Issue 09 | April 2017
This issue is proudly brought to you by
HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
Featuring...
HORSE OF THE YEAR WRAP UP FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE FINAL OMAHA
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
EDITORIAL
From the Editor WELCOME TO THE NINTH ISSUE OF THE DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN Sitting here in the sun at the Equestrian Entries U25 Championships, it's been like a game of two halves, a world apart. The relaxed atmosphere of the Fiber Fresh NEC and its green fields, and the World Cup Dressage Finals at the Omaha Event centre - it's just about as different as you can imagine in many ways, but in many ways it's the same on a different level The hopes and dreams, the expectations, the unexpected and the disappointments. I wonder, as I watch out across the arenas, have I seen another rider who will one represent New Zealand at a pinnacle event, WEG, Olympics or World Cup Final ? This is where it begins. Much has been researched and written about Talent ID in equestrian sport, how early riders should specialise, how intense the coaching should be. Carl Hester is certainly an advocate for teaching young riders that riding a clear round is not enough. Riders must learn feel and quality and this must be done with fairness and empathy for the horse. Pony and young riders are an important component of our sport, but it must be an enjoyable experience for them. Should winning in competitions only be seen as a small part of their success? Are we guilty of encouraging a culture that measures success by winning for our future stars? Competition does push the standard up as riders strive to beat their peers, but as a sport we must also be encouraging ethical training alongside competition at an early stage of development where practices become habits. This can all be debated, but it remains an absolute delight to sit here and watch the Under 25's. Listening to them supporting one another and watching them make new friends from all parts of the country is a very rewarding aspect of being at this event. There is the most delightful array of types and colours of horses and ponies from 11.2hh to 17hh to be seen. A big thank you to the generosity of horse owners who have made the EFA Victoria /NZL Team Challenge and the Inter Island Challenge possible. These team experiences are also a valuable feature of youth development See our next issue for a full wrap of the U25 Championships
Cover Image: Laura GRAVES (USA) rides VERDADES in The FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final ll, Grand Prix Freestyle Photo: Cara Grimshaw/FEI Back Page: FEI World Cup Dressage™ Freestyle Placegetters - Laura Graves (USA), Isabell Werth (GER), Carl Hester (GBR) Omaha USA Photo Credit: Tony Parkes/FEI
Wendy.
Editor: Wendy Hamerton Email: dressage@nzequestrian.org.nz Design and Production: www.snaffledesign.co.nz Graphic Design: Sarah Gray Email: sarah@snaffledesign.co.nz Sales & Advertising Email: jeremy@snaffledesign.co.nz Copyright © Snaffle Design and Dressage NZ 2017
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CONTENTS
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6
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48
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6
HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
CONTENT
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22
42
THE SHOW THAT WAS...
back in business...
FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE
We review the highs and lows...
A RIGHT ROYAL AFFAIR FOR CAITLIN
48
54
58
62
VANESSA WAY...
WHAT'S ON...
on timing, team and the creation of a protégé...
We have your winter season sorted across the whole country!
STRENGTHEN FROM A PLACE
DRESSAGE NZ NOTICE BOARD
Horse of the Year 2017...
Young Rider of the year!
of alignment with Debbie Rolmanis...
What's happening this month for Dressage in New Zealand...
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SPONSOR PROFILE
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
Pictured from left: Emma Lilly with Annabelle, Deon Lilly with Josh, Lyn and Sharon Hatton.
HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS BACK IN BUSINESS Article by Jess Roberts
Lyn Hatton tried retiring from his horse-float building business but demand for the South Island-based Hatton brand was too strong – he’s firing up again, mentoring new business owners Deon and Emma Lilly, and says his triedand-true floats are “better than they’ve ever been.”
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Lyn has been making his floats for over two decades now, starting off in Blenheim in 1994. He then sold the business in 2014 but “I had so many people chasing me! I was doing maintenance on horse floats in my ‘retirement’ and people just kept saying, ‘why don’t you start it up again’,” he says. “Then Deon [and Emma] came along and said they’d like to start it up and would I assist, and I said yes.” “So I rebooted it and now I’m the teacher! They are the main directors [Lyn still owns shares in the company]
– I’m in it for a couple of years to make sure everything goes the way it should. Deon is a great guy and Emma is lovely – very smart people, and that’s what you need.” Apart from a few minor changes, the design is the same. “The product is actually better this time round from when we were doing it in the early stages – we’ve put a lot more effort into certain aspects of it,” explains Lyn. “We’ve gone up 100ml with the roof. We thought, why don’t we make a higher roof, because a lot of the horses
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS are getting bigger, so we’ve now gone up to 2.2 metres and it’s fantastic! It makes everything look bigger inside the float.” Emma agrees: “We’re not wanting to change his design; it’s worked so well. There’s ways we can improve it, which we have, but the overall design we are not going to change.” She says her mum has owned a Hatton for 10 years, and was instrumental in her and husband Deon’s new venture, convincing Lyn to give her son-in-law a call when she took her float in for repairs. Deon, a well-qualified engineer from Christchurch, went and had an interview. “I could see that he would be very easy to teach,” compliments Lyn. “He already had all his welding tickets and was looking to start up [a business] of his own.” Hatton and Lilly Horse Floats kicked off in February, running out of Lyn’s workshop on his 10-acre block in Ohoka on the northern outskirts of Christchurch. 63-year-old Lyn has made 1,000 floats over his career - peaking with 85 made in one year when he was based in Blenheim – including a couple for the Lord of the Rings crew in 2001. “They were doing their filming in Otago and came looking around for two horse floats; they wanted to cart their cattle and horses in them around some of those really bad back roads,” he remembers. “So I gave them a special deal on the proviso that they would give
them back in four years. Then when they’d finished, they came back and said to me ‘do you want the floats back because our workers [two of the horse handlers] want to own them’, they’d been so damn good! They had a few dents and plenty of scratches but that was it. I said no, you take them – it’ll be great publicity for me.” That same year, Horse & Pony magazine took eight different floats and had them tested by engineers as well as used for a month transporting horses. Lyn’s brand came out on top with a glowing review and the H&P journalist ended up buying the Hatton they’d tested for herself, and he says this helped him to get a foot in the door of the Auckland and North Island market. The sales side of things is Lyn’s department, as well as most of the finishing work. “We’re getting calls and orders from Auckland to Invercargill at the moment – it’s a little bit hard to keep up! And our pricing is still very reasonable. There’s also a lot out there not guaranteeing their floats after they sell them; we always back our product up. If we’ve had a fault we will rectify it, we’ve always done that.” The Hattons have a long equestrian association and are also long-time sponsors of dressage. Lyn used to hunt and showjump competitively, and his wife Sharon rode for 37 years. She competed up to Intermediate I dressage and was on the squad with her lovely
30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SAFE, QUALITY HORSE TRANSPORT CONTACT: LYN HATTON PH 027 206 7439 | sales@hattonandlilly.co.nz
SPONSOR PROFILE
big mare Bitte Schon. Sharon had a number of successful horses following Bitte Schon including My Volante, Andora and Warrego Sophie who also competed at Advanced level. “That’s where it all started, I was taking her round the country from one end to the other!” laughs Lyn, who maintains that trust is a big part of his business, and being on the horsey scene for so long helped to build that. Emma – who is also a nurse - has ridden since she was 5 years old (although the horses have had to take a back seat slightly while she brings up their two young children) and says the future looks bright for her and Deon’s new venture. “We knew it was a good opportunity because we knew Mum’s was such a good horse float, and we’ve had lots of interest which is really positive.” Emma went on to say that Hatton and Lilly chose to sponsor this issue of the Dressage NZ Bulletin because the Hatton brand of horse floats have always been so popular with dressage riders and they are proud of this association.
Proudly New Zealand Made
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APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
“It’s special to win again after ten years, to come back with a different kind of horse and after a really great season. I’m very happy and I’m also thankful, because I know what it’s like to be downstairs, and I’m really happy and grateful to be upstairs again!”
Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
- ISABELL WERTH
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Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
WONDERFUL WERTH AND WEIHEGOLD TAKE WORLD CUP DRESSAGE TITLE BY STORM Article by Louise Parks
“It’s special to win again after ten years, to come back with a different kind of horse and after a really great season. I’m very happy and I’m also thankful, because I know what it’s like to be downstairs, and I’m really happy and grateful to be upstairs again!” Werth has indeed experienced all the highs and lows that accompany a long and extraordinarily successful career. The undisputed doyenne of the sport, and the most decorated equestrian athlete of all time, was last into the arena and chasing Graves’ target score of 85.307 with Verdades. The American created a frenzy of excitement when finishing her test with a spine-tingling extended trot - “I wanted to add a little surprise today and I think it paid off, and the crowd loved it!” she said after raising the roof of the Centurylink Centre.
But Werth and the mare with which she claimed Olympic team gold and individual silver at the Rio Olympics just cruised through a fabulous Freestyle full of grace, poise and elegance for the winning mark of 90.704. Hester too was happy with third place. “I think he gave his maximum so I can’t be disappointed when he did his absolute best” he said of his horse Nip Tuck who scored 83.757. Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
When she’s got her game face on, you ain’t messin’ with this lady. But this evening the sometimes seriously scary world no. 1, Germany’s Isabell Werth, really let her hair down during the prizegiving ceremony after clinching her third FEI World Cup™ Dressage title in Omaha (USA). Drenching American runnerup Laura Graves (29) and third-placed British star Carl Hester (49) in a fountain of champagne she celebrated bigtime on the podium.
RESULT: 1, Weihegold (Isabell Werth) GER 90.704 2, Verdades (Laura Graves) USA 85.307 3, Nip Tuck (Carl Hester) GBR 83.757
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INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS | Isabell Werth (GER) wins the The FEI World Cupâ„¢Dressage Final ll, Grand Prix Freestyle, April 1 2017. Laura Graves (USA) placed 2nd and Carl Hester finished 3rd. Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
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INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
Photo Cara Grimshaw/FEI
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
Laura GRAVES (USA) rides VERDADES in The FEI World Cupâ„¢Dressage Final ll, Grand Prix
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INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
Wendi Williamson and Deja Vu MH Photo: Astrid Appels
LUCK ELUDES OUR FEI WORLD CUP TRAILBLAZER IN OMAHA The roller coaster of equestrian sport struck a cruel blow for Wendi Williamson’s World Cup campaign during his Grand Prix test. After showing some magnificent work in the lead up days, the huge atmosphere contributed to some costly errors in Deja Vu’s test but the quality of the work was evident.
At some point during the Grand Prix preparation or test, DJ accidentally bit his cheek causing the smallest amount of blood to be present at the final stewards inspection and thus elimination. It was heart wrenching for the connections and fans alike but throughout it all, Wendi was adamant that DJ’s welfare was paramount The sheer pluck shown to make the trip in the first instance and the professionalism displayed in adversity by Team Williamson is something we can all be incredibly proud of. The measure of an athlete is how they
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handle adversity, not how they handle success. If you missed the live broadcast you can view here on the FEI You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ feichannel?app=desktop To view all results of the FEI World Cup Dressage including individual judges marks go to the link: http://www.longinestiming.com/#!/ equestrian/2017/1300/html/en/ longinestiming/resultlist_D1.html
The FEI vet who examined the horse afterwards considered Wendi to be "just very unlucky" and noted a very short recovery period would be required. However the FEI rules around the presence of any blood are very strict and despite an FEI rule which can permit a horse to continue in an event in some very few circumstances (subject to vet approval) it could not be applied in this instance when a Grand Prix score on the board was necessary to progress to the next round.
