Toulon Too Good in Gisborne

Toulon Too Good in Gisborne

It may have been Toulon NZPH’s first grand prix, but the big Hawke’s Bay bred chestnut didn’t let that hold him back.

In the hands of Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) the eight-year-old headed home a quality field to take the honours in the Country TV Horse Grand Prix at the Gisborne A and P Show.

The two have only been back from Australia two weeks, but Toulon has made plenty of chins wag on the other side of the Tasman.

It was two horse jump-off – 21-year-old Hansen against local hope Tess Williams aboard her pretty grey Sinatra II. Williams had extra incentive to do well – she gets married next weekend and this was her last start with her maiden name.

However, it wasn’t to be.

Hansen was out first, leaving everything up and stopping the clock at 51.88 seconds. Williams looked on track to sneak ahead, until the wall where the blocks fell, with another rail going later in the course, leaving her with eight faults, albeit a snappy 46.21 second time. Hansen was also third equal on Turn It Blue NPZH. Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) and Claire Wilson (Waipukurau), who were also third equal, both had brilliant shows, sharing the spoils in the bigger classes.

Pony grand prix winner Sara Brookes travelled through the night with her small team, coming from Equidays at Mystery Creek, to arrive in Gisborne at 3am. But it was all worthwhile, when she and her rather cruisy Kabo Cappesh notched the only double clear of the class.

Again it was a head-to-head jump-off between Brookes and Sarah Fannin (Hawke’s Bay) aboard Ono. Brookes nudged one but it stayed in place, and she was home in 45.64 seconds.

Fannin flew round in 43.3 but dropped the second to last fence.

“It could have gone either way,” said Brookes. “We got to Tauranga at about 1am and I just said to dad let’s go home. I had a bad feeling about it all. But he said since we were half way we should just keep going. I am so glad we did!”

Her 10-year-old horse won two pony grand prix last season, and while this was his first of the new season, he has placed in all but one of his starts. Now Brookes is hopeful the two will qualify for the Pony of the Year class at the Farmlands Horse of the Year Show in March.

And it was a great day for Gisborne’s Jessie McNeil and Tuki who placed fourth in their first-ever grand prix start.

Larina Dolman (Gisborne) and Kiwi Lansing won their third Goldengrove Stud Seven-Year-Old series class on the trot, while Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) took out the ESNZ Young Rider class aboard her home-bred Classic Arrow, and won the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series and was sixth in the Telford Junior Rider on Smoken Up.

The two grand prix brought to an end three good days of competition in Gisborne. Despite blustery conditions, there were quality fields and top ground conditions.

Results -

Country TV Horse Grand Prix: Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Toulon NZPH 1, Tess Williams (Gisborne) Sinatra II 2, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog, Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Turn It Blue NZPH and Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillians Tipsey =3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Conyers 6.

Pony Grand Prix: Sara Brookes (Auckland) Kabo Cappesh 1, Sarah Fannin (Hawke’s Bay) Ono 2, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Mr Black Magic 3, Jessie McNeil (Gisborne) Tuki 4, Will Moffett (Hawke’s Bay) Utu 5, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Pioneer High Jinx 6.

Caledonia Amateur Rider Series: Merran Hain, Untouchable 1, Caroline Parkes (Wairoa) Peggy Blue 3, Harvey Nelson (Hawke’s Bay) Dream On 3, Lisa Walker, Miss Serendipity 4, Harvey Nelson (Hawke’s Bay) El Molino 5, Robbie McKay (Opotiki) My Bushbaby 6.

Goldengrove Stud Seven-Year-Old Series: Larina Dolman, Kiwi Lansing 1, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillans Fredrika RE 2, Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Ulysses NZPH 3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Wishing Crown 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Wishing 5, Leah Porter (Napier) Kiwi Jet 6.

ESNZ Young Rider Series: Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Classic Arrow 1, Claudia Porter (Napier) Joia Hara 2.

Telford Junior Rider Series: Rebecca Porter (Napier) Mr Harrison 1, Mikayla Herbert (Kawerau) Snow Storm 2, Arnika Noord (Bay of Plenty) Kiwi Dance 3, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Sonic NZPH 4, Will Moffett (Napier) Mustang’s Edition 5, Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up 6.

Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series: Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up 1.

Five-Year-Old: Jenny Tombleson (Gisborne) Nero Bello.

