The final day of this three-day competition began with the Beyond the Bit Dressage. The environment was a challenging one. The gusty wind set banners and flags flapping to add to the noise from loud-speakers and passing spectators. In addition, after the exceptionally wet spring and the intermittent rain during the competition, the going in the grass arena was deep.
Judge Marcia Bayley commented, “Some seasoned dressage horses would have had problems in this environment – it was a credit to the riders and the training of the horses that they all completed.”
The winner of this phase was Amanda Pottinger on her cheeky five-year-old, Perry.
The dressage was followed by the New Zealand Bloodstock Showhunter Performance class – an interesting format devised by judge Leigh Taylor which featured show hunter jumps set at 80cm with the additional requirement of specific movements at markers.
Petra Easton with the beautiful five-year-old chestut gelding Hold the Phone was the winner of this class.
The overall competition was closely contested between the two eventers, Donna Edwards-Smith and Amanda Pottinger, but it was Donna who took out the Dunstan Cup with the very classy Sunset Pass, who looks set for a promising eventing career. Amanda Pottinger with Perry was second, and Laura Knight with Wotabuzz finished third. Fourth place went to Ellen Osborne and Ilikai, fifth were Petra Easton and Hold the Phone, and sixth Bryar Kirkeby, HNS Supreme.
Images will be for sale by the end of the weekend.
ShowCircuit images from Equidays are for sale at: www.showcircuit.photoshelter.com
Pip Hume images are available here: piphumephotography.photoshelter.com