Photo: Astrid Appels
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Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
Laura Graves (L) and Kasey Perry-Glass (both USA).
Carl Hester (GBR) and Nip Tuck
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Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
Photo Tony Parkes/FEI
Edward Gal and Glocks Voice for the Netherlands
Isabell Werth (GER) during her lap of honour after day 1.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
WEG 2018 IN TRYON ON THE HORIZON The FEI qualifying period for WEG 2018 got underway from the first of January this year some nineteen months out from the event. As well as the FEI MES (Minimum Eligibility Score) of 66% in the Grand Prix, NZ riders will need to meet selection criteria set by ESNZ. This will be announced soon. The good news is riders will have early season opportunity to impress the selectors at Mystery Creek where a special event is being held in conjunction with Equidays (12-15 October). Although this event will not qualify for an FEI MES, it is designated as a national event where scores may be taken into consideration by the selectors. The event could also provide a valuable lead up for riders wishing to head for Australia to compete at the Australian Championships in Boneo
and other CDI events before the end of the year. In addition to the Grand Prix being held on Thursday, there will be an invitational Prix St Georges. The top six qualifiers from the Grand Prix will feature in a Freestyle as part of the Equidays Friday night show.
SPECTATOR JUDGING APP TO BE UNVEILED IN NEW ZEALAND Plans are underway for the Spectator Judging App to be used for the first time in NZ at this event. The App is an exciting innovation for spectators to become involved in the
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competition and test their own judging skills. Developed by Daniel Gรถhlen who also assisted the FEI develop the new freestyle artistic scoring and floor plan requirements, the App is now becoming more and more popular overseas with spectators (who generally speaking are right on the money with their scores). You can download the App and judge any event that is being livestreamed and using the App from anywhere in the world. Just go to Google Play for the free download https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=com. blackhorse88.livejudging&hl=nl
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THE EQUINE WORLD IS COMING TO NEW ZEALAND.
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INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
2017 PERFORMANCE SALES INTERNATIONAL DRESSAGE & JUMPING WITH THE STARS Dressage & Jumping with the Stars (DJWTS) hosted the Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships from 24-26 March and attracted an international panel of judges, riders and four-legged stars to Melbourne, Australia. International judges Gotthilf Riexinger, Henning Lehrmann, Marian Cunningham and Helen HughesKeen were assisted by their Australian colleagues Susie Hoevenaars, Maria Schwennesen, Jane Ventura and Ricky McMillan. This year naming rights sponsor PSI were represented by CEO Francois Kasselmann and Hof Kasselmann Bereiter and Grand Prix competitor Nicole Wego. Nicole rode the winners of the four-, five- and six-year old young horse and pony classes and was suitably impressed by their quality and rideability. The four-year old stallion, KWPNbred Iresias L (Johnson/Ferro) ridden by Gina Montgomery and owned by Sarah Hanslow was crowned Champion of Champions. It was the first time that the four-year-old winner also won the overall Championship against his older rivals. The striking Australian-bred Palomino Karizmah Billionaire (Belissimo M/Jaybee Excellent) ridden by Robbie McKinnon and owned by Jenny Stock was the winner of the fiveyear-old event. New Zealand visitors HP Fresco (Fackeltanz/Lander) and
Holly Leach placed second in this class. Ever consistent mare SPH Renaissance (Royal Hit) ridden by Rodney Martin came home as the six-year-old young horse champion. Breeder and owner Andrea Beatty of Saffron Stables is no stranger to success at DJWTS, having owned previous winners SPH Donner Carina, SPH Sonata Hit or SPH Dante. Last year’s Champion of Champions, Santiago (Sandro Hit) and owner/rider Matthew Dowsley placed third. The pony dressage events are growing in popularity and size year after year. This year’s field saw a combination of home-bred and international pony bloodlines compete. Imported Palomino German Riding Pony mare FS Carry Gold (FS Coco Jambo/ FS Dacapo Doro) ridden by Sara Price made it back-to-back wins by taking out the 2017 Pony Champion of Champions title for the second consecutive year. In the 4-year old division Bettina Kopetzky and Welshcross The Silver Rose (Weston Silver Sands/Dutchman) were on top. Cooper Oborn and the New Zealand-bred German Riding Pony Buckton Thellini (Hilkens Denali/Shamila Greenlea Downton) came first in the highly competitive five-year-old event. Guest star Johannes Westendarp, who operates a stud and young horse barn in Germany, presented a young horse clinic on Sunday, working with four young dressage horses and their young riders.
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Another show highlight was the Longvue CDI-W, which saw Australian Olympian Mary Hanna producing consistent results in both competitions. Mary placed first on Boogie Woogie 6 (Du Moulin/Florett AS) with 71.02% in the Grand Prix and 71.355% in the Freestyle. She also took out second place in both sections on Sancette (Sandro Hit/Contender). The CDI-W saw some promising results from up and coming combinations. Matthew Dowsley and the Denise Ceddla-owned chestnut gelding AEA Prestige (Prestige/Grand Kavalier) won both legs of the Prix St Georges Cup.
Below: Cooper Oborn and New Zealand-bred (by Janna Green) Pony Buckton Thellini congratulated by judge Jane Ventura.
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INTERNATIONAL EVENT REVIEW
John Thompson, Holly and HP Fresco after their first performance and 2nd place.
Holly Leach and HP Fresco both smile for the judges.
From L-R: 6YO SPH Renaissance, 5YO Karizmah Billionaire, 4YO Iresias L, Francois Kasselmann, Johannes Westendarp, Nicole Wego
YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE HERE jeremy@snaffledesign.co.nz
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NEWS
A SALUTE TO THE HOY DRESSAGE ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Photo Credit: Libby Law
Dressage NZ, on behalf of all the riders wishes to offer sincere thanks to the team of volunteers who make the Dressage section of the Horse of the Year Show possible. Chris Paston leads a very loyal team of enthusiasts with a great deal of knowledge and patience. Every year there seems to be a curve ball
PRESTIGE Equestrian www.prestigeequestrian.co.nz
Ltd.
of some description and this year it was largely the weather. It is acknowledged during the early part of the event that warm up conditions were less than ideal, but there was little or no alternative available. But the show went on, and the dressage section was possibly the least affected
owing to having the all two all weather surfaces and a superbly prepared polo grounds which held up well. So a huge thanks to Chris and her team of volunteers, and to all the officials – we salute you.
THE PRESTIGE EQUESTRIAN FUTURES DRESSAGE PRIZE
It was quite an emotional presentation in the main oval at HOY on the Friday afternoon. The smiles from both winner Lorraine WardSmith and sponsor Laurence O’Toole really said it all. When it was confirmed she and Fernlea Diamond Day “DD” had won the saddle, Lorraine and her husband Archie were ecstatic. “All the gear I have for this horse is pre-loved. I could never afford to buy this sort of kit for my horse. I am just so excited and so grateful to have won such a fantastic prize”
Laurence has had a vision for to support riders who are our future. Perhaps those still under the radar of the top levels and who could do with a bit of a “leg up”. And so for the prize of the saddle worth in excess of $6,000 to go to a rider who has been following the circuit, travelled over 22hrs to get to HOY, camps in a tent at shows and has preloved gear was his dream come true. “It’s what we set out to do” he said. “I really believe the new conditions for the Futures Prize that we agreed with Dressage NZ are the right model for this series. I couldn’t be happier”
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The top 6 placegetters who all received Prestige Equestrian sashes were: 1st: Fernlea Diamond Day & Lorraine Ward-Smith, SCNO. Total: 52 2nd: Solo & Rebecca Rowlands, Canterbury. Total: 49 3rd: Sisters II Etta J & Chelsea Callaghan, Wellington. Total: 46 4th: Kinnordy Golda & Sophie de Clifford, Waikato. Total: 46 5th: Alliarna & Sonya McLachlan, Otago. Total: 43 6th: Vollrath Leila & Carole Christensen, Wellington. Total: 40
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MITAVITE QUESTION OF THE MONTH APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
YOUR MITAVITE QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Abbie Deken and NSC Pronto Photo: Charlotte Curd
QUESTION FROM SASHA CRAWFORD: “I have a green mare who tends to be a bit flat footed when I’m riding her in the arena. She can stumble and trip and I find it a bit hard to engage her and get her up in front. She doesn’t feel like this when I’m out riding outside of the arena though. What exercises can I do in the arena to help reduce her flat footedness?”
ANSWER FROM ABBIE DEKEN: It sounds like your mare is just a bit behind your leg when she is in the arena. When you are outside of the arena she probably has more energy and is more alert, so is less likely to stumble. When you are schooling in the arena, I suggest you try doing some exercises to get quick reactions off your leg and to get her thinking more forward. To do this start in walk, and then ask her to go forward by doing a little squeeze with the inside of your calf muscle. If she doesn’t respond forward instantly, then give her a more exaggerated kick forward until she trots or even canters. When she does go forward make sure you reward her with a quick pat. Make sure that you don’t conflict the aids by getting left behind
the movement or catching her in the mouth. This is just to make it clear to her that legs mean go, so don’t worry about the front end at this stage. Repeat this exercise until she goes forwards off the lightest squeeze of the leg. The more active you get her working from behind the more she will lift the front, so you need lots of transitions within the pace and between the paces. There are lots of other exercises you can do to get the hind legs more engaged so I recommend reading some dressage books as the theory behind what you are doing is so important!! You could also introduce some pole work in the arena to make her use her body and to keep her interested in her work.
Do you have a query regarding a bag of Mitavite feed selected the care, maintenance or by the expert Mitavite team for training of your dressage horse? your horse!
Sasha Crawford and 'Meg' Photo: Dannie Armstrong
Go to the DressageNZ Bulletin Thank you Mitavite – for Facebook page and submit your supporting Dressage NZ training questions Congratulations Sasha! A question will be selected and sent to one of our participating coaches to answer for you! The winning question will receive
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MITAVITE EQUINE NUTRITION
THE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS When horses are coming into work either for the first time, or after a break, it’s important to consider a range of things that they need to assist them – from saddle fit to farriery and of course the all important nutritional factor. Nutrition can be an essential factor supporting your horse to perform at their best, and one of the best forms of nutrition is protein. But why is protein so important? Protein is made up of 25 amino acids which are primarily used for the growth and repair of muscles and tissues – so vitally important to a performance horse. The quality of protein is determined by the number and amount of essential amino acids it contains. Essential amino acids are those which the body cannot produce itself and therefore must be supplied in a readyto-use form in the diet. There are 10 essential amino acids. As horses are brought into work they will have extra protein requirements for muscle development. The more work that they do or if the climate changes significantly, this can further increase
their protein requirements significantly. Therefore it is vital that performance horses get the high quality protein that they need. Regardless of the % protein of a feed, if there is not enough of each essential amino acid, a limit to protein synthesis is set which means that the other essential amino acids cannot be used and are degraded and stored as fat. When we supply protein in the diet, we are actually attempting to provide the horse’s essential amino acid requirements and to supply them in a form that can be easily digested and absorbed. The quality of any feed is determined by the number and amount of each of the 10 essential amino acids. Picture a wooden water barrel - or if you prefer, a wine or beer barrel! The barrel (as pictured) can only hold water, wine or beer to the level of the shortest slat. Now, think of each wooden slat as an essential amino acid…therefore it is important to not only supply sufficient protein, but to supply high quality protein that contains appropriate levels of each of the essential amino acids. An understanding of the essential
amino acid requirements of horses growing and working under different conditions of pasture, work load and climate, is fundamental to the formulation of Mitavite® feeds. Mitavite® Promita® not only has 27% protein, but it also has high levels of all 10 of the essential amino acids, perfect to support a horse in work or supplement a horse on pasture. Mitavite® Promita® also contains Mitavite’s® exclusive vitamin K supplement Bonafide® that supports bone density and good health and is fully steam extruded for optimum digestibility. There are many factors that can affect a horses performance, but by ensuring that you have a superior quality nutritional base, using a product such as Mitavite® Promita®, you can be assured that you are doing your best to support their body to cope with your demands.