GISBORNE A AND P SHOW

Toulon Too Good in Gisborne

It may have been Toulon NZPH’s first grand prix, but the big Hawke’s Bay bred chestnut didn’t let that hold him back.

In the hands of Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) the eight-year-old headed home a quality field to take the honours in the Country TV Horse Grand Prix at the Gisborne A and P Show.

The two have only been back from Australia two weeks, but Toulon has made plenty of chins wag on the other side of the Tasman.

It was two horse jump-off – 21-year-old Hansen against local hope Tess Williams aboard her pretty grey Sinatra II. Williams had extra incentive to do well – she gets married next weekend and this was her last start with her maiden name.

However, it wasn’t to be.

Hansen was out first, leaving everything up and stopping the clock at 51.88 seconds. Williams looked on track to sneak ahead, until the wall where the blocks fell, with another rail going later in the course, leaving her with eight faults, albeit a snappy 46.21 second time. Hansen was also third equal on Turn It Blue NPZH. Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) and Claire Wilson (Waipukurau), who were also third equal, both had brilliant shows, sharing the spoils in the bigger classes.

Pony grand prix winner Sara Brookes travelled through the night with her small team, coming from Equidays at Mystery Creek, to arrive in Gisborne at 3am. But it was all worthwhile, when she and her rather cruisy Kabo Cappesh notched the only double clear of the class.

Again it was a head-to-head jump-off between Brookes and Sarah Fannin (Hawke’s Bay) aboard Ono. Brookes nudged one but it stayed in place, and she was home in 45.64 seconds.

Fannin flew round in 43.3 but dropped the second to last fence.

“It could have gone either way,” said Brookes. “We got to Tauranga at about 1am and I just said to dad let’s go home. I had a bad feeling about it all. But he said since we were half way we should just keep going. I am so glad we did!”

Her 10-year-old horse won two pony grand prix last season, and while this was his first of the new season, he has placed in all but one of his starts. Now Brookes is hopeful the two will qualify for the Pony of the Year class at the Farmlands Horse of the Year Show in March.

And it was a great day for Gisborne’s Jessie McNeil and Tuki who placed fourth in their first-ever grand prix start.

Larina Dolman (Gisborne) and Kiwi Lansing won their third Goldengrove Stud Seven-Year-Old series class on the trot, while Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) took out the ESNZ Young Rider class aboard her home-bred Classic Arrow, and won the Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series and was sixth in the Telford Junior Rider on Smoken Up.

The two grand prix brought to an end three good days of competition in Gisborne. Despite blustery conditions, there were quality fields and top ground conditions.

Results -

Country TV Horse Grand Prix: Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Toulon NZPH 1, Tess Williams (Gisborne) Sinatra II 2, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) My Gollywog, Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Turn It Blue NZPH and Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillians Tipsey =3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Conyers 6.

Pony Grand Prix: Sara Brookes (Auckland) Kabo Cappesh 1, Sarah Fannin (Hawke’s Bay) Ono 2, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Mr Black Magic 3, Jessie McNeil (Gisborne) Tuki 4, Will Moffett (Hawke’s Bay) Utu 5, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Pioneer High Jinx 6.

Caledonia Amateur Rider Series: Merran Hain, Untouchable 1, Caroline Parkes (Wairoa) Peggy Blue 3, Harvey Nelson (Hawke’s Bay) Dream On 3, Lisa Walker, Miss Serendipity 4, Harvey Nelson (Hawke’s Bay) El Molino 5, Robbie McKay (Opotiki) My Bushbaby 6.

Goldengrove Stud Seven-Year-Old Series: Larina Dolman, Kiwi Lansing 1, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) McMillans Fredrika RE 2, Bridget Hansen (Ocean Beach) Ulysses NZPH 3, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Wishing Crown 4, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Wishing 5, Leah Porter (Napier) Kiwi Jet 6.

ESNZ Young Rider Series: Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Classic Arrow 1, Claudia Porter (Napier) Joia Hara 2.

Telford Junior Rider Series: Rebecca Porter (Napier) Mr Harrison 1, Mikayla Herbert (Kawerau) Snow Storm 2, Arnika Noord (Bay of Plenty) Kiwi Dance 3, Maddison Bult (Auckland) Sonic NZPH 4, Will Moffett (Napier) Mustang’s Edition 5, Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up 6.

Mitavite Six-Year-Old Series: Caroline Kennedy (Cambridge) Smoken Up 1.

Five-Year-Old: Jenny Tombleson (Gisborne) Nero Bello.

ENDS

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