Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation after winning the National Eventing Championships
Photo courtesy Pip Hume Photography
Having had his late entry accepted by the FEI, Clarke Johnstone and his special horse Balmoral Sensation demonstrated why they are the only New Zealand based combination in the High Performance Eventing Squad, winning the National Eventing Championships at Takapau by a huge margin, in preparation for his trip to Adelaide for the Australian CCI4* next month.
Johnstone, fromMatangi, came to the event to do the dressage phase only, but found the ground conditions at the venue, the Silver Fern Farms property Arran Station, so good he sought and was granted permission to compete in the Red Snap’r CIC3* class for the Forest Gate Trophy.
They had a healthy lead after the dressage phase, where they scored 39.7 penalties, then produced one of only two clear showjumping rounds to extend their overnight lead, and cruised round the cross-country course without appearing to hurry, but still had the fastest time of the day with 12.4 time penalties, for a final score of 52.1 penalties.
Katharine Van Tuyl, Woodville, pulled up to second place on Double J Sunshine after being fifth in the dressage and having a fence down in the showjumping to be third overnight. The relatively inexperienced 8 year old horse, bred by the Jacobs twins at Norsewood, looked impressive across country, finishing with 14 time penalties for a final score of 70.8.
Virginia Thompson, Kaukapakapa, and Star Nouveau finished third on 74.5, also with a showjumping rail down, incurring 16 time penalties across country, to improve from seventh after the dressage. Local rider Amanda Pottinger was fourth on Just Kidding, having been second after the dressage, but three rails down in the showjumping proved costly, and they added 23.2 cross-country time penalties to finish with a total of 81.5 penalties.
The Waiteko Trophy for the Bayleys CIC2* title went to Kate Wood and Wolf Whistle II, from Whangarei, while the BEL Group CIC1* title for the Ferndale Salver was won by Bryce Newman, Bulls, on Bates Midnight Blue. The NRM sponsored CNC 105 title for the Blyth Tait Tophy was won by Simone Kann, Auckland, on Luminous.
Virginia Caro
2015 ARRAN STATION RESULTS
RED SNAP’R CIC3* (Forest Gate Trophy): Clarke Johnstone, Balmoral Sensation, 52.1, 1; Katharine Van Tuyl, Double J Sunshine, 70.8, 2; Virginia Thompson, Star Nouveau, 74.5, 3; Amanda Pottinger, Just Kidding, 81.5, 4; Diane Gilder, Your Attorney, 98.9, 5.
BAYLEYS CIC2* (Waiteko Trophy): Kate Wood, Wolf Whistle II, 54.2, 1; Jackson Bovill, Visionnaire, 55, 2; Simone Kann, Balmoral Henton, 56.6, 3: Lauren Alexander, BMW Ripley, 56.7, 4; Donna Smith, Mr Hokey Pokey, 58.4, 5; Samantha Felton, Ricker Ridge Rui, 58.7, 6.
BEL GROUP CIC1* (Ferndale Salver): Bryce Newman, Bates Midnight Blue, 47.6, 1; Nick Brooks, Versace C, 47.9, 2: Sophie Alexander, Saltador, 51.2, 3; Aleisha Collett, Mi Focus, 52.6, 4; Juliet Wood, Waitangi Pinterest, 53.5, 5; Donna Smith, Varadero, 57.4, 6.
NRM CNC 105 (Tait Trophy): Simone Kann, Luminous, 33.2, 1; Vicky Brown-Cole, Eli, 36.3, 2; Sophie Wilkinson, Lord Fredrick, 41.8, 3; Sophie Alexander, World Famous, 42.3, 4.
FARMLANDS CNC1*: Abby Lawrence, Charlton Xplorer, 33.7, 1; Clarke Johnstone, In Disguise, 37.5, 2.
RUAHINE MOTORS CNC1* YR: Beth Owen, Tango Fever, 38.8, 1; Fleur Rohleder, The Alchemist, 40.1, 2; Samuel Amon, My Rainbow Rythm, 45.3, 3.
TAUPO VET CENTRE CNC 105: Dannie Lodder, My Tom Tom, 37.9, 1; Georgia Montgomery, Johnny Castle, 40.2, 2; Lesley Going, Moochi, 41.3, 3.
HATUMA DICALCIC CNC 105 YR: Greer Caddigan, Gynmastik Showdown, 35.3, 1; Charlotte Edwards, Façade, 44.4, 2; Georgia Strachan, Fhynethyme, 44.5, 3
TAYLOR MADE GATES CNC 95: Stephen Field, Luminous, 28, 1; Kylee McCambridge, Chicago, 32.3, 2; Jane Callaghan, Weiti West End, 35.5, 3; Jane Cullen, Taikomochi, 38.2, 4; Janine Ball, Ruru Magic, 39, 5; Jo Wilson, One Wonders, 39.5, 6; Emma Cameron, Burnadeem, 42.2, 7.
LONGRIDGE ENGINEERING CNC 95 JR: Rebecca Anthony, Otairi Sarge, 26, 1; Samantha Megchelse, Utu, 33, 2; Tess Gordon, Hometown, 33.2, 3; Aidan Furkert, Pin M Down, 37.1, 4; Charlotte Edwards, Ziva, 38.8, 5.
PGG WRIGHTSON CNC80 A: Lindsay Colwell, Che Bello, 31.9, 1; Julia Thompson, A Flying Change, 53.7, 2; Ingrid Bardsley, Apatchi Lad, 54, 3.
PGG WRIGHTSON CNC 80 B: Zoe Gordon, Nanas Flash, 31.3, 1; Janine Ball, Ruru Milo, 36.4, 2; Georgia Bennett, Wynyard Albert, 39.4, 3.
PEDERSEN SPREADERS CNC 80 JR: Ella Baigent-Brown, Meersbrooke Waterford, 25.8, 1; Maddy Meier, Giovanni, 26, 2; Kayleigh McLachlan, 31.6, 3.