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
THE SHOW THAT WAS...
John Thompson lifts Abbie Deken's hand high during the Dressage Horse of the Year award ceremony. Photo: Dark Horse Photography
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
HOY 2017 will be remembered as the year in which Dressage came out the winner against adverse weather conditions, the show was full of gumboots, smiles and exemplar sportsmanship. We take a look at what happened across the levels...
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Photo Watson Equine Photography
HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
1.
GRAND PRIX ROUNDUP Article by Jess Roberts | Photo by Watson Equine Photography
Deken delivers a split decision freestyle finale A damp grey Friday afternoon kicked off the big tour competition at HOY with the CDI FEI Grand Prix. The initial line-up was a little reduced after several withdrawals: Wendi Williamson, who had two entered, flew out earlier in the week to join her horse Dejavu MH in England to begin preparation for their World Cup Final start in Omaha at the end of the month. Other absentees included Tracy Smith and Don Diego DC, Penny Castle’s BL About Time and Rio Olympian Julie Brougham, her horse Vom Feinsten still recovering from a minor suspensory injury. For the first time ever, all seven starters
qualified for the Special and the Freestyle with scores above the 60% threshold. Last year’s title winner John Thompson and JHT Antonello – currently in the top 100 on the FEI rankings – took the class with a strong 69.52 score, followed by Abbie Deken and KH Ambrose on 67.42. Third went to Penny Castle, her horse Magnus Spero luckily unfazed by the very loud prize giving in the showjumping ring next door that coincided with their test (65.9). Saturday saw most of the HOY action grind to a halt after a night of unrelenting rain, including the muchanticipated cross country phase of
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the eventing which was cancelled in the interests of horse and rider safety. Dressage was able to put its gumboots on and get on with it however, and Thompson was victorious again in the CDI FEI Grand Prix Special. It was a close call as he hit the 70% mark for the win, but was chased hard by Deken and KH Ambrose – the pair were absolutely on fire, with two of the five judges placing them in the top spot – finishing just a percent behind on 69.216, the Anamour gelding looking more settled than the previous day. The passage-extended trot-passage movements really suited William
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Photo Watson Equine Photography
HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Left to Right: Vic Barba (PHI), Susie Hoovenaars (AUS), Sue Hobson (NZL), John Thompson & JHT Antonello, Jane Ventura (AUS), Pam Gilmour (DNZ Patron), Linda Warren-Davey (NZL), Gretel Webber representing the Grand Prix sponsor Dunstan Horsefeeds.
Millar’s big-moving Raukura Satori MH, their 66.118 test earning them third place. Luckily the rain predicted for Sunday did not eventuate and there were plenty of spectators lining the fence to watch the freestyle. Thompson headed into the test as hot favourite but there are no rock-solid bets at HOY, where anything can – and did – happen. Deken rode a superb test which, if her smile was anything to go by, she enjoyed riding as much as we all enjoyed watching. Her 72.9% could not be beaten, Thompson coming in second on 71.825, recovering well after JHT Antonello had possibly the worst-timed sneezing fit ever at the beginning of his test and having the crowd on the edge of their seats wondering what non choreographed moves might follow. Third placegetter Penny Castle also hit the seventies, finishing her test on 70.95 in perfect time to her soundtrack. She was very happy with her performance, saying “I just love riding and performing under pressure and when it comes off like that – it’s a buzz.”
Bar a few hiccups in the tempi changes Vanessa Way pulled off a high degree of difficulty test with NRM Arawn (69.05) and was quick to acknowledge the effort that goes into HOY, thanking “all the sponsors and volunteers – I really mean it,” she said. “And to all of you here [watching us], you’re part of it too.” Less than half a percent behind her was Jody Hartstone and Ali Baba, who finished with a personal best score of 68.9 and fifth place. When asked what her test highlight was on the Lusitano stallion, she replied “every day I ride this horse is a highlight, he is so much fun.” Millar and Raukura Satori MH rode into sixth (66.125), followed by 24-year-old Wellingtonian Kate Tobin and I Like It (62.425). The judging panel consisted of Australians Susie Hoevenaars (FEI5*) and Jane Ventura (FEI4*), our own FEI4* judges Sue Hobson and Helen Hughes-Keen, and Vittorio Barba, an FEI3* judge from the Philippines. A fashion designer by trade – and very snappily dressed in suit and bow tie – Barba was impressed with his first time
judging here in NZ. “Very good,” he said firmly. “I was surprised at the high level of competition.” It is beyond encouraging that although two of our top combinations were missing, the Grand Prix was still able to deliver a very strong field with scores to match. Add to this the excitement of New Zealand being represented in the World Cup Final at the end of this month – for the first time ever in the 32 years it’s been running – plus the seedling plans to put a team together for the Tryon WEG next year, and there’s a lot to be proud of.
GRAND PRIX HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Abbie Deken (KH Ambrose), 2nd: John Thompson ( JHT Antonello) 3rd: Penny Castle (Magnus Spero) 4th: Jody Hartstone (Ali Baba) 5th:Vanessa Way(NRM Arawn) 6th: William Millar (Raukura Satori MH)
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INTERVIEW
ABBIE DEKEN AND KH AMBROSE TAKE DRESSAGE HORSE OF THE YEAR Article by Jess Roberts | Photos by Watson Equine Photography
The little power-pack that is KH Ambrose just kept getting better and better in each of his tests at HOY. “On the first day he was like a little bull, a charging bull that I was hanging onto for dear life!” smiles Abbie. “Yesterday was better and today was the best he’s been. I had a smile on my face for that test, he just relaxed in there and let me ride him,” she says of the freestyle that won them the long-awaited title. Deken was up against six other combinations – including Vanessa Way, Penny Castle and hot favourite John Thompson – but says she didn’t really think about that part of it. “I just wanted to do a solid test, and cut some mistakes out and do a few things better than I have,” she says, in her usual humble and understated manner. “Everyone was saying to me ‘you can do it’.” There was a tense interval on the lane behind the Oval while Deken and Way (her coach and mentor of 11 years) were waiting for Thompson’s score to be announced. What happened when you realised you’d won? “We were all waiting together and crossing our fingers and Vanessa just burst into tears. She has put so much heart and soul into Ambrose and me; I wanted to make her proud,” says an emotional Deken. She says the sportsmanship among her fellow contestants is amazing.
“At that level it’s so difficult, and it’s such a struggle to get there, and even when you get there it’s so tough,” admits Deken. “I think all the riders understand each others problems and how disappointing it can be and when it’s good, enjoy it because tomorrow it can be a completely different story.” HOY hasn’t exactly been 33-year-old Deken’s best show in the past. She’s been competing there for almost a decade, but says her horses have often struggled with the atmosphere and until this year had never won her a title. Now she has two! She also scooped the L3 title on her young horse Giuliani, who she has high hopes for. “I believe in him and love riding him.” There’s not too much down-time for the very hard-working Deken, and she’ll be straight back into it when she gets home. She’s had to cut her vetnursing job down to two afternoons a week as her coaching and riding work has steadily grown (and will surely skyrocket now…). “He is incredible,” she says of her boss at New Plymouth Vet Group. “I love it there and didn’t want to give it away completely but he’s arranged it so that I can still have a job. He keeps up with the dressage and knows about the scores – the first thing I do when I come in on a Monday is he hits me up and makes me explain everything!”
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Ambrose – who is a full brother to Way’s L5 horse NRM KH Arion - will have some chill out time and then get into winter training. “He’s still got more in him,” says Deken. “He’s 14 but as sound as a bell. There’s always so much to improve on, I actually love it! I’ve got beautiful [freestyle] music but my floor plan is quite simple, to get higher marks it needs to be more difficult and I need to take more risks. I might do some little shows through the winter to just keep that test riding up – it makes you keep pushing yourself.” She hasn’t dismissed WEG out of hand either, when one of the journalists at the press conference asks her about it. “It’s a scary thought, but I can’t rule it out. It depends if we can put a team together, I guess. It’s something to think about.” Abbie is sponsored by: NSC Saddles, Virbac, New Plymouth Vet Group, Hareb Deken motors and Good Farrier Services. Pictured Right: Sue Hobson presents Abbie Deken with the Judith Simpson Memorial trophy for the Grand Prix Horse of the Year trophy with FEI International Judge Vittorio Barba (PHI)
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INTERVIEW
Photo Watson Equine Photography
“There was such an incredible sense of sportsmanship, everyone is really supportive of each other and they were so happy for me, because it was my turn.” - ABBIE DEKEN
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
A hat-trick of wins saw Susan Tomlin and Dancealong – known at home as Christmas – at the front of the L8 title line up
IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS Article by Jess Roberts | Photo by Dark Horse Photography
The L8 is always interesting to watch, that in-between level where horse and rider are upping anchor from the cosy port of Prix St Georges and making their way across uncharted waters toward the shores of Grand Prix. After their win in the FEI Inter A, Susan Tomlin and Dancealong went on to win the FEI Inter B title class – held in the quiet of first light, a very early start - from a field of eight starters, scoring 64.262%. You can see the horses are still coming to grips with the bigger questions that this level asks (most having a few hiccups in their tempi changes and a few interesting airborne additions either side of the piaffe!) but also showing some very promising work too. Missing from the start list was current L8 National Champion Sheena Ross, who, after the torrential rain and extreme flooding in her hometown of Clevedon - combined with the wet HOY forecast - decided to stay home to deal with flood damage and leave Parkridge Disco for another – drier! – day. Tomlin’s 68.125 was the score to beat in the Freestyle, Paula Stuart and Aztec Lad coming very close on 67.775. An
emotional Stuart looked over the moon with her Hanoverian TB X gelding, who got a very big hug after their final halt. Melissa Galloway and Zeilinger rode into third with their lovely Irish Riverdance soundtrack, followed by Devon Raos and Busuto (64.375), then Nicky Pope and Saskatoon (63.875) It was great to see 2014 Young Rider Champ Catherine West back in the arena, her score average brought down by some exciting extras on a rather hot Amici II, but also with some very polished movements. Hanoverian stallion Limonit – now 18 years old - was in shining health and sympathetically ridden by Vay Snyman. Vaughn Cooper and Kiteroa Leila were 6th overall for the title, the Falkensee mare looking a bit unsettled in the bridle but they made the most of a great entry with music to match in their Kur. Tomlin says she was thrilled with Dancealong, especially as the 9-yearold Dreamboy/Waltzingtanz gelding had a rather stressful HOY previously. “Last year his performance was marred by tension, he gets quite upset in the work-in arena with having the mounted games ponies and people building cross country fences and bikes and trucks
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going up the driveway beside him,” she acknowledges. “This year we planned it better so that we could warm him up over on the polo grounds on the first day, and the second day [our test was] super early so we could warm him up over in the showjumpers’ warmup. “I had a few mistakes [in my freestyle], it would have been nice to have a faultless performance but it’s a very challenging environment,” she adds, saying about her music “I chose my music because my trainer Andrea Raves really likes it! But I really enjoy riding to it too.” Tomlin plans to keep training over winter and move up to Grand Prix next year. They both look more than ready to take this step – though if they need a plan B, after seeing their victory lap around the Oval they can easily swap tailcoat for silks and short stirrups!
