Elise and Mr Hokey Pokey share a moment after cross country at Puhinui 2015
One horse that will definitely be catching the eye this year is Mr Hokey Pokey. The stunning little palomino, known at home as Yogi, is not only a great performer but has a golden temperament to go with his colouring
“He’s an even nicer animal than he is talented – he’s just a really cool horse. We’ve always said he looks like he’s looking for a rainbow, he’s just that kind of horse” says his owner Elise Edwards
The nine year old Quarter Horse/TB cross by Gotta Lotta Gold was bought by Elise as a four year old for her daughter who at that stage was keen on competing.
“She took him through the Training levels, did 13 double clear Training events on him and he was just super consistent, never let her down. But then she decided to give up riding so I took over, doing a couple of Pre-Novice and 1* classes on him then he did the Tip ‘n Strip at Puhinui in 2014 with my partner Donna (Smith). It was her first ride on him and she stole him from that day!”
“I knew he could jump and I did think that the fences were getting a bit big but I also knew that with Donna on him, she would put him at the fence in the right way and I had every faith in them. So it didn’t surprise me too much when he showed what he could do”
What he could do was to consistently jump very high, despite being only seven years old at that stage and 15.3hh. His performance in the traditional Tip ‘n Strip, where the show jumping fence just keeps getting put up, prompted Donna and Elise to re-think his career and in 2015 Donna took over the ride after some ‘persuasion’.
“When my top horse Tangalooma was hurt last year, I sulked for a few days until Elise told me I could have the ride on Yogi! He’s a beautiful, beautiful horse, he’s everything you could want in an eventer. He doesn’t realise he’s short - he obviously doesn’t have a big stride but he’s a beautiful jumper and he’s agile, quick and just does everything you ask him to do. He’s so much fun to ride”
He may be small but by the end of 2015 Mr Hokey Pokey showed that he could mix it with the big guys and Donna felt he was comfortably making the distances on the CCI2* cross country Puhinui in December
“He’s just gorgeous. I was so happy with him out there – he made the distances so easily today which is really the first time. He nailed the three strides on those last two corners when most people were doing four”
Donna and Mr Hokey Pokey at Puhinui
Having been out of the top 10 placings only once at 1* and 2* level in 2015, they finished the year on a high with second place in this class at Puhinui. It was a close thing with just 1.2 penalties separating them from the winners, Campbell Draper riding Mr Mancini. The two ‘misters’, Mr Manicini and Mr Hokey Pokey were in equal second place after the dressage with Mr Hokey Pokey showing some skills that Donna didn’t know he had
“He put in a flying change where it wasn’t needed so I think he’s been out there learning things in the paddock” laughed Donna
“At least it was a clean change” added Elise “So he must be telling us he’s ready for the next level!”
This week Mr Hokey Pokey and Donna will be making that move up to the next level with the pair making their debut at 3* level in the Land Rover CIC3* at the Farmlands Horse of the Year Show in Hastings, New Zealand. We have a feeling that whatever this special little horse does next, there will always be gold at the end of the rainbow for him
