The winning streak continues for 22-year-old South Island sensation, Rose Alfeld and her lovely homebred gelding My Super Nova, taking out the Equitana New Zealand Harrison Lane Invitational Jumping Grand Prix tonight.
It was a small but strong field of nine quality combinations that took on the testing track, with eight coming back for the second round, providing the enthusiastic crowd with world class show jumping entertainment.
The first of three clears to come back towards the end of the second round, Rose put her foot to the floor to finish double clear in an incredibly quick time of 34.84. Next out, Katie Laurie and Breeze looked set to challenge Rose’s position, until an unfortunate two refusals at the second to last fence put her out of contention.
In a nail-biting finish, visiting Australian combination, Gabrielle Kuna and Flaire tried hard but couldn’t quite catch Rose, dropping the last fence and finishing in a time of 38.23.
Tonight’s win is yet another great result for Rose on her tour of North Island, after finishing in top position last weekend in the World Cup Qualifier at Egmont A & P.
The class was also the first part of the Trans-Tasman teams event, with two Australian riders and two New Zealand riders from both dressage and show jumping making up a team of four in the competition.
Both teams’ show jumping riders, Gabrielle Kuna and Kate Hinschen for Australia, and Clarke Johnstone and Samantha Morrison for New Zealand finished on 12 faults total between them, leaving the teams neck and neck going into the dressage. It’s now up to Julie Brougham and John Thompson for New Zealand, and Rozzie Ryan and Brett Parbery for Australia to decide who will take the win!
HARRISON LANE EQUITANA New Zealand Open Grand Prix - Invitation Only, Results.
1st: Rose Alfeld - My Super Nova 2nd: Gabrielle Kuna - Flaire (AUS) 3rd: Samantha Morrison - Biarritz 4th: Kate Hinschen - CD Visage (AUS) 5th: Clarke Johnstone - Quainton Labyrinth 6th: Amanda Wilson - Showtym Cassanova