LEVEL 8 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Susan Tomlin (Dancealong), 2nd: Paula Stuart (Aztec Lad), 3rd: Melissa Galloway (Zeilinger), 4th: Nicky Pope (Saskatoon), 5th: Devon Raos(Busuto), 6th: Vaughn Cooper (Kiteroa Leila)
HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Photo Dark Horse Photography
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Susan Tomlin and Dancelong, Photo Dark Horse Photography
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Vanessa Way and NRM Andreas Photos: Watson Equine Photography
A HOP, A SKIP AND A JUMP Article by Jess Roberts | Photos by Watson Equine Photography
Winners of last years L3 title, Vanessa Way and NRM Andreas bounced up to small tour this year and did it all over again. Vanessa said the black Anamour gelding did some of his best ever work at HOY. “All season he sort of gets a bit hot in the canter work so that’s been my curse, like he does it really well at home but at the shows – because he’s only done a season competing in his life – his tension comes in the canter,” she explains. “I’ve been thinking ‘oh crikey, have I rushed him?’ because he’s still finding his feet with all the tempis. “He’d never done a change a year ago and now he has to do two’s and so you worry about that. But I was absolutely blown away that his canter work at HOY was better than it’s been at anything 30 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | APRIL 2017
all season so I’m quite confident to push him on to L8 next year – he did 5 ones the other day! And his piaffe/passage is his strength.” Alex Matheson had two classy wins in the Prix St George and the Intermediate I title test – both classes sponsored by Pryde’s Easifeed – on Dutch stallion PSL Lingh II so were in a strong position going into the freestyle. It was not to be: their test was unfortunately dogged by some early mistakes and they faced a rather long halt at the end waiting for their music to catch up, however they had still done enough to earn themselves reserve champion.
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Alex Matheson PSL Lingh II with sponsor Hayley-Jane Malcolmson from Pryde’s Easifeed.
After NRM Andreas tripped on the first shoulder-in, Vanessa had to do some very quick thinking on her feet. “I had to recreate my whole freestyle from the beginning, to end up on the right rein at the end so we could do our shoulderin again,” she laughs. “It was all pretty oh-my-godcreative – I was very lucky that we managed to pull it off because it was definitely freestyling.” Must be all those years of experience… “Yes, the grey hair coming to the front and pulling me through!” Angela Lloyd and her Regardez Moi gelding, Ruanuku R, chased the winning combination hard
in the freestyle for a score of 66.875, their two harmonious title tests earning them third overall.
ADVANCED HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Vanessa Way (NRM Andreas) 2nd: Alex Matheson (PSL Lingh II) 3rd: Angela Lloyd (Ruanuku R) 4th: Louisa Ayres (Playmate) 5th: Ottilie Upshall (Regal Xavier), 6th: Franzi Van Bruggen-Smit (Fortunato)
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BELLADONNA: A LATIN EPITHET MEANING BEAUTIFUL LADY Article by Jess Roberts | Photos by Watson Equine Photography
Runner-up went to Vanessa Way on NRM KH Arion, who won the 5D title class earlier in the week but had to settle for third place in the musical behind Flintoff and Kieryn Walton, who also notably posted the only other score in the 70s, with her chestnut Don Frederico gelding Rosari Don Carlos. The 20-strong musical field was very competitive, with barely fractions of a percent separating the top nine contenders. Chanel Flyger and her new ride Hot Chocolate MH (having taken over the reins from Mihi Shepherd) started their test with a big smile from Chanel and a beautiful even entrance to their Taylor Swift soundtrack. It was also refreshing to see the leggy blue roan stationbred Weiti West End (ridden by Jane Callaghan) in the mix alongside the purpose-bred warmbloods. Liz Hutson and Hapsburg PSH gave three solid performances to take fourth place overall. Liz provided a good deal of amusement at prizegiving – she had failed to realise she was in the line up and was browsing the trade stands when she heard her name called. Quick thinking saw her extended trot
into Sandi Johnson’s Classic Equestrian Cavallo trade stand, a quick flying change into breeches, jacket, boots and hat and off to prize giving on foot – price tags and all! Flintoff was very happy with her Brentano II mare. “She went really good in all three tests,” she says. “The only [not so good] one was the Wednesday when it rained and we didn’t really have a good warmup as the arena had turned to slush.” And they clearly have a fantastic partnership, the mare laidback in the Oval atmosphere. “I think she trusts me – I know that sounds cheesy! She’s just… I don’t know… special.” Belladonna was Heath Ryan’s pick for the Young Dressage Horse title at Nationals back in 2015. Now an 8-year-old, she is well on track to living up to the potential he saw in her - not least because she has been beautifully produced by Flintoff, who trains with Philip Oxenius and “mostly my mum – she’s there every day and tells it how it is!” she laughs. “Neither of us have done this high a level so we’re sort of all learning together.” Next season they are aiming at Prix St Georges, and ultimately toward Grand Prix. Currently studying massage (humans not horses), Flintoff makes the trip down to Auckland twice a month, working via correspondence in
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between. I bet there will be no shortage of horsey people lining up for her to practice on! “I did think about putting the table in and taking it to HOY and setting it up in the truck!” she laughs. “That might be a plan in the near future.”
LEVEL 5 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Julie Flintoff (Belladonna MH) 2nd: Vanessa Way (NRM KH Arion) 3rd: Kieryn Walton (Rosari Don Carlos) 4th: Liz Hutson (Hapsburg PSH) 5th: Christine Weal (Stoneylea Lord Locksely) 6th: Carole Christensen (Vollrath Leila)
Photo Watson Equine Photography
Kerikeri combination Julie Flintoff and Belladonna MH took out the L5 title this year, signing off with a winning 72.389% in the musical freestyle
Quick thinking/shopping from Liz Hutson provided great entertainment at prize giving
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Julie Flintoff (Belladonna)) with 5* judge Susiee Hoovenaars (AUS) Photo Watson Equine Photography
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“I was just so, so happy with him, it was definitely one of my best tests ever and the highest score I had ever had. There is never a day I don’t enjoy riding him – he is incredibly special.”
Photo Watson Equine Photography
- MELISSA GALLOWAY
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Photo Watson Equine Photography
HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
MELISSA GALLOWAY RECORDS A PERSONAL BEST WITH 76.1% Article by Jess Roberts | Photos by Watson Equine Photography
Melissa Galloway may have to build another mantelpiece to fit all her trophies on after another successful season; and she can now add L4 Dressage Horse of the Year to her collection, which will look very tidy alongside this year’s National L4 title. Windermere J’Obei W had a tense and spooky 4C warm-up test at HOY but settled down for the 4D.
on 74.5%. She was full of praise for her pupil. “It is the most amazing, satisfying feeling to see your pupils at the top of the game and giving the ‘old girl’ a good push!” she jokes. “I think Melissa and her superstar [J’Obei] are something very exciting ahead for NZ and to be able to help advise and nurture her along the way is a real reward as a coach.”
“He was a lot better, I rode a very safe test but we kept things together!” laughs Melissa. “And [for] the freestyle I knew I had to do something pretty special as I knew Vanessa would give it everything too. So I just went in so determined and focused and didn’t let the nerves get to me as they can do.”
The very consistent Wellington combination of Chelsea Callaghan and Sisters II Etta J were right up there throughout for a well-earned third overall placing, and despite some hot moments which proved just too expensive, Sophie de Clifford’s Alamo BL (Anamour) showed moments of brilliance to come - including some unscheduled but very flash piaffe! Matthews Hanoverians’ rider Hannah Burden also gave three solid
Though she won the 4D title class on NSC Pronto (by Prestige VDL), reserve Vanessa Way couldn’t quite catch Melissa in the freestyle, finishing
performances on Decadance MH for fourth place in the title line-up. For Melissa, it is into winter training in preparation for next season, which “I’m really excited about! I think he is just going to get better and better. I would like to thank Vanessa Way and Andrea Raves, my coaches, for being so supportive and encouraging this entire season, and my family who give up so much to help me achieve my dreams.”
LEVEL 4 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Melissa Galloway (Windermere JObèi W) 2nd: Vanessa Way (NSC Pronto) 3rd: Chelsea Callaghan (Sisters II Etta J) 4th: Hannah Burden (Decadance MH) 5th: Debbie Barke (RM Limbo) 6th: Sophie de Clifford (Alamo BL)
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Abbie Deken and Guiliani Photo: Dark Horse Photography
PATIENCE PAYS OFF FOR DEKEN Article by Jess Roberts
Giuliani wins Abbie Deken her very first Horse of the Year title (that was swiftly followed by her second title!) Despite attending HOY for almost a decade, a title win has remained elusive for Deken until now, with her impressive Kinnordy Gym Bello gelding Giuliani taking out the L3. It was a three-way battle between Deken, Rebecca Rowlands (Solo), and Sophie de Clifford (Kinnordy Golda) as the trio leapfrogged each other over the course of the four tests. Deken had enough points in hand after a second placing and a win in the title classes – the freestyle and 3D respectively – to take the spoils, Rowlands coming in with reserve It was great to see Auckland’s Julie Evans in fourth place – earlier in the season she and Dantelegro had made the trip to Manfeild to compete at the Central Districts Championships. Julie evented in a previous equestrian life and was concerned this experience was affecting her amateur dressage status – or how she viewed it. But maybe this strong performance at HOY proves that riding skills are not lost – simply rekindled. Southland’s Allie Harper was super thrilled with her Rosari Ringo Star in the hands of Tyler McKee. An injured knee has kept
Allie out of the action recently and her hopes to ride at HOY were dashed – but the long trip from Winton was still successful Giuliani is out of well-known Anamour mare Ashanti, both of whom were bred by Debbie Smith. Ashanti was last year’s L5 champion at HOY – beautifully produced by Sophie de Clifford – and sadly lost her battle with illness recently. This made Giuliani’s win even more special. “I plan on training Giuliani all the way up [the levels] and hopefully we can do Debbie and Ashanti proud,” says Deken.
LEVEL 3 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Abbie Deken (Giuliani) 2nd: Rebecca Rowlands (Solo) 3rd: Sophie de Clifford (Kinnordy Golda) 4th: Julie Evans (Dantelegro) 5th: Kelly Pearson (Don Arion) 6th: Tyler McKee (Rosari Ringo Star)
Right: Rebecca Rowlands and Solo were runner up L3. Photo: NZequine
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Abbie Deken and Giuliani Photo: Dark Horse Photography
Photo by Dark Horse Photography
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VALE ASHANTI We would like to pay tribute to a very special mare Ashanti who sadly lost her battle with laminitis recently. Ashanti was produced beautifully by dressage rider Sophie de Clifford and will be sorely missed from the competition circuit. Ashanti: 2004 Chestnut Warmblood mare. Anamour x Dynamit. Bred and owned by Debbie Smith.
