InFocus

We all love to hear about a star who has risen from nowhere, particularly in the horse world.  We are captured by the sheer grit and determination shown by hard working individuals passionate about their chosen sport and driven by their goals.  Against all odds they succeed.  Perhaps even more compelling is a success story about a rider and horse that at one time failed in the eyes of many experts and may even have been dismissed and discarded.  For James Arkins and Rosthwaite Vigilante II aka Robbie this was their reality.  

James and Robbie in their early years and at the most critical time of their development had no one truly believing in them....

ISPYHORSES BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY

It was a beautiful weekend up at Barge Showgrounds Events Centre. Equestrians travelled from all over the North Island to set up camp and compete at the annual Eventing Northland Horse Trials two day event. Fifteen year old Ella Simpson and her mount Holy Hek (Party Mix) were one of the talented combinations out chasing a rosette, competing in the Oranoa Sport Horses CCN 105 Young Rider class. On Saturday they were placed 3rd after a tidy dressage test and speedy, clear show jumping round. Therefore on Sunday the pressure was on to go clear in the cross country phase. The pair flew around the course, finishing undertime to place 2nd overall in the ambitious class. Ella....

Sixteen year old New Zealand rider Katie Bridgeman is making waves as she excels on the showjumping circuit this season. After three consecutive wins on her pony Tallyho Scoundrel at Pony Grand Prix level, the pair were looking to be unbeatable. They placed first at Fielding Spring Show, Equidays and at the Royal A&P Show in Hawkes Bay. They have remained in the top placings at their following two events, placing fourth in the PGP at both the Wairarapa Premier Show and Manawatu A & P. The pair are currently first equal on the leader board in the ESNZ Jumping Annual Series 2019-20 Country TV Pony Grand Prix.

Katie is absolutely rapt with her recent success, her most....

A Tribute

Sire of several Grand Prix show jumpers along with advanced eventers, the famous Holsteiner stallion Lansing was a loyal contributor to both the German and New Zealand equestrian industry. Born in 1986 Germany, Lansing served several top horses.  He was later imported into New Zealand in 2003, continuing his service here.

Pip Ffoulkes, together with her husband Paul are the agents for The German Holsteiner Verband here in New Zealand, with Paul originally working in Germany. He began the early training with Lansing, therefore it was a no brainer when his name appeared on the list of stallions that they were able to lease.....

Hector McLoughlin Aitkenhead, or Hec to those that knew him, was born in the summer of 1933 in Parakai, New Zealand. The son of a sheep and dairy farmer and grandson of a Clydesdale breeder, Hec was instantly immersed in the rural lifestyle. Horses were a part of his life from the get-go, his youngest daughter Shona laughs. “He reckoned he learnt to ride before he could walk.” When asked if he remembers an early experience with a horse, Hec says “yes. Clear as day,” and describes the first time he rode on his own. “We were going up Fordyce Road, driving some sheep, dad and I…he was leading me along, you see; I wasn’t very....

In January 2019, I had my worst fall off my horse at a show.  I entered Louie in the pleasure ring, and he took off jumping into a canter, leaping upwards and finishing with a huge buck on landing.  We parted ways quite spectacularly.  After a year of more downs than ups with Louie, this was not a knock to my confidence I needed.  But that fall has probably saved my life.

A week or so later I went to the doctor to get a sign off for a slight concussion. I had checked for other injuries before I went and found a large lump on my left breast.  I presumed it was from the fall.  My doctor wanted scans done as she thought it was a large cyst that needed....

New Zealand’s most prestigious jumping series gets underway on Friday at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Show in Hastings. Fittingly, the POLi Payments FEI World Cup New Zealand Series opener has a star-stacked field featuring Olympians, World Champs representatives, World Cup finalists and previous New Zealand series winners. The trio of women who were the top of the leaderboard last season are all lining back up – back-to-back series winner Tegan Fitzsimon is in on her very special 10-year-old bay gelding Windermere Cappuccino and they’ve already won two grand prix in the build-up to the World Cup opener. Two-time final winner and current....