NEVER SAY never!

Canterbury show jumper and former World Cup series winner Rose Alfeld knows what it takes to make it to the top of the sport. With paddocks stacked with quality youngsters, she’s hoping there’s a diamond among them, waiting to take her back to the top level.

My Super Nova (Case) was the horse that took Rose all the way – a horse she once doubted would even jump Young Rider classes.

A wonderful role model for other young riders, Rose is a full-time rider and coach based at Leeston, south of Christchurch.

The horses are at her parents’ 90-acre property, which boasts excellent facilities, including an arena and racetrack, while Rose and her partner live just down the road.

A typical day for Rose comprises working with her team of competition jumpers in the mornings before an afternoon of teaching. In winter, hunting is her day off work. “I do some clinics out of Christchurch and around the area at different arenas, but the majority of lessons are here at home, which makes it easier to get my horses worked as well.

“I love hunting, and I love the downtime. It’s my day off from work, though I often work horses before a hunt. It’s the social aspect and noncompetitive atmosphere; everyone is there on a level playing field to enjoy their day out.

“I love the thrill of jumping a big hedge, and I love my hunter, Big Sid. He was imported from Ireland as a show jumper and is now retired, so he’s a very expensive hunter! We had to give him a job; we couldn’t make him redundant. It’s a job he enjoys - he didn’t enjoy show jumping.”

It’s no surprise Rose has chosen to make her living from horses, as both her parents came from horsey backgrounds. Her dad trains racehorses and has not long given up competitive riding himself.

Beach rides are a great change of scenery for the horses as well as a super way to keep up their fitness. Rose is riding Lucy (FOOTLOOSE NZPH).

Below - Rose’s dogs are always in the yard, especially Poppy who knows she is super-cute.

Rose’s mum was an eventer, and both parents hunted.

“I was very keen from the get-go. I was riding before I could walk. It’s so addictive – I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It’s making my passion into my job.”

Rose dabbled in eventing when she was young but chose to focus on show jumping from the age of about 14. “In the beginning, as a kid, I didn’t love dressage. As an adult, I love dressage and am terrified of cross-country! There’s something about solid fences.”

Flatwork and schooling are essential to her training, which she says is vital for show jumping. “Having a soft, supple horse is so important, and I enjoy producing my horses as far as I can with their flatwork. It makes show jumping so much easier.”

Show jumping is black and white, and Rose likes that the placing is not dictated by someone’s opinion. “I guess that’s what got me hooked.”

The horse who took her all the way was her homebred horse of a lifetime, Case, by Corlando out of a St James mare. “Case would have been one of my first horses. Mum and Dad bred me a few horses when I was quite young as future-proofing. We couldn’t afford to purchase anything up and going. Dad used to break them in, and I would work them from there.”

Rose started riding Case when she was just 15 and purchased him for the princely sum of $6000 from her parents. “Mum and Dad made me buy him,” she laughs. Case proved to be a good investment, and Rose took him through the age group series.

Ironically, they didn’t think Case had what it took to jump Young Riders, so the family imported a lovely mare, Capprera (Molly), from Germany to fill that gap. But Case proved them all wrong, going on to win the Young Rider title at the Horse of the Year Show in 2014, then his gets too keen, so we just take him for a hack out the back. He gets very excited and happy; he doesn’t know he’s as old as he is. He would be so sad just left in the paddock at home.”

In her quietly determined way, Rose is grafting away, producing her string of homebred horses, hoping to emulate her achievements with Case. But finding the next Case is no mean feat. Rose had a nice horse, Cadenza NZPH, who she took through the age group series, winning the Seven-Year-Old Series, and had high hopes for. Ultimately, he was too much horse for her, and, despite his potential, she knew it was best to move him on. She ended up swapping him for Footloose (Lucy), an eightyear-old mare by Quintus, who is currently her top mount and recently stepped up to 1.40m.

Lucy is small, not what Rose would usually first World Cup start and the overall series in New Zealand that year. Rose admits the series seemed like a big dream, not something she thought was possible, but she believed in the horse, and he believed in her.

“Case had a very unorthodox technique, still does. I thought that would hold him back in the end, but he was just a horse with a massive heart. We know each other inside out. He’s like a member of the family. There were a few times people showed interest in purchasing him, but I couldn’t bear to part with him.”

Selling horses is something Rose struggles with, though it’s part of running a financially viable business. Horses tend to be with her for the long haul, and she has ‘about’ 20 horses in her paddocks, not including retired horses or racehorses. “It’s a funny farm. I find it hard to sell; I seem to accumulate them! Case is literally a member of the family, and he’s done so much for me as a rider; he owes me nothing.”

