Winner of the Country TV Pony Grand Prix Junior Disco and Samantha Gillies receiving their award from Judge, Malcolm McKee.

It was a sister act in the Country TV Pony Grand Prix with Samantha and Emma Gillies taking the quinella yesterday at the Jumping SCNO Spring Has Sprung Show in Waimate.

The competitive Oamaru teens are no strangers to duelling it out for top honours – last season Emma won the national title and was second in the Pony of the Year with Samantha one place back in the prestigious class. They both featured in the top four on the series board too.

They were two of five combinations in the two round Pony Grand Prix competition over a course designed by Donella Still. In the opener, 15-year-old Samantha aboard Junior Disco, 13-year-old Emma on Benrose Playtime and Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) with Wembleybrook Tiffany were the only ones clear with Molly Moffatt (Christchurch) carrying four and nine penalties with her ponies Te Ngaio Raggamuffin and Tironui Firecracker.

All came back for the second round where Samantha kept her card all clear, coming home in 47.63 seconds. Last to go, Emma was the faster of the two, stopping the clock at 46.06 but paid for her speed with a rail at the second to last.

The teens have been competing their ponies for the past season and a half, with last season their first at Pony Grand Prix level. They are trained by mum Phillipa as well as Tania and Sophie Scott. It is their first show since the Horse of the Year in March.

The class topped off a great show for the sisters, both of whom also play representative netball – Sam won the 1.25m Championship and was third in the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider class aboard Socrates De La Ve Z, while Emma won the Pony Mini Prix on Benrose Eclipse.

It came down to speed in the FMG Young Rider Series class where the five combinations to go through to the jump-off were all double clear. In the end, the honours went to Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) and Vali who flew home in 36.34 seconds with Makenzie Causer (Christchurch) and Finch Farm Lasall second in 37.25 and Pieta Milne (Nelson) aboard Global PH Mylorde third in 38.46.

Kerry Winterbourn (West Melton) and Coco La Lune took the honours in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider class with Beth Coleman (Clarkville) and Sea Minor winning the Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider, and Jess Land (Canterbury) aboard Emilo MSH the Harrison Lane Pro Amateur Rider.

The two day show was buffeted by strong winds with the start delayed yesterday but the day soon settled down.

Results –

Showjumping, Country TV Pony Grand Prix: Samantha Gillies (Oamaru) Junior Disco 1, Emma Gillies (Oamaru) Benrose Playtime 2, Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) Wembleybrook Tiffany 3, Molly Moffatt (Christchurch) Te Ngaio Raggamuffin 4, Molly Moffatt (Christchurch) Tironui Firecracker 6.

FMG Young Rider Series: Molly Buist-Brown (Christchurch) Vali 1, Mackenzie Causer (Christchurch) Finch Farm Lasall 2, Peita Milne (Nelson) Global PH Mylorde 3, Steffi Whittaker (Canterbury) Hashtag Yolo HSH 4, Peita Milne (Nelson) Ngahiwi Warrior 5, Sophie Townsend (Darfield) Kingslea Kiwi 6.

Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series: Kerry Winterbourn (West Melton) Coco La Lune 1, David Hutton (South Canterbury) Rolux 2, Charlotte Knowler (Christchurch) Payback 3, Sharne Paton (South Canterbury) McConnells Road 4, Jessica Fahey (Invercargill) Repertoire II 5, Kate Taylor (South Canterbury) London 6.

Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series: Beth Coleman (Clarkville) Sea Minor 1, Anna Nalder (North Canterbury) Icebreaker II 2, Samantha Gillies (Oamaru) Socrates De La Ve Z  3, Olivia Adams (Christchurch) Castelada II 4, Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) Blossom NZPH 5,  Milly Robinson (Tarras) DSE Spannakiwa 6.

Harrison Lane Pro Amateur Rider Series: Jess Land (Canterbury) Emilio MSH 1, Angela Frewer (Christchurch) Donala Dundee 2, Amy McMullan (Timaru) Silversmith 3, Chris Harris (Christchurch) Commissioner 4, Kimberleigh McCabe (Invercargill) Kace 5, Angus Taylor (Ohoka) Sea Coral 6.

 

Show hunter, Gyro Plastics Junior High Points: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) PL Flying Spur 1, Abbey Baker (Christchurch) Good Luck Charlie 2, Jakob Pascoe (Waikari Valley) Telladega ECPH 3, Georgia Allison (Oxford) Velocette 4,

The Ultimate Egg Co Amateur High Points: Hayley Shaw (Oamaru) SP Blue Eyed Ghost 1, Colleen Marett (Temuka) Attenborough 2, Hayley Shaw (Oamaru) PL Flying Spur 3, Jade McRae (Invercargill) Swayze 4.

Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Open Adult Equitation: Carrie Findlay (Swannanoa) Kiwi Award 1, Jade McRae (Invercargill) Swayze 2, Liz Greene (Otama) Delta Frank Sinatra 3.

NRM Horse High Points: Rosa Buist-Brown (Christchurch) Bellick ST 1, Colleen Marett (Temuka) Attenborough 2, Carrie Findlay (Swannonoa) Kiwi Award 3, Hayley Shaw (Oamaru) SP Blue Eyed Ghost 4.

Fiber Fresh Cat B High Points: Lucy Honeywell (Ashburton) Starlight Indrani 1, Caseylee Gubb (Oamaru) Eyredale Enchanted Radiance 2, Neave O’Connell (Macraes) Jimbo 3, Poppy Slater (Geraldine) Toffee Du Lux 4.

Sure Grip Mats Pony Equitation: Rose Bowden (Leeston) Up Town Funk 1, Ellie Templeton (Middlemarch) He’s Pryceless 2, Ava Andersen (Glenavy) The White Mouse 3, Sophie Smith (Timaru) Counting Stars 4.

ESNZ Show Hunter Junior Equitation: Pippa Collins (Palmerston) PL Flying Spur 1, Abbey Baker (Christchurch) Good Luck Charlie 2, Georgia Allison (Oxford) Velocette 3

Float Factory Cat A High Points: Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Rhythm N Gold 1, Grace Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 2, Summer Roy (Gore) Lakewood Falcon 3, Alice Macdonald (Kaiapoi) Stonefields Cardiff 4.

Aniwell Cat C High Points: Ava Andersen (Glenavy) The White Mouse 1, Josie O’Neill (Dunedin) Brackenleighs Requim 2.

ESNZ Show Hunter 12 and under Equitation: Lucy Honeywell (Ashburton) Starlight Indrani 1, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Rhythm N Gold 2, Paige Wakelin-Noble (Christchurch) Cullerlie Pen Y Bryn 3, Caseylee Gubb (Oamaru) Eyredale enchanted Radiance 4.

 

By Diana Dobson

October 5, 2020