Feast Adds Another to His Title Haul

Feast Adds Another to His Title Haul

Harry Feast’s dream season has continued at the NZ National Showjumping and Showhunter Championships in Christchurch today adding the Canterbury Equestrian/Mitavite Young Rider title to the national seven-year-old title he won on Thursday.

Reduced to just the five starters after the scratching of sole North Islander Oliver Croucher (Rotorua) on Delta Fasteuex and local Sally Spicer on Bella Vi, Feast and Double J Bouncer proved too strong.

Provided a serious test by course designer John Vallance, Feast posted the first clear round, quickly followed up by Olivia Robertson (Ohoka) and her imported mare, DHs Ceniki , to take it to a jump-off.

Out first, Feast put in another faultless performance finishing in a time of 41.66 seconds. Robertson looked sharp but when the fifth fence fell she opted to retire, saving the mare for the championship class tomorrow.

Despite the small numbers, Feast said it was still a tough competition. Jumping off against Robertson was always going to be hard and it was also a big ask given Double J Bouncer was just a seven-year-old only having his second start at this height, he said. “I’m rapt. To win one would have been cool and I’ve been lucky enough to win both.”

Later in the day North Island visitor Drew Carson put in a gutsy performance after loosing a stirrup early on the track to win the hotly-contested Telford/Total Realty Rob McGregor Junior Rider in an all out battle against the clock.

A field of 18 started with seven going clear over the Donella Still-designed course.

Courtney Townsend (Darfield) and Suzy Fog set the early pace jumping clear in a time if 49.31 seconds. Fourth out with her first ride Double Shot, Carsontook some sharp lines but didn’t quite pull it off, finishing in a sizzling time of 40.58 seconds with one fence down.

Out next, big local hope Steffi Whittaker (Springston) on Ngahiwi Cruise gave the time a good nudge coming home clear in 44.98 seconds to move into the lead, but it was to be short-lived as Carson asked the question of Winston V Driene. The big gelding responded, flying home in 39.04 to snatch the title.

Carson was thrilled with the result, but even more thrilled to pick up her very first rug. “I was praying I might get the National Junior Title but I really wanted to win a rug,” she laughed.

Today also saw the second competitions of the other championship classes including the Wilcox Perlas Potatoes/June Cresswell Memorial 1.30m Championship and the Country TV/Seales Winslow Open Pony Championship, both which saw changes to the leaderboard.

In the ponies, Whittaker has moved into the lead with another strong performance today adding just one time fault to her first day total to sit on 2.09 penalties. Ally Carson (Putauru) and Tony The Pony took out today’s class to sit in second, with Sophie Scott (Wellington) and Benrose Playtime now third. Overnight leader Grace O’Sullivan and Galaxy Masterpiece had two fences down.

Wilcox Perlas Potatoes/June Cresswell Memorial 1.30m Championship overnight leader Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) also dropped down the order with Dunstan Carlo after an uncharacteristic performance in the first round with four fences down. She still has control of the class though going into tomorrow with the lovely greys, Dunstan Casebrook Lamond and Dunstan Dorothy, holding first and second respectively.

The finals for all championship classes will get underway tomorrow. Action starts at 8am.

RESULTS:

Canterbury Equestrian/Mitavite Young Rider: Harry Feast (West Melton) Double J Bouncer 1, Olivia Robertson (Ohoka) DHs Ceniki 2, Georgia Urrquhart (Fairlie) Quickstep NZPH 3, Tamara Silcock (Nelson) CoDicea 4, Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Ngahiwi Summer 5.

Telford/Total Realty – Rob McGregor Junior Rider: Drew Carson (Putauru) Winston V Driene 1, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Ngahiwi Cruise 2, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) Suzy Fog 3, Drew Carson (Putauru) Double Shot 4, Grace O’Sullivan (Rangiora) Blastov 5, Jamiee Bird (Ashburton) Wenrose Vertigo 6. EQUITATION: Steffi Whittaker 1, Courtney Townsend 2, Drew Carson 3, Jamiee Bird 4, Florence Tapley (Pigeon Bay) 5, Georgie Goodworth (Cust) 6.

Second Competition Wilcox Perlas Potatoes/June Cresswell Memorial 1.30m Championship: Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Casebrook Lamond 1, Susie Hayward (Barhill) Andretti 2, Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Dorothy 3, Kimberley McCabe (Invercargill) Kace 4, Emma Power (Little River) Longridge Maverick 5, Sally Spicer (West Melton) Bella Vi 6. OVERALL (after two days): Katie Laurie, Dunstan Casebrook Lamond, 2.5, 1; Katie Laurie, Dunstan Dorothy, 9.47, 2; Emma Power, 11.04, 3.

Second Competition Country TV/Seales Winslow Open Pony Championship: Ally Carson (Putauru) Tony The Pony 1, Sophie Scott (Wellington)Benrose Playtime 2, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Moonlight Glow 3, Annabelle Francis (Darfield) Te Mata Miss 4, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Waiotahi Belle 5, Oliver Croucher (Rotorua) Redcliffes Gailforce 6. OVERALL (after two days): Steffi Whittaker, Moonlight Glow, 2.09, 1; Ally Carson, Tony The Pony, 3.35, 2; Sophie Scott, Benrose Playtime, 5.40, 3.

Second Competition T & M Nurseries 1.20m Horse Championship: Jamiee Bird (Ashburton) Double J Wilma 1, Jax Crutchley (Broadfields) Hot Chocolate 2, Gail Richardson (Invercargill) Eireann Bandoola 3, Louise Marriot (Fernside) Concur 4, Jamiee Bird (Ashburton) Wenrose Vertigo 5, Jayne Beattie (Outram) Midnight Magic Rumble 6. OVERALL (after two days): Jamie Bird, Double J Wilma, 5.94 penalties, 1; Gail Richardson, Eireann Bandoola, 11.90, 2; Louise Marriot, Concur, 11.98, 4.

Second Competition Mark Todd Collection/Platinum Performance NZ 1.10m Horse Championship: Brittany Talbot (Timaru) Epsom 1, Heather McConchie(Darfield) Major Thom 2, Kimberley Bird (Ashburton) Dare To Compare 3, Kate Beattie (Outram) Smarty Marty 4, Candace Kingsbury (Ashburton) Miss Serendipty II 5, Helen Scott (Cave) Summerland 6. OVERALL (after two days): Lucy Brown (Queenstown) Piccolo Matteo, 3.07, 1; Kate Beattie, Smarty Marty, 3.6, 2; Heather McConchie, Major Thom, 3.85, 3.

Second Competition Christchurch City Council 1.10m Pony Championship: Annabelle Francis (Darfield) Apache Blue 1, Gretchen Anderson (Hokitika) Tallyho Cleopatra 2, Olivia Harkerss (Leeston) Brooklee Smallchange 3, Natalie Peoples (Christchurch) Tui Hills Copper Abby 4, Steffi Whittaker (Springston) Burma Chilli 5, Grace Manera (West Melton) Rednalhgih Cowan 6. OVERALL (after two days): Natalie Peoples, Tui Hills Copper Abbi, 0, 1; Steffi Whittaker, 0.36, 2; Grace Manera, Rednalhgih Cowen, 0.88, 3.

ENDS

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