Golden Run Continues for Taupo Teen

Golden Run Continues for Taupo Teen

Taupo teen Annabel Francis’ golden showjumping season has continued, this time at the Glistening Waters Series Finals Championship Show in Masterton where she won three series crowns as well as picking up minor placings.
The 18-year-old from Taupo has added the POLi Payments Premier League Series to an already bulging trophy cabinet that also includes the POLi Payments FEI World Cup NZ Series from earlier in the season, and the FMG Young Rider Series and the VDL and Equibreed Top Ranking Mare award from the series final show at the weekend.
“I just had a feeling this would be my season,” said Annabel. “It really has been a good one.”
She lined up in the Premier League with two – her imported bay mare La Quinara as well as her feisty grey Carado GHP however, the later picked up seven penalties in the opening round so didn’t come back for the second.
“He was a bit spooky and we had a bit of a miscommunication,” said Annabel. “It is a shame because he has been jumping so well. I thought he may have had it in the bag but it wasn’t to be and Queenie came through.”
Annabel knew she had to be double clear and either first or second to take the series. Coming into the grand final she was one and two with her mounts but had Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) poised to pounce.
“Queenie didn’t touch anything out there – I am really proud of her.” Both of Annabel’s horses are challenging rides, but the pint-sized pocket rocket says there is never any room for doubt.
“To win the series is important for me but also those in my team and around me,” said Annabel. She’s talking about her mum Debbie, sister Charlotte, coach Jeff McVean and groom Briar Sykes.
“A lot of work goes on behind the scenes and it helps that I have good horsepower too.”
The Premier League was a superb 12-strong field featuring most of New Zealand’s top riders. Twelve contested the opening round over a solid 1.5m-1.6m Gerrit Beker-designed track with seven on four faults or less coming back for the second round. Clear rounds came from Sophie Scott (Wellington) and Glenbrooke Rich as Roses, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) aboard Windermere Cappuccino and Annabel.
The second round saw clears from Nicole White (Invercargill) on LC Samson and Logan Massie (Dannevirke) with Bravado Ego Z but both carried four faults from the opener. It came down to Tegan and Annabel who both kept clean slates, but Annabel’s 64.67-second time was just over three seconds faster than Tegan. Both women rode beautifully controlled and considered rounds. Nicole filled third spot with Logan fourth, Sophie fifth and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) aboard Central Park in sixth.
The ESNZ Horse Grand Prix Series was won by Tegan Fitzsimon and Windermere Cappuccino, who also took the ESNZ Eight-Year-Old Series, with Keira Page aboard Redcliffs Colour Me In taking out the Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series.
Around 500 horses and their riders travelled from all over New Zealand to compete at event. With the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show cancelled in March due to COVID, this became the big focus for many.
It was also the last big show for one of New Zealand’s course designers, with Gerrit Beker calling a day on his 30-plus year career. It was the last competitive outing too for other horses and ponies, including former Pony of the Year Tony the Pony and six-time winner of the Show Hunter of the Year, Kiwi Motto who have both retired.
It was a dream run for Antonio Matangi (Levin) in the show hunter section, winning both the NRM Open High Points and ESNZ Show Hunter Amateur High Points series, as well as placing second in the Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Adult Equitation Series with Shoeshine Polish.
 
Results –
 
Showjumping,
 
POLi Payments Premier League Series: Annabel Francis (Taupo) La Quinara 1, Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 2, Annabel Francis (Taupo) Carado GHP 3, Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Graffiti MH 4, Kim Bird (Ashburton) Cera Cassina 5, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Host Andrea 6.
 
ESNZ Horse Grand Prix Series: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino 1, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Bandito NZPH 2, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau) LT Holst Andrea 3, Glen Beal (Te Kauwhata) All Expenses of Renton 4, Sophie Scott (Wellington) Lakota 5, Nicole White (Invercargill) LC Samson 6.
 
Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series: Keira Page (Mystery Creek) Redcliffs Colour Me In 1, Emma Gillies (Oamaru) Benrose Playtime 2, Johanna Wylaars (Christchurch) Wembleybrook Tiffany 3, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) Tony the Pony 4, Georgie Wilson (Taupo) Showtym Boss 5, Madison Jackson (Auckland) Rednalhgih Cowan 6.
 
