Simon Gordon and Fletch.com Photo courtesy ESNZ/Libby Law
In the Bell Tea CIC3* eventing at the New Zealand Horse of the Year, Aucklander Simon Gordon and Fletch.com, the only combination to show jump clear and inside the time on Friday, had the biggest win of their career. They moved their way steadily through the field in each phase, going into the cross country today in third place.
John Nicholson’s cross-country course at the Hawke's Bay Equestrian Park provided high drama. There were plenty of thrills and a few spills, but no injuries other than pride.
The overnight leaders, Donna Smith and Balmoral Sensation, pulled up after the third fence with Donna opting to retire; this combination had a fall on course at Puhinui last year so Donna may be erring on the side of caution while she works out some cross country bitting issues. However Donna had some consolation with her younger horse Balmoral Tangolooma taking fourth place on a final score of 81.7.
Second placed rider after dressage and show jumping, Emily Cammock, withdrew her horse Dambala before the cross country so young Ashleigh McKinstry moved into second place on Pioneer Makokomiko with 7.2 time penalties for a final score of 71 penalties, ahead of Bryce Newman on Bates Trademark who incurred 11.2 time penalties to finish on 77.4
Ashleigh’s second place has put her on top of the Bell Tea Super League, which means she now leads both the Massey University Young Rider Series, where she cannot be beaten, as well as the elite series, both of which culminate at the NRM Three-day Event at Taupo in May. She is a member of the NZ Trans-Tasman squad, and hoping for selection to compete against Australia at the Sydney International Horse Trials in April
