ESNZ & NZPH Star Spotters 2019-2020

Harley Ferguson from Northland

Harley is a dedicated rider who has supported Northland events. He is an upcoming rider who works hard to achieve his goals. Harley always has a smile on his face and friendly to the organisers and fellow competitors. Harley will be mentored by Leah Goodhew.

Mikayla Chalmers from Waitemata

Mikayla, 15 years old, is very excited to win this scholarship as it will give her the chance to compete in ESNZ competitions with her pony SLC Golden Phoenix, something she has never had the opportunity to do. A student at Kaipara College, Mikayla intends to take Equine Studies as part of her NCEA next year. She is also an active member of the Kaipara College Interschools equestrian team. Mikayla rides at least five days a week. She does not have a trainer, but her mum helps her most weekends. She would like to work in the equine industry in the future and aspires to be a NZ show jumping representative. Mikayla would love the chance to compete at the World Cup Finals Show and her aim for this season is to win the Top Pony Stakes run by Show Jumping Waitemata.

Pipi Cornish from Waitemata

Showjumping Waitemata had such a tough decision selecting one Star Spotter Scholarship winner… they have decided to choose a second young talented rider to support! With kind sponsorship from Ray Burmester Equestrian Jewellery- 13 year old Pipi Cornish has also been awarded a year’s riders membership and equine registration. A special thanks must go to committee member, Jane Burmester, for her ongoing support. 

Pipi has brought on her own Kaimanawa pony (named Lunaire) over the last 3 years, from newly broken to now confidently competing at 1m. The Waitemata committee have quietly watched Pipi compete in unregistered classes at Woodhill Sands and were very impressed with her riding ability. Pipi’s tireless volunteering and fundraising work for the Riding for the Disabled and the Kaimanawa Heritage Horse also made her a stand out candidate. Georgia Lawrie will be mentoring Pipi throughout the season, with her aim being to compete at the Horse of the Year Show, in Show Hunter.

Ella Reichenbach from Auckland

Ella is 14 years old and rides Lumiere de L’est BT known as Kes.

Ella is a very keen and competitive member of Bombay Pony Club, she has represented her area at the Pony Club Jumping and Eventing Champs. Ella is being mentored by India Causebrook, together they have set a plan for Ella’s Show Jumping Season and India has helped Ella with entering in shows, what to do before, during and after competitions and answered any questions Ella has had for her.

Bonnie Dixon from Waikato

Bonnie is 10 years old and is the youngst of 4, that all love to ride.

Bonnie loves pony club and has a back ground in Show Hunter, building her confidence for Show Jumping. Bonnie is keen to be involved in all aspects of her area group and has already expressed an interest in working b’s and helping at shows.

McKenna Parker from BOP

McKenna is a 15 year old showjumper based in Tauranga. She has two horses but her top steed, Chilli, is ready to step up to the bigger shows. Chilli is a 15.2 clydesdale/stationbred/arab 7 year old gelding who she brought up from scratch. So far she has competed up to 1.05m on him with placings and wishes to push herself and the horse further with this seasons goal to be competing up to 1:15. She is an advanced rider who simply wants to experience the bigger, more competitive shows with a view to one day being a professional showjumper.

Quinn Sidney from Gisborne

Quinn has received a year’s ESNZ membership and registration with jumping start for her home bred horse, Mayo. This generous contribution is all thanks to the Star Spotters Scholarship sponsor, New Zealand Performance Horses.

Quinn has been envolved with the Gisborne/East Coast community for her entire life, it was at local sports days where she discovered her passion for jumping. Quinn has riden home bred, self made ponies/horses. Quinn has had an amazing drive, determination and is always looking for ways to improve her horsemanship and riding. 

Melissa Berridge from Taranaki

Melissa 13 years old and is an upcoming rider with a dedication to the sport and an absolute passion for horses. She has a great fair play attitude and is always the first to congratulate and support her fellow riders!

Aylish Jordan from Taihape

Aylish is a 14 year old from Taihape, she rides her pony Mafia Man.
Her mentors are Gabby Rennie, Fenella Grisby and her big brother Nash.

