Organisers of Eventing Canterbury were left with no option but to postpone the event last Sunday after high winds ravaged Canterbury earlier in the week. While none of the amenities sustained serious damage, the road to the National Equestrian Centre at McLeans Island was closed due to tree damage and power was out.
"Everyone has been working hard to get the event back on track, but some things are out of our control. A huge amount of work has gone in to make it happen," said Eventing Canterbury chairman Bruce Taylor. Taylor said trees down in significant areas had necessitated some cross country course changes. He warned that with record entries across the board, riders needed to be prepared as normal facilities at the island would not be 100% available.
The event kicks off the South Island eventing calendar proper, which runs through to the South Island Three Day Event next April. It also marks the first opportunity for southern riders to get first points on the board in the national series at Young Rider, Junior, Amateur, Pro-Am and Grassroots.
Riders from across the South Island will take part. There are just two entered in the CNC** with Sam Taylor (Swannanoa) and Sophie Wigley on former National advanced champion S.E. Big going head to head, while the CNC* will be hotly contested with a healthy 21 starters. Leading the contenders in the CNC* will be former international Emily Cammock (West Melton) aboard Cool Chatool and Al For Short. Other stars looking to make their mark in the first event of the new season include Larissa Srhoy (Okuku) on Smirnoff, Amanda Brown (Ohoka) on Glenmark, Carissa McGregor (Christchurch) on Kerrang, and Wigley on her sister Annabel's former advanced ride, NRM Enzo.
Large entries at the lower levels has seen classes split in the Prebbleton Veterinary Hospital CNC 105 with more than 20 riders contesting each section. Two classes will also run at CNC 95 level sponsored by Bayer and Strategy T, while Saddlery Barn and McMillian Feeds have sponsored the CNC 80.
Dressage action gets underway at 8am, with the show jumping commencing at 11am. The all-important cross country will embark at 11.30am with the CNC** riders out first.
