Cool Clarke is off his feet for a little while ............
New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone is out of action following a fall at Hastings three weeks ago at his first start since Rio. He was hoping to defend his title at the New Zealand National Eventing Championships at Arran Station, Takapau, on the 29th and 30th October but the his right shoulder, initially thought to be dislocated, was subsequently discovered to be broken as well as his left ankle, so he will be sitting this one out
The entries for the sixtieth National Eventing Championships, hosted by Central & Southern Hawes Bay Eventing at the Silver Fern Farms property have closed with a record 273 entries across the six levels of competition. The entries at the lower levels which attract local riders are particularly pleasing, and bode well for the future of the sport.
The top class, the Red Snap’r CIC3* national title for the Forest Gate Trophy has 13 entries, some stepping up to elite level to challenge themselves against the more experienced riders, who will be keenly contesting not only the title, the trophy, and the glory, but also Super League points, as National titles earn extra points.
With Samantha Felton and Andy Daines, who won the first leg of the Super League at Taupo a fortnight ago, both in Australia to compete in the Australian International 3 Day Event the weekend after Arran Station, the competition is wide open. Diane Gilder and Your Attorney, who hold second position in the League, will also be missing as she has a long standing commitment to RDA, for whom she works, that she cannot renege on.
The adorable Mr Hokey Pokey and Donna Smith
Hawkes Bay rider Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding, the current National Three-day Event title holders, will be giving it their best shot, hoping to add to her trophy haul, while Donna Edwards-Smithand crowd favourite Mr Hokey Pokey will push her all the way, having led after the dressage at Taupo.
Virginia Thompson had planned to take Star Nouveau, on whom she won the Puhinui Three-day Event last December, to Adelaide, but a stone bruise interfered with his preparation, so she will be trying to make amends by winning the Forest Gate Trophy, first presented in 1957.
Former C&SHB Eventing chairman Campbell Draper, now based at Putaruru, who won the warm-up event at Hastings on Mr Mancini, will be consolidating their form at 3* level this season, having won the Equestrian Entries Pro-Am series last year. Another to watch is NZ High Performance Director Sarah Dalziell-Clout, from the Wairarapa, who was second behind Pottinger at Taupo.
The dark horse, in every sense of the word, is Giddyup, being ridden by the man with the most 3* wins at Arran Station, dairy farmer Matthew Grayling from New Plymouth, who has recently taken over the ride on this experienced 2* horse, so will be watched with interest by more than Warwick Douglas, who produced him.
