Olivia Dalton and Cil Dara Bonaparte soaring to victory in the Equissage Horse Grand Prix at the Pacific Motor Group Grand Prix Show in Woodhill Sands at the weekend.
Photo by Hannah Comrie

Talented teen Olivia Dalton just planned to give her Aussie import Cil Dara Bonaparte a nice round after his Christmas break . . . instead the Karaka duo were convincing winners of the Equissage Horse Grand Prix at the Pacific Motor Group GP Show at Woodhill Sands.

They were the only combination to complete the first round clear over Canadian designer Peter Holmes course, with the next three places filled by four-faulters.

Tom Tarver helped Olivia find Boo and he joined her team early last winter. They finished seventh in their only Grand Prix start and have won a junior rider together so 17-year-old Olivia was rapt with their efforts on Sunday.

“He is such a sweet and lovely horse to have around,” she said. “So far I haven’t seen any quirks. This is a great win for us. The course was quite technical and laid out differently to those we usually get here.”

The 11-year-old gelding hasn’t been out since the Taupo Christmas Classic. “I certainly was not expecting to win the class but he is a very cool horse. I am looking forward to seeing where the next few months take us and build from there.”

 

It was a good show for Olivia, who placed second in the hotly-contested Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Junior Rider class which attracted 20 entries. Just three came back for the jump-off where Olivia and Appleton were first out, coming home double clear in 34.47 seconds. The speedy Jessica Collinson (Clevedon) and Ngahiwi Cruise took the class with their 33.47 second effort.

 

Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) and Redcliffs Bill won the 13-strong Country TV Pony Grand Prix. Five came through to the jump-off where the top three were all double clear – Georgia coming home in 37.17 seconds, Maddison Greatorex (Waipu) aboard Spotified in 40.21 and Karis Spurway (New Plymouth) on Kabo Cappesh in 41.35.

 

The show attracted around 300 combinations, with particularly good entries in the 1.20m welcome, the Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Pro Am Rider, the junior and the higher pony classes.

 

Organisers said Peter Holmes had been impressed with the calibre of some of the riding he had seen, and it seems it was a two way street, with plenty of good feedback on his courses from riders. Wayne Bragg designed the courses for ring two with Gina Moss in ring three.

 

There were plenty on the side lines to watch and learn from them all – but particularly Peter – and help out where they could at the show.

 

Results –

Equissage Horse Grand Prix Series (Pacific Motor Group): Olivia Dalton (Karaka) Cil Dara Bonaparte 1, Lucy Olphert (Tauranga) Eve Saint Laurent 2, Laura Hilhorst (Pukeatua) LC Underberg 3, Glen Beal (Pukekohe) All Expenses Of Renton 4, Sarah West (Matamata) Oaks Centurian 5.

Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series (Fiber Fresh Feeds): Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) Redcliffs Bill 1, Maddison Greatorex (Waipu) Spotified 2, Karis Spurway (New Plymouth)  Kabo Cappesh 3, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Tony The Pony 4, Aimee Collinson (Cambridge) Moonlight Glow 5, Katie Bridgeman (Auckland) Tallyho Scoundrel 6.

FMG Young Rider Series: Laura Hilhorst (Pukeatua) LC Underberg 1, Sarah West (Matamata) Oaks Centurian 2, Elmo Jackson (Auckland) Sugarman 3, Anneke van Rooyen (Taumarunui) Old King Cole 4, Eden Johnstone (Auckland) Bellagio  GNZ 5, Alexandra Hammond (Cambridge) Le Bam 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Junior Rider Series: Jessica Collinson (Clevedon) Ngahiwi Cruise 1, Olivia Dalton (Karaka) Appleton 2, Ben Weir (Auckland) SF Gryphon 3, Ciel Butler (Tauranga) Matawhero Luciano 4, Sarah West (Matamata) LC Talent 5, Caitlyn Lochore (Whitford) Cheval De Couleur 6.

Hinterland Amateur Rider Series: Amy Schischka (Waiwera) Rock It 1, Taryn Skelton-Kyd (Auckland) BMW Numero Uno 2, Jane Burmester (Auckland) Corpus K 3, Tyla Myburgh (Coatesville) Astek Radiance 4, Eugene Black (Whakatane) Masaccio 5, Vanessa Veart-Smith (Ahuroa) The Notorious Fez 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds and EquiFibre Pro Am Rider Series: Sandra Stanford (Silverdale) El Vira 1, Amanda Illston (Bombay) Verdelho 2, Abby Robinson (Ohaupo) Hillman Hunter 3, Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) Selena C 4, Lizzie Green (Hamilton) Rubix RE 5, Bryony Smith (Kumeu) Ngahiwi Warrior 6.

Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Series: Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Showtym Burrow 1, Rosie Commons (Auckland) Lotte 2, Daniel Blundell (Auckland) Fifty Shades HS 3, Lizzie Green (Hamilton) Charcoal Xtreme 4.

Mitavite Speedi-Beet Six-Year-Old Series: Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Dynasty NZPH, Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) Stellar, Paula Mussen (Pukekohe) Deja Vu NZPH and Vicki Prendergast (Matamata) Selena C =1.

East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Series: Natalia Lammers (Whangarei) Puro Qualita and Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Bellick ST =1.

Alltech Pony GP Super Series: Summer Denize (Kerikeri) Bella Vinci Duet 1, Sam Kensington (Auckland) Redcliffs Dam Awesome 2, Alexandra Henry (Whangarei) Mosaic of Renton 3, Isabelle Jameson (Whangarei) Pico Boo 4, Aimee Collinson (Cambridge) Showtym Falcon 5, Charli Forsythe (Paeroa) Mangakaraa Byron 6.

Dunn Contracting Horse GP Super Series: Amanda Wilson (Hikurangi) Showtym Burrow 1, Sandra Stanford (Silverdale) El Vira 2, Nicholas Beal (Pukekohe) FIS Outrageous 3, Melissa Marriner (Karaka) Spiritus MVNZ 4, Bryony Smith (Kumeu) Ngahiwi Warrior 5, Lizzie Green (Hamilton) Rubix RE 6.

Pacific Motor Group Horse 1.2m: Samantha Maguire (Te Kohanga) Starlight Dalaman 1, Brooke Knight Willis (Auckland) Everything Equine Totara 2, Ciel Butler (Tauranga) Matawhero Luciano 3, Bryony Smith (Kumeu) Ngahiwi Indigo 4, Amanda Illston (Bombay) Verdelho 5, Anneke van Rooyen (Taumarunui) My Sassy Cat 6.

Dunn Contracting  Pony 1.15m-1.2m: Georgia Bouzaid (Cambridge) Redcliffs Bill 1, Aimee Collinson (Cambridge) Moonlight Glow 2, Summer Denize (Kerikeri) Bella Vinci Duet 3, Lucas Bremner (Whangarei) Triple Star Picture Me Now 4, Alexandra Henry (Whangarei) Mosaic of Renton 5, Rebecca Gillard (Waitemata) Piece of Cake 6.

 

By Diana Dobson

January 7, 2019