Tegan Takes Takapoto

Tegan Fitzsimon’s season just got better, taking out the Gold Tour Final at Takapoto Estate Show Jumping in Cambridge aboard her amazing Windermere Cappuccino and adding to an already bulging trophy cabinet.

The Christchurch combination, who earlier this season won the Longines FEI World Cup New Zealand Series and the national grand prix title, edged out 36 classy combinations to bring the curtain down on a fabulous first week of jumping.

The weather certainly played its part too with torrential rain proving a challenge for both riders and organisers, however this afternoon was near perfect and the forecast for the second week of jumping, which starts in earnest on Thursday, looks ideal.

Ten combinations came back for the second round of the Gold Tour Final over the Gerrit Beker-designed course. Gisborne farmer Fraser Tombleson and his very brave little homebred mare Mea I notched the first clear of the round, stopping the clock at 59.48 seconds. Aussie raider Kate Hinschen and FF Cadel set the mark with their clear round in 58.16 seconds. Former Olympic Cup winner Claudia Hay (Tokoroa) and Euro Sport Centavos opted for a lovely controlled clear in 60.06 followed by Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) and LT Holst Andrea, winners of the FEI World Cup NZ final, rode their cool and calm clear, coming home in 59.54. Two more riders had faults, with all the pressure in the world on Tegan, the last to enter the arena.

“I saw the clears going and didn’t think I could possibly beat them,” she said. “I was going for a nice clear but I added down the first line and though I needed to kick it up a gear and went for it. I heard the crowd cheering too.”

They stopped the clock at 56.65 seconds much to the delight of a very appreciative crowd. It was a little bittersweet for Tegan as her horse is likely to be sold offshore after the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show. “The child in me says I want to keep my pony, but that’s the sport and what I signed up for.”

The riders all thanked their fellow competitors, the sponsors and show patrons Mitch and Kate Plaw for creating such a special event for New Zealand showjumping.

Earlier today Emily Hayward (Cambridge) was ecstatic with her victory in the Silver Tour Final aboard Belischi HM. “He is still very green, especially in the jump-off, but I just try to give him as much confidence and experience as I can. I just couldn’t be happier with him,” she said.

Belischi HM was a late starter in the showjumping world. Emily bought the nine-year-old off the track Australian thoroughbred from Peter and Michelle McMahon in 2016.

Emma Gaze knew she and her homebred Kowhai Bug had to pull out something quite spectacular if they were to head home a very competitive Bronze Tour Final . . . and they did. “He is so honest and I just adore that about him.”

She and her family breed horses at their Ohaupo base but her full time work commitments as a radiographer means they take their time to produce the horses.

Kowhai Bug was broken in at five and started his competitive career at six. “We had a few hiccups late last year but that was my riding, not him. Her has the nicest nature but likes to carry himself quite upright and I had to learn to adjust to suit him.”

Others to do well over the week were Jessica Trow (Whitford) and Jack Flash II who won the Amateur Tour Final, Jessica Collinson (Clevedon) and Ngahiwi Cruise who took out the Junior Tour Final, Samantha Peters (Cambridge) and Cadillac NZPH who won the Seven-Year-Old Tour Final, Kim Best (Hastings) and LT Holst Teacher’s Pet who won the Six-Year-Old Tour, Luke Dee (Waipukurau) and Chic Xtreme, winners of the Five-Year-Old Tour and Lizzie Green (Hamilton) and Caprioska who took out the Four-Year-Old Tour.

Results –
Gold Tour Final: Tegan Fitzsimon (Christchurch) Windermere Cappuccino 1, Kate Hinschen (Australia) FF Cadel 2, Fraser Tombleson (Gisborne) Mea I 3, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 4, Claudia Hay (Tokoroa) Euro Sport Centavos 5, Amelia Douglass (Australia) Sirius Du Granit 6, Tom Tarver (Kawerau) EquiFibre Popeye 7, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Fiber Fresh Veroana 8.

Silver Tour Final: Emily Hayward (Cambridge) Belischi HM 1, Melody Matheson (Hastings) Cortaflex Illusion SSH 2, Jesse Linton (Hastings) LC Autograph 3, Sally Steiner (Tauranga) Di Caprio CSNZ 4, Luke Dee (Waipukurau) Cheyenne 5, Madison Crowe (Hamilton) Waitangi Pinterest 6, Laura Hilhorst (Cambridge) LC Underberg 7, Kimberley Bird (Ashurst) Euro Champagne 8.

Bronze Tour Final: Emma Gaze (Ohaupo) Kowhai Bug 1, Catherine Cameron (Cambridge) Kiwi Fern 2, Jesse Linton (Hastings) SB Attitude 3, Jaimee Bird (Ashburton) Cancion HSH 4, Charlotte Amos (Cambridge) Kabo Marmite 5, Lucia Voss (Kawerau) Ngahiwi Para 6.

Amateur Tour Final: Jessica Trow (Whitford) Jack Flash II 1, Merran Hain (Gisborne) Untouchable 2, Danielle Wheeler (Clevedon) CP Aurelio 3, Olivia Glen (Clevedon) Mathilde 4, Anna Kincheff (Rotorua) Red Socks 5, Fiona Fraser (Karaka) Xanthus II 6.

Junior Tour Final: Jessica Collinson (Clevedon) Ngahiwi Cruise 1, Ella Rutherford (Auckland) Banjo II 2, Shyanne Eagle (Tauranga) Prestige 3, Amelie Chaplin (Auckland) King Cobra 4, Georgia Milner (Auckland) Icebreaker MP 5, Maya Denis (Mexico) Cadenza 6.

Seven-Year-Old Tour Final: Samantha Peters (Cambridge) Cadillac NZPH 1, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Lamondo GNZ 2, Rachel Malcolm (Cambridge) Monte Carlo MVNZ 3, Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Watermill Hadley 4, Heloise Tolo (Wellington) Can’t Touch This NZPH 5, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Vitess 6, Emelia Forsyth (Clevedon) Catapult Xtreme 7, Annabel Francis (Taupo) Cherokee NZPH 8.

Six-Year-Old Tour Final: Kim Best (Hastings) LT Holst Teacher’s Pet 1, Melody Matheson (Hastings) Cortaflex Enya MH 2, Tegan Fitzsimon (Christchurch) Glenbrooke All Roses 3, Sam McIntosh (France/Cambridge) Malarkey 4, Sophie Littlewood (Auckland) Corpaccio Xtreme 5, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Double J Kelvin 6, Tegan Fitzsimon (Christchurch) Campari 7, Laura Inkster (Auckland) Nikama MVNZ 8.

Five-Year-Old Tour Final: Luke Dee (Waipukurau) Chic Xtreme 1, Luke Dee (Cambridge) Avenger Xtreme 2, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Cassiana Xtreme 3, Georgia Massie (Dannevirke) Jay-Z GNZ 4, Olivia Prendergast (Matamata) Souther Field 5, Jackie Jermyn (Matangi) Chalo ECPH 6, Alex Loiselle (Ocean Beach) Eldorado NZPH 7, Lucy Olphert (Tauranga) Atlanta WWPH 8.

Four-Year-Old Tour Final: Lizzie Green (Hamilton) Caprioska 1, Jesse Linton (Hastings) Miss Veleta 2, Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) Lombardi 3, Kim Best (Hastings) Chuckles 4, Emelia Forsyth (Clevedon) LV Imprint 5 Sophie Gosselin (Karaka) The Tenth Muse 6.

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