Kershaw shines early at champs

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The 33rd Larsen Sawmilling Equestrian Championships got off to a cracking start yesterday morning.

Locals to shine early in the main arena were Cindy Kershaw aboard Kiwi Vision who won the open horse 1.15m for horses seven and under and Holly Baines aboard Halo was second in the open horse 1.15m for horses over seven with Jenny Randall and Nero Bello third.

The highlight of the weekend will surely be the Trans-Tasman Teams’ Young Rider Challenge which runs over the three days of the show with the grand final on Sunday.

There are some top combinations in town for the popular annual event from as far north as Wellsford and others from the South Island.

President of the ground jury, Kaye Williams, said the show was also a chance for locals looking to become nationally qualified judges to get some practice in. Annabel Parkes is a level 2, with Debbie Johnson and Charlie McKinnon both at level 1.

“They are all learning and this is a great place to encourage that,” Kaye said.

Digby Spence is a long time level 1 judge at the show and was happy to be backstop.

Former local Carol Mitchison, now of Auckland, is an FEI level 1 steward but was here with her level 3 national judge hat on, ably backed by Carol Wawatai (Ōpōtiki).

Donella Still has come all the way from the South Island to design the courses in ring one with Edward Bullock (Auckland) in ring two and local Kirsty Mackintosh in the show hunter arena under the watchful eye of Sandy Richmond.

The show culminates with the horse and pony Grand Prix classes on Sunday afternoon.