, Lucy Fell (Opiki) 62 4, Lily Tootill (Karaka) 57 5, Mathew Dickey (Taranaki) 55 6.
FMG Young Rider Series: Briar Burnet-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 1, Lily Tootill (Karaka) Ulysses NZPH 2, Nakeysha Lammers (Hikurangi) All Expenses of Renton 3, Mikayla Herbert (Rotorua) Snow Storm 4, Josephine Schermacher-Larsen (Auckland) Mr Jerraco 5, Keean Cooper (Te Kauwhata) Amarula MVNZ 6.
Equissage Pony Grand Prix Series: Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Fun House 1, Georgia Bouzaid (Waiheke Island) Redcliffs Bill 2, Annabel Francis (Darfield) Te Mata Miss 3, Emma Watson (Morrinsville) Phantom Warrior 4, Ally Carson (Putaruru) Tiger Tale LS 5, Ally Carson (Putaruru) Tony the Pony 6.
Cortaflex Seven-Year-Old Series: Leeshelle Small (Ramarama) AMS Ajaccio NZPH 1, Alyvia James (Cambridge) SK Halo 2, Lucy Bull (Taupo) Ngahiwi Blue Moon 3, Mikayla Herbert (Rotorua) Grand Caballo 4, Jasmine Sketchley (Whangarei) Bravado Ego 2 5, Cerys Tarr (Rotorua) Madame Coco 6.
Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series: Abby Robinson (Ohaupo) Hillman Hunter, Vicki Wilson (Hikurangi) LC Showtym Cassinii and Vicki Wilson (Hikurangi) Wentworth Corolena St =1.
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Emily Hayward-Morgan (Te Awamutu) Delicious HM, Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Monte Carlo MVNZ and Ciel Butler (Katikati) Only Fair =1.
Main Events University Series: Laura Hilhorst (Pukeatua) LC Underberg 1, Maddison Marshall (Alfrison) Chances R 2, Mikayla Herbert (Rotorua) Snow Storm 3.
Let’s Bale Pro Am Series: Kate Hewlett (Kerikeri) Capatino GNZ 1, Bob Bleakley (Cambridge) Airthrey Resolution 2, Christen Lane (Pukekohe) Cobra de Capello 3, Amy Gravatt (Whangarei) Ake Ake 4, Emma Gaze (Cambridge) Woodland Bug 5, Victoria Rattray (Mangatangi) Lafayette CSNZ 6.
Caledonian Holdings Amateur Riding: Catherine Fawcett-McNaughton (Pukekohe) Golden Girl MVNZ 1, Shannon Parris (Silverdale) SS Luna 2, Jane Burmester (Helensville) Corpus K 3, Laura McGregor (Greenlane) LC Bergla 4, Victoria Grey (Hawera) Dusseldorf 5, Harriet Dunmore (Papakura) Aspiring Heights BHS 6.
Lincoln University Junior Rider Series: Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Cormina Obolensky 1, Alyvia James (Cambridge) LC Victorieuse 2, Tristan Thomas (Rotorua) Airborne MVNZ 3, Emily Hayward-Morgan (Te Awamutu) Wasabi 4, Drew Carson (Putaruru) Double Shott 5, Georgia Preston-Smith (Tauranga) Loretta WS, Elise Stables (Morrinsville) Striking Gladiator =6.
