EQUITANA Set to Return to NZ
EQUITANA Set to Return to NZ
Julie Brougham added a
second open dressage title to her trophy cabinet today when
she won the inaugural Kubota EQUITANA New Zealand Open Grand
Prix.
She and Vom Feinsten were a class act, scoring 70.63%, with John Thompson (Hamilton) and JHT Antonello second on 69.5%, and Wendi Williamson (Kumeu) and Dejavu MH third on 68.9%.
The win by Brougham (Palmerston North)
backed up her win in the ATEED New Zealand Open Freestyle
Grand Prix to Music earlier in the event.
The Rio
Olympian and her German-bred chestnut seem to be getting
better and better, and are now chasing qualifying scores for
the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in the United
States.
“It was one of the scariest moments of my life,
purchasing a horse in Germany,” she said, “But it turned
out to be one of the best things I have ever done.”
She
paid tribute to her feisty chestnut, saying she simply
wouldn’t have an identity without him. Brougham was rapt
with today’s test.
“It was a good test, with no errors at all,” she said. “The arena out there was the best surface I have ridden on in New Zealand without a doubt. It makes such a difference and is vital to us.”
She praised
the foresight of EQUITANA Auckland director Kevin
Hansen.
“I am just thrilled that Kevin has brought
EQUITANA to Auckland. He has really improved the standard in
providing us with such a good surface. We are all so glad to
have exposure to an event like this, and from a competitor
point of view we have loved it.”
She looked forward to
competing at EQUITANA again in the future.
John Thompson,
who is also tilting for the WEG next year, produced an
electric test filled with energy with his gelding JHT
Antonello.
“He is 15 going on four,” he said of the
horse.
The third placed Wendi Williamson, another one eyeing WEG, and Dejavu MH also did a beautiful test.
The
hugely popular IRT The Way of The Horse, which saw four
talented horse men and women take unhandled three-year-olds
from wild to willing, was won by Tui Teka after a
fascinating final where the riders had to show judges John
Lyons, Andrew Nicholson and Jonny Hilberath just what they
could do with their mounts.
Each has spent just four
hours total with their horse.
“I couldn’t have asked for more,” said Teka of his steel grey filly. “She has been an absolute pleasure to work with.”
The final competitions today marked the end of a brilliant four days at the inaugural EQUITANA Auckland.
EQUITANA managing director Rod Lockwood said he was very excited about the first show and how well it had been received by both the equine community and Auckland.
“We have a lot of plans now for the future,” said Lockwood. “As an organisation, we have learnt a lot about what needs to be improved and implemented and we have listened to the feedback from ticket buyers and will be acting on that for 2019.”
Results – Kubota EQUITANA New Zealand Open Dressage Grand Prix: Julie Brougham (Palmerston North) Vom Feinsten 70.63% 1, John Thompson (Hamilton) JHT Antonello 69.5% 2, Wendi Williamson (Kumeu) Dejavu MH 68.9%, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Ali Baba 66.3% 4, Abbie Deken (Taranaki) KH Ambrose 5, Rozzie Ryan (Australia) Adonie 65.13% 6.
IRT The Way of The
Horse: Tui Teka (Ocean Beach) 1, Brett Davey (Australia)
2.
Trans Tasman Challenge: Australia 1, New Zealand
2.
ends