Wilson caps top year with pony of the year crown

It has been a season to treasure for Amanda Wilson in her last year of pony riding.

The 17-year-old from Hukerenui in Northland today capped it off by winning the pony of the year title at the Horse of the Year show in Hastings.

In a beautifully ridden round, she guided her six-year-old pony Showtym Viking to a superb victory in an action-packed and speedy jumpoff against three other combinations.

It was her fifth grand prix win of the season, including the national showjumping title, and made all the more special because the gelding only learnt to jump last winter.

Ahead of her in the jumpoff Cambridge's Jake Lambert and Soul Sister had sent a cracking pace by bolting around in 32.71 seconds.

Hawke's Bay's Claudia Porter, on Tallyho Bandit, took an early rail en route to posting on four faults in 35.67sec.

"This is absolutely the perfect way to finish," Wilson said.

"He is one of the best ponies in the world to me.

"Winning the pony of the year is just something I just wouldn't ever believe would happen to us."

Hastings' Julie Davey, aboard Air Hill Myka, won the premier stakes class by just .08 of a second ahead of Australian Jamie Winning on Congo Z.

In a large class that included some quality combinations, like Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) on Corofino II, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Once a Warrior, Daniel Meech (Hastings) on Winston Darco V, Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) on Tipsey and Catherine Cameron (Dannevirke) on Kahurangi Tardak, just four went through to the jumpoff.

Winning did a clean steady round, stopping the clock at 42.41sec while Meech was unlucky at the first of the double jumps and took the second as well, bagging eight faults.

Davey clocked a slick clear round in 42.33sec, with Wilson and Tipsey taking a rail.

Davey, a two-time winner of lady rider of the year and runner-up in the class this year, had not started in the premier stakes before, usually opting for the Olympic Cup on the final day of the show.

But this year, she didn't think Myka had quite enough experience over the big tracks.

"I wanted her to finish on a high note," said Davey, who was part of the team who helped New Zealand qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Davey, who was diagnosed with MS in 2002, said she was just as happy winning a 1m class as she was a World Cup class.

Taranaki took the New Zealand pony club team of the year crown after a very smart jumpoff round from team captain Shannon Seaver on her mother's hunter Jupiter Moon..

A stunning chestnut horse, Jupiter went steady for the first half of the jumpoff before notching up a gear or three to fly home nearly 2sec Alexa Cook, of Hawke's Bay, on My Bushbaby, who was also clear.

The show culminates with the awarding of the Olympic Cup tomorrow afternoon when the showjumper of the year is crowned.

Leading results:-

Showjumping, pony of the year: Amanda Wilson (Northland) Showtym Viking 1, Jake Lambert (Cambridge) Soul Sister 2, Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) Sweet Addition 3, Claudia Porter (Hawke's Bay) Tallyho Bandit 4, Hannah Burnett-Grant (Taupo) Mighty Maximus, Luke Dee (Gisborne) Wild Thing, Luke Dee (Gisborne) Maximus, Jake Lambert (Cambridge) Co Calico 5 equal;.

Premier stakes: Julie Davey (Hastings) Air Hill Myka (owned by Paul and Carol Nelson) 1, Jamie Winning (Australia) Congo Z 2, Team Horse Sales NZ Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) Tipsey 3, Daniel Meech (Hastings) Winston Darco V 4, Amy Roydhouse (Hawke's Bay) Roxborough 5, Vicki Wilson (Northland) Showtym Girl 6.

Pony club team of the year: Taranaki (Shannon Seaver on Jupiter Moon, Laura Huttered on Spot U Later, Toni Bracegirdle on Marseille, Summer Russell on The Good Guy) 1, Hawke's Bay (Emily Fraser on Kababa Boy, Aidan Lau-Guild on Shar Kahn, Alexa Cook on My Bushbaby, Carmyn Strawbridge on Just Kick On) 2, Ashburton, South Canterbury, North Otago (Kimberley Bird on Showtym Image, Lucinda Askin on Mahoe Moon Frost, Stacey Anderson on Cruiser, Annabel Askin on Rock Avon) 3.

Puissance of the year, two fence challenge: Adrian Bruce (Gisborne) Witheze, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) Apollo van Evendale 1 equal, Jamie Beatson (Cambridge) Ombudsman, Vicky Wilson (Northland) Storm Dance 3 equal.

Junior rider of the year: Jake Lambert (Cambridge) Quality NZPH 1, Jennifer Leslie (Drury) Macavee 2, Candice Fox (Papakura) Larkham 3, Lisa Hogg (Bay of Plenty) Brooke BSH 4, Katie Meredith (Kaiapoi) Rio Madrid 5, Bridget Grylis (Te Awamutu) Yippee-Yi-Yo 6.

Six bar for ponies: Katie Anna Allen (New Plymouth) Pioneer Jade 1, Nicole White (Invercargill) Benson Dun It 2, Aidan Lau-Guild (Napier) Shar-Kahn 3, Hayley Lockhart (Auckland) Mai Amoray, Hannah Harding (Papakura) Hawaii Haka, Olivia Robertson (Queenstown) Mr Black Magic 4 equal.

Pony championship stakes, 1.25m: Jake Lambert (Cambridge) Soul Sister 1, Logan Massie (Dannevirke) Kickin the Clouds 2, Luke Dee (Gisborne) Maximus 3, Rebekah van Tiel (Pukekohe) Guthrie 4, Kalah McKay (Levin) Kabo So Far 5, Claudia Porter (Hastings) Tallyho Bandit 6.

Eventing, CIC*** (after two phases): Alice Montgomery (Central Districts) Gordon 54.5 1, Jonathan Paget (Auckland) Clifton Promise 56.4 2, Jenna Mahoney (Auckland) Santos 59.6 3.

Showing, saddle hunter pony of the year, 138cm and under: Tyler Porteous (Kaiwaka) Willowspring Huntingdon.

Supreme saddle hunter horse of the year: Dorothy Lennard (Te Aroha) Glentullock.

Supreme park hack of the year: Natacha Otto (Te Awamutu) Cuv'ee.

Rising star pony of the year: Samantha Davey/Alan Windle (Palmerston North) Nala Nicholais Holly.