Charlotte Halpin from Northern Hawkes Bay

Charlotte has big dreams and a keen attitude. She recently attended the Mana Lodge Equestrian Winter Series and won the B Series for 70-90cm receiving a lovely big sash and rug, seen above. It was obvious there that she is a rider who would benefit from receiving the Star Spotters Scholarship.

Charlotte is 14 years old, she is currently holding a D+ certificate working towards her C at Poraiti Pony Club on her pony of 5 years, Holly.

When Charlotte got Holly, she was just a farm hack with no jumping experience, they are now confidently jumping 90cm at pony club and 1m at home.

Charlotte is self-taught with hacking around the farm jumping ditches, logs and doing things that kids love to do.

Charlotte wants to compete at 1m this season and hopes to move onto horses next year with her sights set on competing in the junior rider series in the future.

Erin Trent from Central and Southern Hawkes Bay

Erin is 12 years old and has been attending pony club since she was 5.  She is a risk-taker and so, her passion lies in jumping.  She rides at the grassroots level, mostly at gymkhanas, local sports and at the odd practice day.

Erin had a thrilling first season hunting this year, jumping her first full-wire.  Erin is very confident and is desperate to be allowed to go to shows to compete in both show jumping and show hunter.  This is the first year since she has been riding, that she has had a pony suitable to go and have a real go, competing at shows. 

 Erin is passionate about learning all she can to be the best rider she can possibly be.  She constantly asks questions, be it about dressage or jumping, so she can try things to make her pony go better.  She loves her ponies and is just desperate to be out there doing it.  The ESNZ Rising Star Scholarship would be a fabulous chance to enable Erin to get a really great start to her show jumping and show hunter career.

Beth Pallister from Wairarapa

Beth is 15 years old and rides Galaxy Picture Perfect, a 14.2 Skewbald Gelding known as CJ.
Together they compete mainly in show jumping but also attend the Wairarapa Pony Club rallies and local training
days.
They are currently competing at 80cm and hope to be confidently jumping rounds of 1m by
the end of the showjumping season.

Beth is a member of the Wairarapa Pony Club and working towards sitting her C+ certificate. CJ and Beth
really enjoy pony club as we get to socialise with other riders and broaden our knowledge about all
things horse related.

Beth’s goal is to achieve rounds of 1m confidently and competitively! 

Sofia Williams from Wairarapa

Sofia is 10 year old and loves to ride! Sofia rides her 6 year old palomino pony, Gin. Sofia also has another pony called Tizzy, a 4 year old who loves her feed.
Sofia plans to jump 80-90cm this season, possibly up to 1m. Long term, Sofia would love to take Tizzy up to Pony Grand Prix.

Olive Percy from Wairarapa

Olive is 13 years old and rides Coco, a 10 year old Kaimanawa mare.

Olive and Coco currently jump 65cm and are aiming to jump 80cm this season.

Olive and Coco usually ride around the farm as well going to the local sports days. They now have their sights set on competing in the higher classes in Show Jumping.

Isla Carver from Central Districts

Isla is 8 years old and has enjoyed riding since she was tiny.   She attends Wanganui Petre Pony Club where she passed her D+ cert at the end of last season and aims to sit her C certificate this season.

Isla loves all sorts of riding particularly hacking around the farm on her pony Milo and enjoyed having a go at hunting this winter.  Since beginning to ride Miss Eve at the start of winter she has been lucky enough to be encouraged by some wonderful coaches and friends and is enjoying her first taste of show hunter.

She is looking forward to getting out and competing this season and is very excited and grateful to be given the opportunity to participate in registered events.

Isla’s main goal this season is to qualify for HOY and have fun with Miss Eve along the way.

Miss Eve is a 12 year old Welsh/quarter horse/TB cross who was originally bred for mounted games.  Although Eve proved too slow for this she loves to jump as much as Isla does.  Eve is a genuine kind safe pony who makes up in heart what she lacks in speed and she has quickly formed a great bond with Isla.