Her career included many titles... 2017: Unbeaten at Level 7 including North Island Level 7 Champion 2016: Level 5 Horse of the Year Champion 2016: Level 5 National Champion 2016: Level 5 North Island Dressage Champion 2015/2016 Season: Champion at all five regional championships contested 2015: Level 3 Horse of the Year Champion 2015 Level 3 National Champion
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
FERNLEA DIAMOND DAY ADDS HOY JEWEL TO HER CROWN Article by Jess Roberts | Photo by NZEquine
Lorraine Ward-Smith’s is a very cool story: no huge team of horses or chrome-edged juggernaut complete with rider’s lounge to see here. Armed with one gorgeous homebred horse, one horsefloat and one trusty tent, the Oamaru-based rider has kicked the proverbial this season, not least at HOY where she remained unbeaten for the title. Lorraine and the 5-year-old Fernlea Diamond Day (‘DD’) have a list of achievements as long as your arm: they hold L2 titles at the Southland, Otago, South Canterbury/North Otago, Ashburton, Christchurch and Marlborough championship shows; they won the South Island Super 5 League, Zilco L2 Musical Freestyle Series and were National Super 5 Champions and winners of the Prestige Futures award – and that’s just this season. It was a big decision to make the 10-day round trip north. “I’ve never taken a horse up to HOY, so it was a very big deal for us, financially as well as everything else,” says Lorraine. “We figured out that if you were to drive solid from our place, including the ferry crossing it would be 23.5 hours – that’s if you were to do it absolutely non-stop. And of course not being able to drive up through the Kaikoura route because of the quake damage added a whole other complication.” By Donnerubin, DD was bred by Lorraine herself, as was DD’s dam, and her grand-dam. “This [line] is a Lady line that we’ve hung onto, and chased the Donnerhall lines down and that’s why it’s quite special for us to make this solo trip up [to HOY] to have a look and come away with [the win],” Lorraine says, describing DD as a typical chestnut mare. “She keeps you honest and can be
a groom’s nightmare!” she jokes. “But she dotes on me and looks for me – I’ve got to be respectful that she’s a big horse and she can be moody – but she’s heaps of fun to ride.” All four of their tests were won with scores well into the 70s, their musical with 77.656. Lorraine says the most exciting part is “that I know there’s more for her to give. The ground conditions were not flash [on the Polo fields] so I couldn’t really push her into the corners. She’s a big-moving horse that I’ve really got to ride out and I couldn’t really do it,” she explains. “So I was happy to score what I did but I know there’s heaps more in the tank there that I couldn’t show.” Before now, Lorraine had done all her schooling on her own but has just started training with Andrea Raves. “I’ve had two lessons with her as I’ve just started to reach a point where I felt like I needed some eyes on the ground,” she reflects. At least she will have her Futures prize of a brand new Prestige saddle to ride in now? “Yes! It’s a serious piece of equipment! And it’s so nice it’s still sitting in my lounge room and I’m just looking at it!” Lorraine and her husband are seasonal contractors for the dairy industry and she does a little bit of breeding with a few young horses coming up; her story flies an encouraging flag for riders
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everywhere. “We’re not financially well heeled. We’ve done this out of a float and a tent. And the camping has been really, really average this season because every tournament has been wet – but it’s been a joy.” “DD” was not the only Donnerubin bred featuring in the L2 line up at HOY. Diane Wallace’s KP Dexter (Donnerubin/Danielle/Dynamit) and Elisha Wade’s Donneregal (Donnerubin/ Madame Butterfly/Maestro) have also been prominent at regional events all season culminating in top five finishes at HOY
LEVEL 2 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Lorraine Ward-Smith (Fernlea Diamond Day) 2nd: Alex Matheson (Furstango) 3rd: Nicoli Fife (Charlton Baliro) 4th: Diane Wallace (KP Dexter) 5th: Elisha Wade (Donneregal) 6th: Nicole Sweney (Flute Noir)
Pictured right: Robert Kofoed presents the Auf Weidersehen trophy donated by Julian & Elizabeth Aaron to Lorraine Ward-Smith with Fernlea Diamond Day.
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Gaylene Lennard and Jax Johnson Photo: Dark Horse Photography
Gaylene Lennard and John Thompson Photo: NZequine
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
ANOTHER JOHNSON IN THE EQUATION Article by Jess Roberts
What does four classes divided by two wins and two placings multiplied by Jax Johnson equal? For Gaylene Lennard, it adds up to the Level One Dressage Horse of the Year title.
Fortunately for competition over the road, the polo grounds stayed useable right up until Saturday, despite having up to 40 horses competing in the L1 (which consisted of four tests, two of which were title classes). It is always enjoyable to watch the younger horses starting out on the dressage ladder, where the tests are straightforward and they can just show off their fabulous selves. Helen Young and Floating Currency (Kiwi Emilion) put up four solid scores to take fourth place overall, third going to Kim Whitelegg and her black De Niro gelding Davrol Duchovny after their win in the 1D title. John Thompson and the expressive JHT Replay were never out of the money and went into reserve. This was only Jax Johnson’s second big show: the first was at Taranaki champs where they gained HOY qualification and were L1 reserve champions. Lennard did think twice about bringing him to HOY. “I was a bit worried how he’d handle the atmosphere there but being over on the polo grounds I thought I’d be
alright out there with plenty of warm-up area,” she says. “So I just thought I’d take the bull by the horns and go!” Lennard has owned Jax for 18 months, and he is by the same sire – Johnson – that Melissa Galloway’s ‘J’ horses are. “I heard about Melissa’s horses and heard about Johnson,” says Lennard. “Then I saw his video on FaceBook so I rang up, went and looked at him and fell in love with it!”
LEVEL 1 HORSE OF THE YEAR 1st: Gaylene Lennard (Jax Johnson) 2nd: John Thompson (JHT Replay), 3rd: Kim Whitelegg (Davrol Duchovny) 4th: Helen Young (Floating Currency), 5th: Laurel Carre (La Dolce Vita) 6th: Karla Tarr (Parkridge Bolero)
This season was all about getting him out; now Lennard is hoping to push on over the winter and maybe jump up a couple of grades. She trains with Vanessa Way, saying she has been a huge help with the at-times boisterous 6-year-old Jax, and now can’t wait to get going. “I’m really looking forward to it; it’s really exciting – now that I can stay on!”
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
A RIGHT ROYAL AFFAIR FOR CAITLIN Article by Jess Roberts | Photo by Dark Horse Photography
Introducing our 2017 Young Rider Champions: Caitlin Benzie and Rosari Royal Gem The Young Rider competition was whittled down to just two combinations after the shock last-minute withdrawal of Lucarne Dolley. The Young Rider FEI medallist from the national champs had to scratch her mare Devils Chocolate due to lameness, which must have been unbearably disappointing for Dolley, who has gone from strength to strength with her mare and is currently sitting in 34th place on the FEI Young Rider rankings. Caitlin Benzie and her dapple grey Rosari Royal Gem, and Hannah Van Der Horst with her bay stationbred Moby’ll Do lined up for the CDI-Y FEI YR Team Test, Benzie chalking up 65.605%. Sadly Hannah & Moby (at their very first HOY Young Rider appearance) were eliminated due to blood in the mouth: on inspection by the FEI vet, the gelding had unfortunately (but minimally) bitten his tongue during the test. She was then left waiting for FEI clearance to continue through to the
CDI-Y YR Individual, which luckily came through late on Friday night. The following day, the two girls again did a great job of their tests, Benzie taking the win on 66.211. Finishing just shy of the 60% needed to start in the freestyle, that was the end of the show for Hannah, whose professional and positive demeanour throughout made her a great role model for our sport. She was very happy with Moby’ll Do, saying “for us, it was really good, an awesome experience. And he was awesome for me.” And so the final Musical Freestyle was Benzie’s to win. The fact that they were flying solo in no way detracted from their beautiful performance, which got straight down to business starting with 3-time-changes up the centreline and earned them their best score at Advanced level yet: 68.275%. “I was really happy with my freestyle,” Benzie says. “I made a few mistakes myself but Jason [as the 13-year-old gelding is known at home] was an absolute star.”
YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE HERE jeremy@snaffledesign.co.nz
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“It was pretty awesome to be Young Rider Champion,” she acknowledged, but added that it wasn’t quite the way she wanted to win it. “I was really gutted and disappointed for Hannah and Lucarne.” She thanked her parents for their support and her boss for being so accommodating with her work schedule. “And to my coaches Andrea Raves and Bill Noble for helping me to achieve my goals and my first HOY title!”
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Caitlin Benzie and Rosari Royal Gem
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
Alison Addis and Whistledown Kristopha Photo: Dark Horse Photography
GOING OUT IN STYLE Article by Jess Roberts
Alison Addis and Whistledown Kristopha ended their final Pony season together with the Dressage Pony of the Year title and scoring the Kaeo teenager her first sponsor, Reyna Equestrian... A drizzly Friday morning at HOY was infinitely brightened by some sparkly performances in the Level Four Pony Freestyle, the deciding class for Dressage Pony of the Year title. Six ponies were entered in the class; Matangi combination Caitlin de Langen and Hilkens Denali were withdrawn following the stallion’s pending sale to
Australia, and so it was down to five. Sarah Scott and Thumbelina were first up, finishing a little ahead of the music but Sarah doing an efficient job with her elegant bay mare. Next in was Waikato pair Morgan Beere and Wembleybrooke Sergio, this pony superb on his day but a bit fragile in the Oval atmosphere – managed beautifully by Morgan - and consequently not able to show off his best performance. Laying down the score to beat – 67.056 – Addis and Kristopha delivered an almost faultless test to their delicate Scott Joplin soundtrack, which so suited his type and tempo. Rebecca Aplin closed in on second place with her
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classic example of the NZ Riding Pony breed, Woodlands Park Light O Day (by Kirkwood Blacklight), the Dannevirke duo just making a few expensive errors in an otherwise good quality test. Taking third in the class were Lilly Jefferies and Prima Magneto who had done enough over the course of the show to take runner-up for the POY title. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Addis at HOY – on Wednesday she was ambulanced to hospital after the painkillers she had been taking (after coming off a horse she was breaking in last year) caused severe stomach pain. Luckily, she recovered enough to continue, although she had to miss
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one test on her other horse, Amillion MVNZ, in the open L4. Whistledown Kristopha – who, with Addis, also won the title in 2015 – is now 17 years old; both Addis and her mother Pip are sad at the prospect of selling him. “He’s sort of for sale, but only if the right home comes along. Otherwise we’ll just keep him,” says Pip. “He’s so safe – he just goes to the rider’s ability. We left him for three weeks with a 9-year-old girl who rides level one dressage and she had the most amazing time on him, she learned to do walk to canters and mediums and she had a ball.” Addis is now on the lookout for a CDI-Y horse to add to her team. The family moved up to Kaeo from Karaka last year and face a big drive home from Hastings, broken up with stops in Taupo and Auckland. They
HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
started out on a bare block up there with 60 acres of bush and streams (and no arena: Ali trains her horses out in the paddock), living in a shipping container with no power, internet or running water. They now have power and can have a hot shower but, grumbles 17-year-old Addis, “there’s still no wifi!”
