Giles Gormack on Lucero Photo courtesy Jane Thompson
The strong North Island contingent has certainly made their presence felt on the opening day of competition at the FEI South Island Three Day Event in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Te Puke’s Abby Lawrence did a stunning test aboard Indy RE to lead the small but quality field in the Ultimate Design & Renovation Limited FEI CCI2* or 46.1 penalties. The in-form Brent Jury (Cust) heads the southern charge in second position on SE Hedging with 50.1 penalties with Emily Cammock (West Melton) close in third on 51 penalties. Lawrence is also sitting fourth on her second ride Song on 53.8 penalties.
Meanwhile, in the hotly-contested 17-strong ESNZ Eventing Canterbury FEI CCI1* it’s Taupo’s Holly Morrell that’s shot to an early lead on Pampero. It’s incredibly tight at the top though with less than 2 penalties separating the top eight riders going into tomorrow’s cross country. Morrell sits on 50.5 penalties just 0.2 penalties ahead of second placed Janelle Gibson (Gore) on King Curtis and Jessie Fitzjohn (Christchurch) third on 50.8 penalties.
But while the northern raiders head the FEI CCI2* and FEI CCI1* classes it is self-employed horticulturalist Giles Gormack who leads the premier class, the Mitavite FEI CIC3*, on Lucero narrowly from Kate Flemming (Pauatahanui) on Mendelssohn.
Winner of the FEI CCI2* at the same event last year, Gormack put in a nice performance to score 57.69 percent (63.5 penalties) to give himself a handy advantage heading into the jumping phases.
Competition across the lower levels was tight with some impressive performances.
The all-important cross country phase gets underway tomorrow at 9am, followed by the final showjumping on Sunday. Entry to the grounds is free and all welcome.
RESULTS:
Mitavite FEI CIC3*: Giles Gormack (Amberley) Lucero, 63.5, 1; Kate Flemming (Pauatahanui) Mendelssohn, 66.8, 2.
Ultimate Design & Renovation Limited FEI CCI2*: Abby Lawrence (Te Puke) Indy RE, 46.9, 1; Brent Jury (Cust) SE Hedging, 50.1, 2; Emily Cammock (West Melton) Ngahiwi Frosty, 51, 3; Abby Lawrence (Te Puke) Song, 53.8, 4; Kirsty Sharapoff (Christchurch) Shoot The Breeze, 56.8, 5; Lucy Turner (Broadfields) Carbon 58.1, 6.
ESNZ Eventing Canterbury FEI CCI1*: Holly Morrell (Taupo) Pampero, 50.5, 1; Janelle Gibson (Gore) King Curtis, 50.7, 2; Jessie Fitzjohn (Christchurch) What’s The Buzz, 50.8, 3; Dayna Fox (Ototohanga) LV Little Chief, 51.5, 4; Frank Phillips (Te Awamutu) I Told You So, 51.7, 5; Sophie Griffith (Kaiapoi) Noir Et Blanc, 51.8, 6.
Hei Hei Pharmacy CCN105: Megan Taylor (Kaiapoi) Killur, 34.5, 1; Anna Robertson (Christchurch) Valkyrie II, 36.1, 2; Amalia Rowley (Timaru) Mexico, 37, 3; Emily Wingham (Ashburton) Queen Of Jazz, 37.6, 4; Emma Simpson (Oamaru) Mesaluna, 38, 5; Mikayla Green (Rangiora) Stars Ransom, 38.2, 6.
Rangiora Vet Centre CCN105: Eve Hawes (Reefton) Spookee Possum, 33.1, 1; Emma Van Vianen (Christchurch) Kap Pai Kiwi, 35.9, 2; Emily Cammock (West Melton) GNZ Apple Jack, 36.5, 3; Jordan Kruger (Christchurch) Bamboozle, 37.1, 4; Maddy Tait (Christchurch) Island Road, 38.2, 5; Zara Power (Rangiora) Beaumont Boy, 38.2, 6.
