It may be early in the season, but Auckland teenager Lily Tootill is half way to achieving one of her biggest goals of the year after victory today in the FEI World Jumping Challenge at the Central Districts Showjumping and Show Hunter Champs in Foxton.
Aboard the Gisborne-bred Ngahiwi Cruise, the 16-year-old won the challenge, and now surely heads the pack for selection for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
The challenge was the only qualifier for the games, to which New Zealand will send just one rider.
Such interest meant a large class with 33 combinations from North and South Islands lining up in the four round challenge, but Tootill was in a class of her own, going clear in all four rounds and notching an impressively fast time. Now she must wait to see if her time is fast enough to earn her the right to compete at the world challenge final, and whether the selectors are impressed enough to name her for the Youth Olympics.
“I really want to make the Youth Olympics,” said Tootill. “It would be one of the coolest things ever and was my main priority today.”
The 2013 challenge features combinations all over the world jumping the same course designed by John Vallance (Australia). Results are collated from all over the globe with the top 20 heading to the final.
Finishing second to Tootill today was Melanie Weal (Te Awamutu) and Appleton, who were also all clear but more than 14 seconds slower, with Rebekah van Tiel (Karaka), who represented New Zealand at the final last year, third with four faults.
Former Olympian Katie McVean dominated the horse grand prix today, winning aboard Dunstan Springfield, placing third on Dunstan Delilah and fifth on Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark.
Twelve started the class, with five going through to the jump-off. First out was McVean on Delilah who were clear in 45.39 seconds, followed by Robert Steele (Hawera) and the perennial Gospel who were faster, stopping the clock at 38.35 but took the last fence to finish on four faults.
McVean and Springfield took things to another level with their clear 38.95, with Bernard Denton (Feilding) and Horsesports Suzuki clear in 41.72. McVean and Iron Mark had eight faults over the Gary Sinclair (Wellington) designed course.
The class marked the end of two excellent days of jumping. As the first two star show of the season, there were plenty taking the opportunity to warm up for the fast approaching opening world cup round later this month.
Results -
FEI World Jumping Challenge: Lily Tootill (Karaka) Ngahiwi Cruise 1, Melanie Weal (Te Awamutu) Appleton 2, Rebekah van Tiel (Karaka) Adeaze 3, Shaun Fannin (Hawke’s Bay) Air Hill the Rajah 4, Rebecca Porter (Hawke’s Bay) Mr Harrison 5, Larina Dolman (Gisborne) Kiwi Lansing 6.
Horse grand prix: Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Springfield 1, Bernard Denton (Feilding) Horsesports Suzuki 2, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Delilah 3, Robert Steele (Hawera) Gospel 4, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark 5, Lucy Akers (Opiki) Cortaflex Tinapai 6.
Country TV pony grand prix: Timothy Richards (Ohaupo) Mangakaraa Carbon Copy 1, Melonie Weal (Te Awamutu) Hopeful Illusion 2, Shanae Mckay (Levin) Guthrie 3, Larina Dolman (Gisborne) Strawberry Fields 4, Jessie Goggin (Wellington) Te Mata Miss 5, Caitlybn Horton (New Plymouth) Limmerick’s Black Samba 6.
Telford young rider: Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Kiwi Ludo 1, Hannah Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Carlotta 2, Jane Warren (Featherston) Dark Ages 3, Jamie Thurlow (Waverley) Our Roosta 4, Natasha Brooks (Cambridge) Kapattack 5, Timothy Myers (Hawera) Pick Me NZPH 6.
KiwiSpan junior rider: Claudia Porter (Hawke’s Bay) Joia Hara 1, Lucy Allen (Auckland) Delta Pierre 2, Lily Tootill (Karaka) Yum Yum 3, Rebecca Gill (Wellington) Ms Macy Gray 4, Tamara Silcock (Nelson) Brea AF 5, Emily Fraser (Dannevirke) Kiwi Relic 6.
STH/LG Forge pro am rider: Nicky Booth (Masterton) Edana van Overis 1, Danielle Maurer (Auckland) Henton Faberge 2, Tim Finch (Waipukurau) Mr Munga 3 3, Tim Finch (Waipukurau) Roulez-Rouge 4, Jamie Howie (Taihape) Obe One Kanobe 5, Laura Knight (Palmerston North) Sir Arthur 6.
Amateur rider: Natasha Mazey (Wellington) Kabo Luna 1, Diana Cottle (Levin) Morpheus Rising 2, Olivia Laing (Taupo) Midway Whisper 3, Lauren Currie (Wellington) Wishful Thinking 4, Jo Andrews (Otaki) Ecxtacy 5, Barry Beatson (Dannevirke) Sloane Square 6.
Canterbury Equestrian five year old series: Tenisha Carey (Hawke’s Bay) Double J Monarch and Elizabeth Vincent (Palmerston North) Vamped NZPH =1.
Mitavite Munga six year old series: Katherine Gillaly (Palmerston North) Double J Sunshine and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Mandalay Cove =1.
Seven year old series: Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Lucca 1, Kim Best (Hastings) Mr Wiggles 2, Jessie Linton (Hastings) AP Ninja 3, Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Carlo 4, Brooke Zander (Waipukurau) Tax Blues NPZH 5.