ESNZ Eight-Year-Old Series: Tegan Fitzsimon (West Melton) Windermere Cappuccino.
VDL and Equibreed Top Ranking Mare: Annabel Francis (Taupo) La Quinara.
Equibreed Leading Stallion: Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Bravado Ego Z.
 
FMG Young Rider Series: Annabel Francis (Taupo) 1, Sarah West (Te Aroha) 2, Samantha Carrington (Takapau) 3, Briar Burnett-Grant (Taupo) 4, Rylee Sheehan (Te Aroha) 5, Molly Buist-Brown (West Melton) 6.
 
Dunstan Horsefeeds Amateur Rider Series: Kaleigh Kent (Otane) 1, Ashley Johnston (Whangarei) 2, Kelly Chapman (Auckland) 3, Harriet Gardner (Canterbury) 4, David Hutton (Canterbury) 5, Shelley Bridgeman (Auckland) 6.
 
Mainland Coachwork Junior Rider Series: Kimberley Carrington (Takapau) and Samantha Gillies (Oamaru) =1, Anna Nalder (North Canterbury) and Francesca Corich (Paraparaumu) =3, Leeshelle Small (Ramarama) 5, Madison Smith (Cambridge) 6.
 
Main-Events Tertiary Series: Olivia Forster (Cambridge) Cassino du Domaine 1, Jenna Lee Rose (Dannevirke) Lulu and Stephanie Suppan (Canterbury) Ngahiwi Blackjack ECPH =2, Kate Herdson (Auckland) Juneau SSNZ 4, Ike Baker (Hawke’s Bay) NW Conrado 5, Adele Rycroft (Dannevirke) Jericho R 6.
 
Harrison Lane Pro-Am Rider Series: Larina Dolman (Gisborne) 1, Courtney Townsend (Darfield) 2, Tanya Hansen (Taranaki) 3, Jess Land (Christchurch) 4, Sally Clark (Dannevirke) 5, Kirsty Sharapoff (Christchurch) 6.
 
East Coast Performance Horses Five-Year-Old Breeding Series: Melody Matheson (Havelock North) Cortaflex Giulia MH (by Graf Top out of a Grosvenor mare) 1, Amy McMullan (Timaru) Pure Cascade (by Cassiano) 2, Ike Baker (Hawke’s Bay) Double J Graduate (by Double J Repicharge) and Kimberley Carrington (Takapau) Double J Typhoon (by Eurosport Centavos) =3, Tanya Hansen (Taranaki) and Jesse Linton (Hastings) Ngahiwi Spector (by Ngahiwi Cardento) 5, Ash Hart (Hastings) Kiwi Royal (by Cartel) 6.
 
UltraMox Six-Year-Old Breeding Series: Samantha Carrington (Takapau) Double J Hurricane (by Euro Sport Heartbreaker, out of Double J Breeze, who is by Voltaire II) 1, Julie Davey (Hastings) LT Holst Freda (by Colman) 2, Jeremy Whale (Cambridge) Bannockburn ECPH (by Cassiano) 3, Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Footloose NZPH (by Quintus) 4, Sophie Blackbourn (Cambridge) LT Holst Zalato Blue (by Zirocco Blue) and Katie Meredith (Ohoka) Vulcan GNZ (by Cartell GNZ out of a Lansing mare) =5.
 
Matthews Hanoverians Seven-Year-Old Breeding Series: Rose Alfeld (Leeston) Eye Catcher NZPH (by Kannan out of a Mr Blue mare) 1, Sam Whale (Cambridge) Fleur DeLacour (by Corofino II) 2, Annabel and Charlotte Francis (Taupo) Chic Xtreme (by Corofino II) 3, Oliver Croucher (Cambridge) Takapoto Casanova Xtreme (by Corofino II out of JK Looks Good) 4, Bailey Harvey (Taranaki) Haupouri Evandro NZPH (by Quool du Boig Margot by a Mr Blue mare) 5, Anna Parsons (Takapau) Snapchat Me (by Cassiano) 6.
 