Turning 18 this year, Case no longer competes but is still in work and gets an outing on the hunt field from time to time, an activity he finds extremely exciting. “He loves it but choose in a horse, but the mare has exceeded all her expectations, and she hopes to step her up to Grand Prix next season.

I LOVE WORKING WITH YOUNG HORSES, SEEING THEM DEVELOP. IT'S EXCITING SEEING THEM GETTING BETTER, FEELING THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT COULD BE, AND HOPING TO GET THEM THERE.

Above - Rose loves the hunting season and considers it ‘her day’ during winter. Pictured riding Big Sid (KBS THE IRISHMAN).

Rose’s Labador, Bear, is a constant companion. His happy place is following the horses on the beach and the training track.

Right hand page - Rose and Lucy (FOOTLOOSE NZPH) at the South Island Show Jumping Championships in Otago in January 2023.

“Cadenza NZPH went on to jump World Cup for his next rider, which I knew he could do, that’s what made the decision so hard, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Feeling-wise, he was the best horse I had ever sat on, but he was very difficult,” she says ruefully.

“I would love to get back to World Cup; it’s just waiting for that right horse. It would be nice to be able to purchase or have someone purchase one for me! At the moment, I’m going through the young horses we have bred or bought, hoping there’s a superstar in there.”

Her dad still helps her with the groundwork for the young ones, but Rose does all the riding and starting of horses. It’s a necessity but also something she enjoys. “I love working with young horses, seeing them develop. It’s exciting seeing them getting better, feeling the potential of what could be, and hoping to get them there.”

Generally when starting a horse she likes to do a little bit often. “When we are educating them, I don’t like having them in for long periods. It’s a little bit of work, turnout, and then a little more so they don’t feel overwhelmed or tired and are refreshed when they come back in.”

Most seasons, Rose does one or two trips to the North Island, something she believes is a valuable part of educating the younger horses. “Through the travel and time away from home, they grow up a lot – it’s almost like being at school camp.”

Also in

team is Celebration ECPH (Chris), a seven-year-old by Corofino, who won the Seven-Year-Old class at Series Finals and was second overall in the series by one point.

“He’s actually for sale. He’s a lovely horse, but in my business, you can’t keep them all. It’s definitely a tough decision.”

Then there are two six-year-olds, Hip Hop NZPH, a gelding by Kannan, and Harlequin NZPH, a mare by Fuego du Prelet. Rose is slowly producing both, who just completed their first full season at 1.10 – 1.20m. Harlequin also won a Six-Year-Old class.

“Along with Lucy, they’re the only horses that have been off the property. I have a lot of young horses.”

Among the youngsters is one particularly special homebred horse, out of Capprera (Molly) and by Chacco Silver. “Sadly, Molly passed away two years ago, and this is the only foal we managed to get from her. I think he’s pretty special. He has just been broken in and is rising four. Molly was such a supertough mare with great technique and a pretty big heart. She would absolutely try her guts out.”

The other three-year-old in work is Kel’ Amour NZPH (Kelly), a gelding by Contendro I.

When she can, Rose trains with Olympic medallist Greg Best. “He’s someone whose opinion I value. He doesn’t teach much anymore, but he’s fantastic, and I love his horsemanship, which I think is important.”

Rose continues to dream big, with the goal of producing the horses they have bred to the top level in New Zealand. One day, she would love to take a horse overseas. “That’s the ultimate goal. Look at Phillip Steiner; how amazing was that? And the likes of Tom Tarver. It’s not impossible if you work hard. That’s the big dream, I guess. Hopefully, there’s a diamond in the paddocks.”

Despite her success, Rose remains humble and lets the hard work speak for itself. She believes that supporting others and ensuring that competing in the sport is a positive experience is important.

Top left - Rose leads three-year-old gelding, Spider is by CHACCO SILVER out of the imported mare CAPPRERA, whom she is very excited about.

Bottom left - Rose riding Kelly (KEL’ AMOUR NZPH), a three-year-old who has recently been added to the team. Above - Rose and MY SUPER NOVA after winning Champion Working Hunter at Canterbury A&P.

“Encouraging others and enjoying the sport as much as I do is important to me, especially as it’s such a hard sport to get ahead in.”

She paid tribute to her biggest supporter and influence on her riding career, her mum. “She’s my number one supporter, head groom, the first up in the morning and the last to bed at night. She’s amazing and works with me every single day.”

Rose is also grateful to be sponsored by her dream team, Mitavite, Cavalleria Toscana, Hinterland, Canter for Cancer, and The Art of Michelle Clarke. C