HOY PONIES LEVELS 1 TO 3 The quality of ponies and standard of pony competition is on the rise and how encouraging for the sport to see the future potential. Watch out for these names in the years to come and remember that you saw them here! LEVEL 1 PONY OF THE YEAR 1st: Bella Small (Kingslea Busy Bee) 2nd: Paris Masterson (KS Rose D Or)
3rd: Emily Hastings (Glendale Nightlight) 4th: Rebecca Mobberley (Monstevos Just In Pretoria) 5th: Samuel Gradowski- Smith (Heritage Don Quilla) 6th: Sophia Blackbourn (Maxwelton Saturday Sensation)
LEVEL 2 PONY OF THE YEAR 1st: Isabella Chatfield (AD Dennache) 2nd: Antonia Verissimo (Picture Me Painted) 3rd: Bella Small (Glenwood Gloria) 4th: Tylah Brown (Tempo’s Magic) 5th: Sophie Hobbs (GE Prides Freedom) 6th: Emma Dunderdale (Alonzo Fanticy) LEVEL 3 PONY OF THE YEAR 1st: Mackenzie Sim (North East) 2nd: Anna Wilson (Pepee) 3rd: Meila Picard (Buckton Denniston) 4th: Isabella Chatfield (Prima Bella) 5th: Amy Vujcich (Aschbrooke Bobby Dazzler) 6th: Aspen Davys Olsen (Cimarron Magnum) DRESSAGE PONY OF THE YEAR 2017 (LEVEL 4) 1st: Alison Addis (Whistledown Kristopha 1), 2nd: Lilly Jefferies (Prima Magneto), 3rd: Rebecca Aplin (Woodlands Park Light O Day), 4th: Morgan Beere (Wembleybrook Sergio), 5th: Sarah Scott (Thumbellina II)
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Horse of the Year 2017
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1. Andrea Raves (prize giving manager) Chris Paston (HOY Dressage Convenor) Pam Gilmour Dressage NZ Patron Photo: Watson Equine Photography. 2. Jody Hartstone and Sue Hobson (Intermediate II prizegiving) Photo: NZequine 3. Otillie Upshall Regal Xavier. Photo: NZequine 4. Jodie Thorne, Para, San Mateo Tech Effects. Photo: NZequine 5. Nicola Essex Deliverance Grade II Para competitor. Photo: NZequine 6. Franzi van Bruggen-Smit (Fortunato) and Tessa van Bruggen. Photo: Watson Equine Photography. 7. Advanced prizewinners strut their stuff. Photo: Watson Equine Photography.
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INTERVIEW
VANESSA WAY ON TIMING, TEAM AND THE CREATION OF A PROTÉGÉ Article by Jess Roberts
Vanessa and NSC Pronto were Reserve Champion L4 at HOY 2017 Photo: NZequine
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INTERVIEW
Photo: Watson Equine Photography
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“I just couldn’t believe it … I wanted it (for her) more than me, because I’ve had my time and she deserves it. It’s her time, she’s worked so hard and it was just an amazing thing for for her to win it. That was the highlight of the whole show.” Jess Roberts catches up with Vanessa Way for her take on protégé Abbie Deken’s big win, horse-friendly dressage, her own team and plans for the future. ABBIE
“It’s been such a long journey for her. And most people don’t know, or haven’t seen, the road that I’ve seen her go down with that horse,” Way says, remembering Ambrose’s challenging temperament as a young horse. “To see someone who works so hard and just quietly keep sticking at it… Like I say, we’ve worked together for eleven years and it hasn’t been an easy road – I think that is the biggest thing, to see someone work so hard and get there, get to the top.” She says the hardest thing at HOY was trying to keep Abbie’s confidence up but not put her under too much pressure. “Like when she was second [in the Special] we were like ‘oh s**t lets not say anything’!” she grins. “Let’s just focus on her going and doing the best she can do and just enjoying her horse.” KH AMBROSE
While he hasn’t always been easy, Way knew the chestnut Anamour gelding had the ability. ‘I’ve always believed in him, there’s never been a doubt, like in the past when things haven’t APRIL 2017 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 49
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INTERVIEW
in my team [Arion, Andreas and Arawn] although the babies below them are all different – I’ve got two by Prestige, a Fleming Weltmeyer and I’ve also got a Furst Romancier. So I’ve got a whole team coming up which has no Anamours in it which is going to be interesting!” “I’ve got my best team now and, you know, you only get better as you do it, you just learn to make not so many mistakes really, just do the basics better,” she maintains. “I’ve obviously had a lot of influence having been to Europe now and Carl has helped me a lot so that I probably produce them a lot better – well I like to think I do! I love my team; all the ones under saddle are showing Grand Prix strengths.” COMPETING ALL THOSE HORSES
gone well I’ve been equally if not more frustrated than her,” she acknowledges. “When Carl Hester came and stayed with me he gave Abbie lessons that week and said to me ‘shivers, this is really good’ and I said ‘I know!’ So it’s just been [a case of] waiting for it all to hit on the day.” “He [Carl] was so happy for Abbie as well [when he heard she’d won], so she’s got her supporters all around the world. It was a good competition too, all the horses in the Grand Prix were brilliant – it wasn’t a slack field, it was an amazing field and for her to come out on top is even better,” she asserts. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
Way also had a myriad of pupils competing across the levels. “I think I had winners in every grade and quite a few of them have been training with me for quite a time now. So it’s just really rewarding because Carl said to me before I came home ‘go back to New Zealand and help others there, show them this way of training.’ He was very
adamant that he wanted me to grow my teaching and he’s been very supportive in my teaching and training.” “So that’s the most exciting thing for me, and especially someone like Abbie – she only works with me and she’s been working with me for so many years – it’s just so neat to see that your system, or his system, is so positive and horse-friendly. Because all my pupils, you can go and watch them in the warm-up and see that it’s done in a really harmonious way and with care to the horses. I think that’s important for me, that it’s horse friendly,” she says, adding “and that being horse friendly is winning, which is even better.” Way said lots of people stopped her at HOY to tell her that they enjoyed watching her and her pupils’ horses, something she thought was “really nice.” VANESSA’S TOP TEAM
“I love my Anamours,” she affirms. “They’re not for everyone but I love them because if you get them on your side they’ll do anything. I’ve got three
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“All of them will jump up a step [level] and the babies will come out – I won’t do the Nationals and things like that with them, I’ll just do the local shows, to educate them; but I’ll keep the main four as my big string, that’s exhausting enough! I tell you, my brain gets quite fried! I get quite tired.” ON HER ENFORCED POST-HOY HOLIDAY
“Well my husband made me because I’m not very good at doing holidays! We’re in the horse truck, we’ve taken the dogs and we’re up the top of the North Island! I’ve never been up this far, so we’re just going to different beaches and we’re there for two weeks.” Going right to the top? “Right to the top apparently! We’re just in Whangarei now!” After this it’s home and straight back into teaching, starting in Wellington. Way has clinics booked right through until she goes back to Carl Hester’s yard in August to do some riding with him. “Then he’s taking me to the Europeans [Championships] with him which will be exciting, then back to the yard and then he’s taking me for a week to Spain, to his bach!” she reveals. Enjoy your well-earned road-trip up North… “Hopefully I might get a tan on these jodphur legs! [loud laughter]. They’ll
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
ZILCO NI LEADERBOARDS FINALS
ZILCO CONTEST CLOSE IN THE NORTH LEVEL 2 Presley MH
Wendi Williamson
50
Donneregal
Elisha Wade
36
The Lovable Rogue
Chanelle Walsh
34
Donnerbella II
Tania Smith
34
Tuahu Gemma
Anna Williams
33
Giuliani
Abbie Deken
50
Kinnordy Golda
Sophie de Clifford
49
Garavani
Sharon Dixon
35
Summerstone Hit
Louisa Ayres
29
HPH Benedict
Rachel Stock
27
NSC Pronto
Vanessa Way
49
Sisters II Etta J
Chelsea Callaghan
49
Alamo BL
Sophie de Clifford
38
Salute
Lucy Robertshawe
28
Decadance MH
Hannah Burden
26
NRM KH Arion
Vanessa Way
49
Vollrath Leila
Carole Christensen
43
Sparks Will Fly
Mandy Littlejohn
38
Belladonna MH
Julie Flintoff
36
Reflexions
Susan Tomlin
35
NRM Andreas
Vanessa Way
49
Astute
Toni Louisson
35
Playmate
Louisa Ayres
28
Devils Chocolate
Lucarne Dolley
27
PSL Lingh II
Alex Matheson
26
Dancealong
Susan Tomlin
30
Aztek Lad
Paula Stuart
26
Zinstar
Julie Pearson
20
Busuto
Devon Raos
17
Parkridge Disco SW
Sheena Ross
17
K H Ambrose
Abbie Deken
46
NRM Arawn
Vanessa Way
40
Dejavu MH
Wendi Williamson
30
JHT Antonello
John Thompson
29
Magnus Spero
Penny Castle
24
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
The Zilco North Island Dressage to Music Leaderboards are a major feature on the regional dressage events calendar and the new top 5 format made for a great contest this year. Points for 1st – 5th were based on % so top quality scores were needed as well as going to the events if you wanted to win one of the Zilco product vouchers worth $350, $200, $150, $100 for 1st – 4th place. Bonus points were awarded at HOY which made the finale even more interesting There was a wonderful gesture of sportsmanship in the level 4 which saw Vanessa Way edge out Chelsea Callaghan on a % countback. Vanessa acknowledged she already has “one or two” of the very flash Zilco presentation rugs and pledged to give one to Chelsea who had been chasing her with Sisters II Etta J all season long at the central region events. Another sought after prize is the Zilco Hi-Points rug of choice. This is contested across both islands and is awarded to the combination with the most points irrespective of number of shows attended. Canterbury’s Rebecca Rowlands and her Level 3 Salutation gelding Solo have had an outstanding season, and scored 69 Zilco points from 7 starts on the SI circuit (and not counting Horse of the Year) to win the Hi-Points rug.
ADVANCED
LEVEL 8
GRAND PRIX
Vanessa Way with NRM Andreas with Robert Kofoed and Matt Anderson from Zilco. Photo Credit: NZ Equine
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
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5.
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1. Penny Castle Magnus Spero.
2. John Thompson JHT Antonello.
Kampic
Kampic
3. Andrea Raves trotting up Bill Millar's MH Satori. Kampic
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4. Arena Prep Kampic
5. Caitlin Benzie Rosari Royal Gem. Dark Horse Photography
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HORSE OF THE YEAR REVIEW
3.