Amber van Diggele from Wellington

Amber van Diggele is 13 years old and rides the famous old campaigner, Lion Red 11. John explained that they nominated Amber because in her application; she showed a great attitude, wants to learn and has set herself some achievable goals for the season ahead. “We feel that she has good support and will benefit a lot under the NZPH Star Spotter Scholarship with our guidance.”

The Wellington–Horowhenua Area Group plans to help Amber with her online entries, have a senior rider mentor her show planning, show preparation and during a show ie course walk, warm up and a debrief after. Amber will receive rider membership and equine registration for a year, kindly sponsored by New Zealand Performance Horses.

Holly Wright from Wellington

Wellington have also discovered a second worthy recipient! The group has decided to also encourage 24 year old Holly Wright into their jumping community, with a complimentary membership and registration. Holly rides Destiny’s Duchess and is looking to challenge herself further in Show Hunter.

Lexie Taylor from Nelson

Livvie Allen from Marlborough

11 year old Livvie Allen has just started competitively Show Jumping this season with her new pony Go Dusty. 

Livvie a Year 6 student at Fairhall School in Blenheim competed Dusty in the Richmond Saddlery Winter Show Hunter Series up to 80cm. Although Dusty is sometimes a little fresh there is always a smile on her face. Her goal is to qualify for Cat B Show Hunters at Horse of the Year 2020, the Marlborough Area are excited to support her in this. 

She recently started her season at the Nelson Show Jumping Show and was placed in her Show Hunter classes with some great scores.

Livvie’s dedication, respect and positive attitude stood out, she is very keen to be involved in every aspect of Show Jumping. 

We have chosen Meg Bisset to mentor her as she has produced her young green pony through to Pony Grand Prix. We thought it was a fantastic match to give Livvie someone to look up to. 

Jack Norgate from Canterbury

Ann Moriarty from Ashburton

Ann (18yo) has competed in many Pony Club events, over many years, as well as some showhunter. Ashburton Area Rep, Zoe Shore explains, “Ann has recently purchased an older, capable showjumper and she is a very deserving recipient of this scholarship.”

Emma Lee Kelly from South Canterbury North Otago

Fourteen year old Emma-Lee attends Waimate High School and is a member of the Waimate Pony Club. She grew up living next to the Southern Canterbury A&P Showgrounds and her mother Amanda has written at the SCNO shows for a number of years so Emma-Lee has attended a lot of these shows as a spectator and volunteer. She can often be found assisting the ring crew and gate stewards or helping out friends with their horses. Emma-Lee was very excited to accept this scholarship. “I was surprised when the call came through that my area had chosen me as the recipient”. She is planning on competing at all three of the SCNO shows this season. “My aim is to compete in both show hunter and show jumping on my ponies Tess and Jack”.   

Rhiarna Webster from Otago

Rhiarna has been riding for 3 years and has had one season with her 7 year old pony, Cowboy. Rhiarna is an active member of her pony club, Strath Taieri.  She has competed at various ODEs, games competitions and intro level show jumping. Her mother Donna is a keen supporter but is new to the sport of show jumping.

Rhiarna is currently competing between 70cm-80cm, is very keen to progress in show jumping and show hunter and will be mentored by Maria Collins.  She says “getting a scholarship will be fantastic, and especially having a mentor to guide me.”

Paige Muir from Southland

Paige and her family have recently immigrated to New Zealand from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  

Paige loves all things horsey and had her family visiting a local riding yard on their first day in New Zealand.  Since then she was kindly offered a couple of rides by some of the horse owners in town but fell in love with Red Ace very quickly once she started riding him.

Paige has had the privilege of being offered the ride on ‘Red’ by Vicky Cole for her first jumping season in her new home Invercargill, for which she is very grateful. Paige is loving riding the big, talented ginger boy and her main focus this season is to build a partnership with him and together be a competitive 1m, 1.10m team.

Paige’s mum and her have found the Southland riding community to be welcoming, friendly and helpful getting them familiar with the way ‘all things horsey NZ works’ and meeting some of the key players in the sport down in the Southland.
Paige would like to thank Southland Showjumping for nominating her as their Star Spotters rider and to Vicky Cole for the ride on Red.