Persistent drizzle dampened the arenas but not the spirits at Manfeild Park on 2 February 2017 as competition got underway at the 2017 New Zealand Dressage Championships and Pacific League World Cup Final in Feilding, New Zealand . All horses flew through yesterday’s trotup, including, for the first time ever, a pony contingent after the introduction of CDI-P FEI Pony class.
The pony individual trst was won by Isabella Chatfield on her pony Prima Bella, judged by New Zealand's own Linda Warren Davey and international judges Anne Praine (FRA) and Cesar Torrente (COL).
Young Rider Lucarne Dolley shone in the small CDI-Y field on her lovely 13-year old New Zealand bred mare Devils Chocolate to win on 68.368%. Hannah Van der Horst aboard her 19-year old Clydesdale x Thoroughbred cross Moby'll Do and Emma Turnbull with her 15-year old black New Zealand bred Axiom delivered creditable performances; for both girls this was their first time competing in the CDI Young Rider class.
In the warm up round for the 2017 Pacific League World Cup Finals -- the CDI-W Intermediaire II -- Wendi Williamson and the 12-year old New Zealand bred Hanoverian Dejavu MH (by De Niro x Anamour) were the only pair to hit the 70% mark. Williamson won the class with 70.421% and edged out Taranaki rider Abbie Deken on the 15-year old Hanoverian bred KH Ambrose (by Anamour x Winterkönig). They finished second with 68.421% and referred Manawatu combination Penny Castle and her 13-year old Holsteiner Magnus Spero (by Lubeck x Rocadero) to a third place with 67.500%.
Dressage New Zealand sport manager Wendy Hamerton is expecting a real spectacular in the Pacific League Final with the Grand Prix freestyle CDI-W on Saturday nighy. “This is the very best of the best in New Zealand, and it’s going to be fantastic to see,” she says. “It is a very exciting time in New Zealand dressage with a number of fantastic combinations at this top level.”
The last time New Zealand hosted the Pacific League final was back in 1998 when Australian Mary Hanna and the New Zealand produced Mosaic took the title with a 66.06% effort. “It’s a huge coup for us to be hosting the final,” says Hamerton. “We are all looking forward to a very special evening.”
Photos © Libby Law
Related Links
Scores 2017 CDI-W Feilding
Pacific League World Cup Final Returns to New Zealand with Seven Combinations in the Running