Eventing Canterbury CCN95: Georgie Dickson (Wanaka) Déjà vu III, 28.6l, 1; Jamie Atkinson (Prebbleton) Ahuriri Dusk, 31, 2; Jordan Shrimpton (Christchurch) Mister Puzzle, 31.1, 3; Benjamin Rowley (Timaru) Innocent Eyes, 32.2, 4; Abriele Morse (Timaru) Wembleybrook O’Driscoll, 32.5, 5; Joneen Chalmers (Outram) Jacknthebox, 32.6, 6.
Canterbury Equine Clinic CCN95 (4, 5 & 6 Year Olds): Courtney Davis (Waipara) GemTime, 28.5, 1; Sam Taylor (Swanannoa) Astek Victor, 28.5, 2; Emily Cammock (West Melton) Percy, 28.6, 3; Rebecca Smithey (Ramgiora) SD Amourosi, 31.8, 4; Emily Cammock (West Melton) Frazer, 32.2, 5; Penny Lawrence (Broadfields) Kingsman, 33.2, 6.
Rangiora Equestrian Supplies CNC80: Nicola Sim (Ashburton) Chocolate Ice, 27.9, 1; Luca Swale (Queenstown) Holmslee Black Beauty, 29.3, 2; Colleen Marett (Temuka) Attenborough, 29.8, 3; Brigette MacKay (Prebbleton) Westwood Dalmar Ricochet, 30, 4; Annabel Adams (Chirstchurch) What’s News, 32.2, 5; Mark Cowie (Darfield) Security Guard, 33.4, 6.
Eventing Canterbury CCN80: Shane Maley (Darfield) Rainier, 29, 1; Petra Green (Rangiora) Tiger Woods LS, 32.9, 2; Anna Schroeder (Rolleston) Waipuna Jack, 33.1, 3; Tania Kenny (Leeston) Starr Touch, 34.6, 4; Joneen Chalmers (Outram) Tommo, 35.4, 5; Jessie Fraser (Wanaka) Apepe, 36.2, 6.
Emily Cammock, seen here on another of her up and coming horses, Cavorts at Puhinui International Horse Trials
At the same event on Thursday Cammock had a dominant all-the-way victory in the Saddlery Barn South Island Young Event horse aboard the Thomas family’s lovely Astek Vasili
Open to four and five-year-olds, the class aims to identify the eventing stars of the future and is judged over dressage, jumping, conformation and suitability including a gallop. Colonel Dushyant Bali (India) and Anne Tylee (NZL) judged the dressage phase, Jan Hunt (NZL) showjumping and Julie Turner and Bridget Chatterton judged the conformation, counting towards 80 per cent of the final mark.
Cammock guided the four-year-old to a smart dressage performance leading from the outset and again placed highest out the 18-strong field in both the jumping and conformation phases to extend their margin. While they did not win the galloping section they had done more than enough to secure the title on 101.9 points, just ahead of second-placed Rocana Mac III ridden by Louise Turner on 96.75 with the Thoroughbred mare Galvanised third for Nicola Barringer on 95.6.
Owned by Kristy and Eloise Thomas, Astek Vasili is by Voltaire II out of The Graduate mare. Purchased as an unbroken three-year-old as Eloise Thomas’s future eventer Cammock has done all the work on him to date and was over the moon with the result, despite some green moments in the dressage. “I was absolutely thrilled with him. He is very very green and came out and jumped super. There were some really nice horses in the class,” she said.
Astek Vasili was also the leading four-year-old while the leading five-year-old and the newly introduced New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Best Thoroughbred went to Nicole Barringer’s Galvanised. Second placed Rocana Mac III was awarded the Best Mare award.
RESULTS:
Saddlery Barn South Island Young Event Horse: Emily Cammock (West Melton) Astek Vasili 1, Louse Turner (Christchurch) Rocana Mac III 2, Nicole Barringer (Leeston) Galvanised 3, Sam Taylor (Swanannoa) Astek Victor 4, Emily Cammock (West Melton) Frazer 5, Brent Jury (Cust) SE Gorky Park 6. Best Four-Year-Old: Astek Vasili. Best Five-Year-Old: Galvanised. Best Mare: Rocana Mac III. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) Best Thoroughbred: Galvanised
