Show continues despite rain
Show continues despite rain
Torrential rain and
flooding at the Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds has not dampened
spirits at the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings, even for
those camping on the grounds.
There is extensive flooding
around the showgrounds, where around 3000 people are staying
on-site in tents and trucks.
About 20mls of rain has
fallen since midnight and it continues to come down, with
gumboots and coats the order of the day.
Debbie Hendry
and her daughters Georgia and Maria are part of the
Canterbury New Zealand Mounted Games Association contingent.
Their camping site was surrounded by a sea of mud, but they
remained upbeat.
“We’re pretty well set up, we
didn’t get flooded out – games people are pretty
hardy.”
They brought three ponies up from Christchurch
for the show and, other than trying to tack up in muddy
yards and wash bays turned to brown making things difficult,
they were philosophical.
“It’s obviously a dampener
because we have to move to continue, but it’s our national
champs and we need to complete it,” Debbie says.
The
mounted games will shift to the Equestrian Centre at
Flaxmere today in order to complete their
competition.
They plan to continue camping at the
showgrounds, but the challenge transporting the ponies to
the Equestrian Park, and then commute between
venues.
“We have to make the best of the situation –
we have a solution, it’s just getting the horses down
there.”
As rider and horse safety is the paramount
concern, the conditions and forecast for further rain forced
the cancellation of the cross country phase of the eventing
and showjumping in all arenas today.
There is still
plenty of action in other arenas, including dressage and
showing, as well as shopping and the dessert degustation,
designed by acclaimed Australian chef Adriano Zumbo and
delivered by Orton Catering.
SCHEDULE UPDATE – SATURDAY,
MARCH 11
Due to poor weather the following changes have
been made to the schedule for Saturday:
Show Jumping:
There is no competition today.
CANCELLED: The Premier
Stakes and cross country phase of the eventing have been
cancelled.
Dressage and showing: continue in their main
arenas including the Dunstan Horsefeeds CDI FEI Grand Prix
Special Title (1:15pm) and the Harney & Sons Fine Teas Level
6/7 Musical Freestyle Title (3:30pm)
Mounted Games –
has moved to the Equestrian Centre located at 89 Equestrian
Ln, Bridge Pa 4175
Re tickets: Saturday tickets are valid
for
Sunday.