Show hunter
 
NRM Open High Points Series: Antonio Matangi (Levin) Shoeshine Polish 1, Michaelee Head (Cambridge) Miss Mandy 2, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Craighaven Black Heart 3, Anna Parsons (Takapau) Snapchat Me 4, Merran Hain and Lisa Coupe (Gisborne/Cambridge) Untouchable 5, Macey Gill (Auckland) Aston Martin II 6.
 
ESNZ Show Hunter Amateur High Points Series: Antonio Matangi (Levin) Shoeshine Polish 50 points 1, Stephie Smith (Taupo) Disney 45 points 2, Merran Hain (Gisborne) Untouchable 44 points 3, Emily Twort (Kumeu) Cameo KSNZ 43 points 4, Kate Mullins (Ohoka) Cowboy Cool 5, Antonio Matangi (Levin) Marua 6.
 
 
Petticoat Lane Performance Horses Adult Equitation Series: Emily Twort (Kumeu) 1, Antonio Matangi (Levin) 2, Claudia Odlin (Benneydale) 3, Laura van Velthooven (Palmerston North) 4, Kate Mullins (Ohoka) 5, Diana Cottle (Manawatu) 6.
 
ESNZ Show Hunter 12 and Under Equitation Series: Vienna Wilson (Taupo) 1, Lucy Honeywell (Ashburton) 2, Grace Roy (Gore) 3, Brooke Scrivener (Helensville) 4, Bridie King (Pahiatua) 5, Anna Smith (Wyndham) 6.
 
Sure Grip Mats Pony Equitation Series: Kaitlin Brown (Wairoa) 1, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) 2, Zara von Dadelszen (Waipukurau) 3, Harriet Baker (Gore) 4, Lyzz Barry (Wanganui) 5, Wiremu Priest (Rotorua) 6.
 
Fiber Fresh Cat B High Points Series: Emily Oliver (Peka Peka) Summer Fiesta 1, Ella Rouse (Gisborne) Ruby Tunes 2, Anna Smith (Wyndham) Starlight Smarda 3, Hannah McConnell (Tauranga) Billy Blunt 4, Vienna Wilson (Taupo) Ashbury Robin Hood 5, Harriet Baker (Gore) Moonspirit Jitterbug 6.
 
Float Factory Cat A High Points Series: Olivia Mehrtens (Cust) My Gemma Bear 1, Zara Sutton (Palmerston North) Chelton Light Secret 2, Brooke Scrivener (Auckland) Fordlands Moonmist 3, Emily Oliver (Peka Peka) Patui Ataahua 4, Grace Roy (Gore) Benrose Comet 5, Samantha Syme (Auckland) Kingslea All Klass 6.
 
Gyro Plastics Junior High Points Series: Molly Pike (Cambridge) Zig Zag 1, Michaelee Head (Cambridge) Miss Mandy 2, Jess and Sophie Townsend (Darfield) Pinstripe II 3, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Craighaven Black Heart 4, Hazel Jones (Plimmerton) Sancho 5, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) Sonny Bill 6.
 
Aniwell Cat C High Points Series: Mouse Newsom (Tauranga) Mr Mexico 1, Lyzz Barry (Wanganui) Onetai Cover Girl 2, Zoe Slater (Geraldine) Moccochino 3, Bridie King (Pahiatua) Puketawa Celtic Legend 4, Kaitlin Brown (Wairoa) Tawa 5, Molly Pike (Cambridge) Oddfella Ngā Rua 6.
 
ESNZ Show Hunter Junior Equitation Series: Hazel Jones (Plimmerton) 1, Lauren Mitchell (Kumeu) 2, Pippa Collins (Palmerston) 3, Michaelee Head (Cambridge) 4, Madison Wiffen (Wellington) 5, Libby Wilson (Taupo) 6.
 
WORDS DIANA DOBSON

Annabel Francis and La Quinara fly to victory in the grand final of the POLi Payments Premier League Series at the Glistening Waters Championship Show in Masterton. Photo by KAMPIC