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NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
WHAT’S ON APRIL 2017 | NORTH ISLAND 1/2
Equestrian Entries U25 Dressage Champs
NCH
Taupo NEC
2
Auckland-Manukau Dressage Group POSTPONED (11 June)
LE
Clevedon Show Grounds
2
MTDG Autumn Non-Graded Ribbon Day 1
TE
Waihou Recreation Grounds
Dressage Northland
LE
Kaitaia A&P Grounds
9
NHB Winter Series Day 1
LE
HB Equestrian Park
16
Dressage Waitemata
8/9
LE/YDH
Woodhill Sands
Dressage Rotorua Championship Show
LE
Riverdale, Rotorua
23
Gisborne Dressage Autumn Series #2
LE
Gisborne Showgrounds
23
Solway Dressage Autumn Series #1
TE
Solway Showgrounds
23
Warkworth Dressage
LE
Warkworth
25
Dressage Taranaki ANZAC Day Event
LE
Egmont Showgounds
16/17
MAY 2017 | NORTH ISLAND 7
Auckland-Manukau Dressage Group
LE
Clevedon Show Grounds
7
Dressage Northland
LE
Barge Park Whangarei
7
Solway Dressage Autumn Series #2
TE
Solway Showgrounds
7
Waikato Equestrian Centre Winter Series Dressage - Day 1
TE
Waikato Equestrian Centre
14
Dressage Waitemata
LE
Woodhill Sands
14
Horowhenua DG Ribbon Day
TE
Waikanae Park
14
MTDG Group Autumn Non-Graded Dressage Ribbon Day 2
TE
Waihou Recreation Grounds
14
NHB Winter Series Day 2
LE
HB Equestrian Park
Dressage Central Districts Winter Show (tbc)
LE
Manfeild Park
Dressage Northland
LE
Barge Park Whangarei
Dressage Taranaki Winter Event
LE
Egmont Showgrounds
28
Gisborne Dressage Autumn Series #2
LE
Gisborne Showgrounds
28
Waikato Equestrian Centre Winter Pony Series Day One
TE
Waikato Equestrian Centre
20/21 21 27/28
JUNE 2017 | NORTH ISLAND 4
Solway Dressage Autumn Series #3
TE
Solway Showgrounds
4
Waikato Equestrian Centre Winter Series Dressage - Day 2
TE
Waikato Equestrian Centre
11
Horowhenua DG Ribbon Day
TE
Waikanae Park
11
NHB Winter Series Day 3
LE
HB Equestrian Park
Dressage Taranaki Winter Event
LE
Egmont Showgrounds
Waikato Equestrian Centre Winter Pony Series Day Two
TE
Waikato Equestrian Centre
24/25 25
For more details of each event & venue, and contact details go to www.nzequestrian.org.nz/dressage/competition/calendar
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| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER APRIL 2017 | SOUTH ISLAND 1/2
Southland Dressage Group
LE
Gore Showgrounds
1/2
Zilco Festival of Future Stars Championships
LE
SINEC
Marlborough Training Event
TE
Marlborough Equestrian Park
8/9
Dressage Central Otago
LE
Cromwell Racecourse
16
North Loburn Equestrian Centre
LE
Rangiora Showgrounds
23
Ashburton Dressage
TE
Ashburton Showgrounds
30
Nelson Winter Series #1
LE
Rough Island Equestrian Park
30
NEG Autumn Series Day 2
LE
Harrs Road
30
SCNO Dressage Group
LE
Winchester Showgrounds
2
MAY 2017 | SOUTH ISLAND 7
Canterbury Autumn Series Day 3
LE
SINEC
7
Marlborough Training Event
TE
Marlborough Equestrian Park
21
Ashburton Dressage
TE
Ashburton Showgrounds
21
North Loburn Equestrian Centre
LE
Rangiora Showgrounds
28
NEG Autumn Series Day 3
LE
Harrs Road
28
Nelson Winter Series #2
LE
Rough Island Equestrian Park
JUNE 2017 | SOUTH ISLAND 4
Canterbury Winter Series Day 1
LE
SINEC
4
Marlborough Training Event
TE
Marlborough Equestrian Park
18
Ashburton Dressage
TE
Ashburton Showgrounds
18
North Loburn Equestrian Centre
LE
Rangiora Showgrounds
25
Nelson Winter Series #3
LE
Rough Island Equestrian Park
NORTH LOBURN EQUESTRIAN CENTRE
@NLECDressage
AUTUMN DRESSAGE SERIES Dressage for everyone
April 16th, May 21st, June 18th // Rangiora Showgrounds download the schedule at WWW.NLEC.CO.NZ | email: info@nlec.co.nz | phone 03 313 1247 A relaxed and friendly atmosphere with classes for everyone, from new partnerships to the more experienced combinations. We welcome junior riders and encourage riders to “Give it a Go” with our judge assisted Training classes available at all of our days.
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RIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
FIND FLUIDITY AND RELIEVE MUSCLE TIGHTNESS Article by Ricki Jacobs
Sore, tight, aching muscles, the journey to fitness is filled with them because that's how we build a better version of ourselves....
Have you experienced cramp during your training sessions? Legs that felt heavy getting out of bed the next day or the feeling that your shoulders might fall off directly after training? The technical term for this is DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which is caused by microscopic tears within a muscle during exercise. These tears
cause inflammation within the muscle tissue which sensitize the nerve cells and these cells are what heighten the bodies sense of pain within a muscle the process is perfectly normal and is the bodies natural way of recovering and adapting, when done correctly the muscle tissue will always repair stronger than before (the same applies to the training and development of your horse!) The effects of this process start around 6-8 hours after exercise and peak at up to 48 hours depending on the extent of microscopic damage. This is why people often feel signs of being sore or stiff a day or two after exercise. The extended period of soreness or stiffness means you will find it harder to move with the same ROM (Range of Motion) and ease as opposed to if you weren't experiencing DOMS. If you are able to move with ease whilst riding and make the aids independently and correctly without relying on the horse to keep you in balance then in theory the sky is the limit and there is no boundaries to the level of training that you can achieve. It is vital to plan your physical training schedule around your competition schedule and ensure that you include time for recovery as you
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would with your horse. How can we decrease the effects of DOMS to get back moving and riding to our full potential? There are many factors that play an important role in rest and recovery including sleep, nutrition and mobility but the purpose of this article is to shed some light on the benefits of foam rolling and how to use them. A study published in the 2015 International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy suggested that 20 mins of foam rolling immediately after exercise reduced the effect of DOMS effectively in the 48 hours post exercise. Another similar study also found foam rolling prior to exercise greatly increased muscle tenderness therefore temporarily increasing muscle ROM (range of motion) however, Short bouts were recommended prior to exercise I.E 30 seconds on each muscle/area. As you can see taking a few minutes prior to exercise and immedialtly after to foam roll will dramatically decrease the effects of DOMS, increase your ROM, increase performance and lastly have you moving and feeling better in general. Below are 5 simple drills on a foam roller to help see all the benefits above.
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
RIDER HEALTH AND FITNESS
"The process is perfectly normal and is the bodies natural way of recovering and adapting, when done correctly the muscle tissue will always repair stronger than before..."
CALFS/ACHILLES 1. Sit on the ground with the roller under one achilles, opposite leg on top 2. Find a tender area on roll from side to side over that area 3. To increase pressure lift your body off the ground with your hands
QUADS (INNER, MIDDLE, OUTER) 1. Lie on your front with the roller over the quads 2. Roll up and down spending time on the inner, middle and outer part of the quads looking for tender spots (do not foam roll your IT band) 3. To increase pressure put one leg on top of the other
GLUTES/PIRIFORMIS 1. Sit on the roller with one leg folded ontop of the other 2. The leg you have on the roller is the glute you will be rolling out 3. Roll up and down moving across all points of the glute looking for tender spots (inner, middle, outer) 4. Swap legs and repeat on the other side
MID, UPPER BACK 1. Lie on the roller with your shoulder blades touching, feet on the ground propping your glutes off the floor 2. Wrap your hands around your shoulders giving yourself a "hug" opening up your shoulder blades 3. Roll up and down putting pressure on both the left and right side of your back
LOWER BACK 1. Lay on the ground with the roller just under the shoulder blades 2. Lie back so your head is on the ground with arms fully extended and legs bent at 90 degrees, glutes up off the floor 3. Practice "belly breathing" making your belly rise before your chest, taking big deep breaths 4. To increase intensity try to straighten your legs and arms, eventually laying your whole body on the floor As a general rule perform 30 seconds on each limb prior to exercise and 1-2 mins after exercise depending on how tender the muscles feel, the short term effects will help you perform better and long term will help you stay pain free, move and feel better. APRIL 2017 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 57
HORSE HEALTH AND FITNESS
APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
STRENGTHEN FROM A PLACE OF ALIGNMENT Article by Debbie Rolmanis www.dbmuscletherapy.com
Straightness. We all hear about it, we all see it on the training scale. But do we know what it really means?
Power and suspension is developed from straightness Photo: Libby Law
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| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS The importance of straightness (alignment) cannot and should not be underestimated, yet frequently it is relegated to the pile that is labelled ‘too boring to bother’. This leads to most horses being worked in their ‘naturally occurring crookedness’ which inhibits balance, comfort and the ability to perform movements with ease. By ignoring this crookedness/misalignment, the cycle of pain, discomfort, poor performance and lameness occurs all too frequently. Working a horse in an aligned position, with his Centre of Gravity in the right place, is a fundamental basic upon which the layers of training can be built. It is the biomechanical foundation for connection, balance and suppleness and it is one of the few variables within the riders’ control on the quest for maintaining soundness.
HORSE HEALTH AND FITNESS
always trying to catch the horses’ bodyweight, as can be explained by a common example; Imagine for a moment that your horses’ dominant foreleg is the right fore. When you are travelling on the left rein, the horse will want to step his right foreleg slightly away from his body to catch his bodyweight that is leaning towards that limb. This gives the rider an over-bending feel to the left and an experience of ‘falling out of the shoulder’. When the horse travels to the right, he has to lean on the right foreleg and to counterbalance himself he has to bend his head and neck the opposite way. We experience that as ‘leaning in’ and ‘difficulty bending right’.
CROOKEDNESS Horses are all naturally crooked. Similar to people being left or right-handed, horses will develop a dominant foreleg very early on; foals demonstrate this as they graze consistently with the same foreleg extended, holding up most of their bodyweight. This laterality means that they overload one side of their body, creating an increased amount of load, force and concussive stress through the fore and hind limbs on that side. This is well ingrained by the time they come to be ridden and if it is not addressed through training it becomes a fast track way to injury, heart ache and sub-par performance. In order to understand how to align a horse, it is necessary to understand the mechanics of crookedness. To do this, we discover the link between crookedness, Centre of Gravity placement, and forehand loading.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY In a static horse, the centre of gravity sits just behind the wither, and in horse that is loading all limbs evenly, it is on the mid-line of the body. This centre of gravity is located more towards the front end of the horse and it is well known that approximately 60% of the horses’ bodyweight (in an untrained horse) is held over the front two limbs. One of the main aims of dressage training is to shift this centre of gravity towards the hindquarters, thereby lightening the forehand. When you allow your horse to work in a misaligned posture (ie allow the dominant foreleg to take most of his bodyweight), his centre of gravity has moved forwards and over this dominant leg. The leg behaves as a balance strut,
This diagram shows the comparison between centre of gravity in an aligned posture (horse on the left) versus crooked posture (horse on the right). The Centre of Gravity is marked by a blue dot: Notice in the crooked horse that the centre of gravity has moved over the right foreleg, so it has left the mid-line and is directing all of the weight towards the right forehand quarter. This is a common diagonal imbalance where the diagonal hindlimb is not under enough load. When the centre of gravity transfers so far forward and on a diagonal plane, it is biomechanically impossible to lighten the forehand. The more small circles/lateral work you do to try and get the horse to ‘use his hindquarters’ is only challenging a crooked horses’ balance even more. That means he will have to work harder over the dominant foreleg to hold his bodyweight. You are in effect, strengthening the dysfunction.
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APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS |
Mirrors are a wonderful tool for measuring straightness Photo: Libby Law
SYMPTOMS OF CROOKEDNESS; IS YOUR HORSE CROOKED? Riding a horse in his pre-set postural pattern becomes the norm for both horse and rider and if crookedness isn’t constantly addressed, it is certainly the default pattern that every horse will glide back into. Many common complaints arise as a result of the horse being worked consistently from a misaligned/unbalanced posture.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF CROOKEDNESS INCLUDE; • More contact in one rein • Travels one way easier than the other • Stalls in lateral work • Difficulty turning and doing smaller shapes • Head tilting • Bulging ribs against one leg • Difficult canter strike off on one rein • Heavy on forehand
the centre of gravity loaded over one foreleg means that the horse has to hollow his back and raise his head and neck in an attempt to stay upright whilst balancing the weight of the rider. This posture is the preparatory flight pose, which elevates stress levels and escalates tension, none of which are complimentary to performing a good test.
