All go for NZ Pony Club Champs

Taranaki equestrian officials are gearing up to host this year's New Zealand Pony Club Championships at the Egmont A&P showgrounds at Hawera early next month.

The showgrounds will be chock-full over the three days of the event, with a total of 16 teams involving more than 120 riders and their mounts from all over New Zealand.

It is the first time the nationals have been held in Taranaki since 1998 when Taranaki's Rosie Hazard was successful in winning the prestigious A1 cup for riders aged 17-21 years.

The event kicks off on Thursday, April 8 with the dressage phase and finishes two days later after the cross country and showjumping.

The make-up of each team is three A1 (17 to 21-year-old) riders, three riding in the Dorothy Campbell Trophy (DC) for riders under 16 years and a further two in the inaugural 95cm (jump height) section.

Head of the organising committee, Susan Grayling, of Okato, said yesterday preparations were well under way, with planning having begun two years ago after Taranaki won hosting rights.

"We've had TSB Community Trust come on board to help with funding and a lot of other business organisations to help finance the building of a new cross-country course," said Grayling.

Lending a hand to design and build a new eventing course is Grayling's husband and Athens Olympian, Matthew, and his father, Malcolm, a respected pony club coach-administrator, of Okato.

Hawera's Ross Corrigan, who owns land bordering the showgrounds, authorised championship organisers to use his property as part of the new course, which involves a total of 28 fences.

Since a total upgrade of facilities at the showgrounds led by the Taranaki Showjumping Group, a number of high profile equestrian events have been held there in the last couple of years.

Grayling said the excellent facilities helped Taranaki in its bid to host this year's event.

Last year, Taranaki started the championships at Auckland strongly, winning the dressage phase of the event before dropping out of contention, with disappointing performances in the jumping events.

Taranaki's double Olympian, Heelan Tompkins, of Oakura, won the individual A1 trophy on three successive occasions in the 90s at the nationals on her way to becoming an internationally ranked rider.

Meanwhile, the Opunake Pony Club hosted the Taranaki area selection trials for the nationals over a course on Barbara Harvey's farm at Oaonui last weekend.

The Taranaki team was named afterwards.

The team and their mounts, in brackets, are: A1 open rider, Courtney Newton (Arabian Nightlife) Caroline Beekman (Bronson), Darelle Martin (Asterix); reserve, Tara Harvey (Super Exposed).

DC open rider, Charlotte Grayling (NRM Ru Star), Hannah Trott (Waka Ahu), Lauren Moorby (Endless Spirit); reserve Kim Kalin (Fhyne Thyme).

16yrs and under, Lyndall Nokes (My Lil Minx), Cassie Herbert (Prince Sherwood); reserve, Rachael Sullivan (Kaipara Legend); coach Julia Bolton.

- © Fairfax NZ News