The South Island Eventing Championships, which take place at Mcleans Island, near Christchurch, this coming weekend, provides the opportunity for southerners to earn points in the year long ESNZ Eventing Super League, as well as a serious outing before the NRM National Three-day Event at Taupo next month.
There are six entries in the Ultimate Design & Renovation CIC3*, including Cantabrian Emily Cammock on Shaw Lee, who lie second equal in the Super League, having placed second in the Honda CCI3* at Puhinui before Christmas in addition to winning the Canterbury CIC3* prior travelling north.
Former North Islander Corey Wood, now a “southern man,” will provide keen competition on the versatile Pick Up Line, who has carried dead pigs out of the bush on hunting trips, but Wood concedes he is now too valuable to participate in such outings, although “he is still the same horse.”
Kirsty Sharapoff on Shoot The Breeze and Lydia Truesdale on Allander Rocket have both successfully made the step up to 3* this competition year, so former international Cammock will not have it all her own way, despite having a second ride in the class on Lewis.
Jessica Woods, from Ohaupo in the Waikato, is taking her new Australian horse Just de Manzana to Christchurch for the event, in order to obtain a further qualifying score for the NRM National Three-day Event. She will have two well performed younger horses in other classes in Kings Soleil and LV Encostalot.
Emily Cammock & Shaw Lee, Puhinui CCI3* 2017. Courtesy Spot on Photo
Virginia Caro