IGNORING HOW THE HORSE LOADS HIS LIMBS IS ONE OF THE MOST DAMAGING AND UNSUSTAINABLE FORMS OF TRAINING. Lateral work, small circles, transitions and turns should not feel like you are trying to maneuver a JCB without power steering. The aim of training is to make these things smooth, comfortable and seamless. If your horse is working from a place of misalignment these moves will be forced, tight, heavy and sluggish. Only when you are working your horse straight will they feel more effortless.
STRAIGHTNESS = BALANCE
THE DAMAGING EFFECT OF CROOKEDNESS
The point of being straight is that it creates BALANCE. We have all been in a café or restaurant where the legs on the table have been different lengths and it creates that awful wobble. Someone presses down on one side and gets a lap full of bacon and eggs or floods it with coffee. The table doesn’t feel stable as it is not evenly balanced over its 4 legs. This is usually remedied by stuffing a napkin underneath the shorter leg.
Consistent overloading of one side of the body not only creates an uncomfortable ride, it is also accelerating the wear and tear of joints, overstraining soft tissues and damaging the horses’ confidence in his work. Repeatedly working with
A horse that is loading one side of his body more than the other is similarly unbalanced, but without a napkin stuffing technique available, it is the riders job to redistribute the weight of the dominant foreleg back across to the diagonal hind leg.
• Tension • Hollow back • Raised head and neck
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HORSE HEALTH AND FITNESS
"Progress is only made when you start to take more balanced and straight steps than crooked ones and training straightness is a never-ending job that should be the base of everyday work."
STRAIGHTNESS TRAINING As with most problems, start at the beginning. The first problem with crookedness is the misplacement of the dominant foreleg. The dominant foreleg needs to be brought back underneath the body so that the centre of gravity is shifted more centrally and the diagonal hind leg starts to take more load. With our dominant right fore fictional horse, travelling to the left the right fore needs to move more to the left to be underneath the body. To do this, the head and neck need to be straightened and more contact needs to be felt into the left hand. Travelling to the right, when the horse wants to fall in, again the right shoulder needs to move more to the left to be underneath the body and for the outside hind leg to take more load. In each case, the left side of the body needs to be lengthened under load and there needs to be a feeling of more contact being created into the left hand.
STEPS TO STRAIGHTNESS Progress is only made when you start to take more balanced and straight steps than crooked ones and training straightness is a never-ending job that should be the base of everyday work.
Training the body to operate in a different way than what it is used to is demanding and requires a methodical process. Remember your horse only has one hour (or thereabouts) of training each day. For the other 23 he is leaning into his crookedness. This means that you will have to revisit it every single time you ride and correct it with focused training. This work should always begin in the walk. If you cannot get an even contact into both hands on both reins, you should not be trotting. Speed does not make the problem disappear and don’t be seduced by something that looks more exciting or sophisticated. Going faster makes the problems come harder and faster and catapults you along the damage and injury highway. Do the work in the walk and you will reap the rewards 10-fold as your journey progresses. You want to be strengthening from a place of alignment. This means that your horse loads each side of his body with the same amount of weight. The left fore should carry the same load as the right fore, and the left hind should carry the same as the right hind. Get this weight distribution even on a lateral plane and you will start to strengthen in a more comfortable and sustainable way.
Debbie Rolmanis, founder of db Muscle Therapy is a fully qualified Personal Trainer, Human Sports Massage Therapist and Equine Sports Therapist. Debbie holds a BSc (Equine), BHSAI, Diplomas in Human Personal Training and Sports Therapy and Equine Sports Therapy, all gained in the UK. Debbie currently works/lives in the UK, with regular trips to clients in Germany including successful Grand Prix rider Hayley Beresford.
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SPONSOR PROFILE NEWS
DRESSAGE NZ NOTICE BOARD DRESSAGE NZ PLANNING MEETING 2017 The Annual Planning Meeting will be held at the West Plaza Hotel Wellington on Wednesday 12th April 9am – 4pm REMITS 2017 A variety of remits have been submitted – these are available in full, including rationale, on the ESNZ Dressage website http://www. nzequestrian.org.nz/dressage/whatsnew/area-member-information/ notices/ IN BRIEF: Re: Art 453: Use of Voice: From Dressage Northern Hawkes Bay That the voice be able to be used in Ungraded and level 1 Tests (Not at RE, HOY, NCH) Re: Art 462.5 Rider Categories: From Dressage Taranaki 1. That rider category restrictions only apply to last ten years 2. That riders are permitted to have max 15 pts in two grades above Amateur level being contested Note: If passed, all amateur entries under this system will need to be manually checked until new ESNZ database is in place and then it is still to be determined how this information can be transferred to on-line entry systems automatically Re Art 477.4: Permitted Bits: From Robert Kofoed That Dressage NZ follows recent changes made by the FEI and Equestrian Australia, which allow the use of low and medium ported Myler bit mouthpieces in conjunction with already approved cheek pieces
Re Judges Upgrading JSC / Upgrading co-ordinator: From Dressage Nelson & Southland
BOARD APPOINTMENT 2017: MARKETING PORTFOLIO CURRENTLY VACANT
That an upgrading judges coordinator be appointed on to the JSC whose sole responsibility it is to manage the process for upgrading judges from a central database. That the NCH and Dressage at HOY also be allowed to be used as shows for which judges can shadow judge at for their upgrading from levels 6 and above
In 2018 the appointed position of Finance Officer and elected position of Judges Officer will become vacant and appointed/elected for a three year term from 2018
Re Dates / Venues Sub-Committee: From Dressage Nelson & Southland That a sub-committee be responsible for forward planning of dates and venues for the major events Nationals/ HOY/NICH/SICH/WDC/YRCH and create a working plan 3 years in advance Re National Dressage Championships: From Dressage Canterbury That the venue of the National Dressage Championships be centralised, for 2018/19 and onwards, is centralised at the NEC Taupo Re North Island Championships: From Linda Warren-Davey That the Planning Meeting consider holding the NICH as a CDI 1* or 2* with PSG level as the International component Note: the financial impact of horse/rider FEI regos and MCP fees, FEI Calendar fees, FEI Vet Horse Inspection fees, foreign judges travel, accommodation and FEI judges per diem fees will be detailed at the Planning Forum.
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In 2019 the appointed position of Rules Officer and elected position of Chair will become vacant and appointed/elected for a three year term from 2019
NEW HELMET STANDARDS & HELMET TAGGING Area groups will be issued with red tag supplies at the Dressage Planning Meeting in April. Get in early and save the spring rush. All Dressage officials on the ESNZ list are authorised to red tag helmets. In addition there will be further authorised “taggers” at the events.
DRESSAGE NZ CONFERENCE & AWARDS DINNER & COMMITTEE MEETING To be held in Blenheim 24/25 June at the Scenic Hotel. Book the date now. Accommodation and registration forms available soon
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
NEWS
Meila Picard and Buckton Denniston Photo: Dark Horse Photography
CORRECTIONS AND APOLOGIES Our apologies to riders in the Level 3 Pryde’s Easifeed SI Young Rider HiPoints series, the correct placings were: Meila Picard Buckton Denniston 16 Kirsty Jacob Glenmark 8 Jessica Stock Lace 6 LEVEL 3
Apologies also to Melissa Galloway and Windermere Johanson W who were inadvertently not listed as Reserve Champion Level 7 at the Bates National Championships in the March Dressage NZ Bulletin.
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NEWS
Jacqui Thompson and Georgio Photo: Dark Horse Photography
RIDERS EARN GOLD AWARDS Southland’s Fiona Sharp and Wellington’s Jacqui Thompson both recently earned their Gold badges for recent Prix St Georges performances Fiona Sharp, a Vet and mother, is proud of her recent achievements with Leo Dreams of Gold, winning the South Island Level 6 title and the Hobson Horsecoaches Level 6 Super 5 Series and South Island Final. “I also enjoyed watching Connor (my son) ride his pony to Reserve Champion Level 2 at the South Islands” What drives Fiona to improve? “ In dressage you can always go better! I want to learn to ride and train my horse to maximize our performance together” Her future goal is to work towards level 8 for next season under the guidance of her trainer Andrea Raves What could be developed more in dressage ? “I think riders need to work together more to help and support each other. Encouragement is very underrated. 64 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | APRIL 2017
Jacqui Thompson manages Thompson’s Horse Centre in Upper Hutt. Jacqui was the Level 6 Amateur Champion in 2017 riding Georgio, a ten year old Hanoverian x by Kinnordy Gym Bello, and bred by Allie Harper. This combination have enjoyed many successes as they have made their way to Advanced; the real highlights including the Prestige Futures Prize and a brand new Prestige dressage saddle, and winning the Dunstan Level 4 Challenge Accumulator. Jacqui’s big goal is to compete at Grand Prix level, but also loves seeing her horses improving as they make their way up the grades. Her next stable star is the seven year old Galileo, also by Gym Bello and currently competing Level 2. Outside of riding, Jacqui enjoys exercising, keeping healthy, modern pop, a good steak, a sav blanc and her new Dalmatian puppy. We look forward to watching these riders progress towards their platinum awards
| APRIL ISSUE PRESENTED BY HATTON & LILLY HORSE FLOATS
DIRECTORY
DRESSAGE DIRECTORY Dressage Area Group Websites and other useful links.
Equestrian Sports NZ/Dressage www.nzequestrian.org.nz/dressage www.facebook.com/DressageNZ www.facebook.com/EquestrianSportsNZ www.facebook.com/DressageNZU25Championships www.facebook.com/StableoftheStallions Dressage Bay of Islands www.sporty.co.nz/bayofislandsdressagegroup Dressage Northland www.sporty.co.nz/dressagenorthland
Dressage Central Districts www.sportsground.co.nz/dressagecentraldistricts
Dressage Waitemata www.dressagewaitemata.co.nz
Dressage Taranaki www.dressagetaranaki.co.nz
Dressage Warkworth www.warkworthdressage.webs.com
Dressage Wellington www.dressagewellington.org.nz
Dressage Auckland - Manukau www.amdg.org.nz
Dressage Horowhenua www.horowhenuadressage.com
Dressage Waikato www.dressagewaikato.co.nz
Dressage Wairarapa www.dressagewairarapa.com
Dressage Morrinsville -Te Aroha www.mtdg.co.nz
Dressage Nelson www.nelsondressage.webs.com
Dressage Gisborne www.gisbornedressage.org.nz
Dressage Marlborough www.sporty.co.nz/marlboroughdressage
Dressage Bay of Plenty www.dressagebayofplenty.co.nz
Dressage Canterbury www.freewebs.com/canterburydressage
Dressage Eastern Bay of Plenty www.sportsground.co.nz/ebd
Dressage Otago www.dressageotago.webs.com
Dressage Rotorua www.sportsground.co.nz/dressagerotorua
Dressage Southland www.dressage-southland.com
Dressage Tauranga www.dressagetauranga.co.nz
National Equestrian Centres www.nzequestrian.org.nz
Dressage Taupo www.sportsground.co.nz/taupodressagegroup
Tielcey Park Equestrian Centre www.tielceypark.co.nz (Manawatu)
Dressage Northern Hawkes Bay www.sportsground.co.nz/dressagenhb
North Loburn Equestrian Centre www.nlec.co.nz (Canterbury)
Dressage Central Hawkes Bay www.sportsground.co.nz/chbdressage
Northern Equestrian Group www.freewebs.com/northerneq (Canterbury)
Dressage Southern Hawkes Bay www.sportsground.co.nz/shbdressage
Northgate Lodge www.northgatelodgeequestrian.com (Northland)
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