Dannevirke: Showjumping not only the preserve of the rich

Woodville's Kathy Meredith outside a Dannevirke second-hand store with the $7 jacket she found last week. The jacket will be part of her wardrobe when showing her Welsh ponies. Photo/Christine McKay

A Woodville woman says she's astounded by claims she and other equestrians are rich and elite.

"This isn't a rich man's game by any means," Kathy Meredith told the Dannevirke News. "I can't believe Dannevirke Community Board member Ernie Christison said this is a sport for the wealthy and that the board shouldn't contribute anything towards the recent three-day showjumping event. I didn't compete in that show, but know how hard it is for organisers trying to run such events, especially with the costs skyrocketing."

Kathy and her partner, John, have Kaimanawa and Welsh horses on their modest Woodville property and, when they're able, they take part in showing events in the lower North Island.

But Kathy said she has to work hard to pay the costs associated with her sport.

"I recently spent 40 hours weed spraying and another 20 docking for money which goes towards paying for entries and ground levies to enter shows," she said.

"That's hard, physical work, especially when you are closer to 60 than 40."

Kathy also works part time and has had a small market stall selling eggs and plants on Sundays to scrape together the money for her sport.

"I have to make sacrifices and one of those is that I very seldom buy alcohol," she said. "And like so many others, I'm always looking at ways to save money. I make my own under-rugs for our horses and look out for bargains. I recently found a horse cover on TradeMe and another way to save money is to sometimes pool transport with others going to shows and we share gear, too. I'm always sussing out the price of horse feed and luckily Welshies don't eat as much as Kaimanawas.

"I'm always looking for the cheaper options so we can enjoy our horses and compete at shows."

Last week Kathy scoured second-hand stores in Dannevirke searching for good, low-priced clothes to wear when showing her Welsh ponies.

"I struck gold in the Retro store and found a wonderful teal jacket, ideal for the show ring. Hardly worn, it cost me $7," she said.

The refusal of the Dannevirke Community Board to grant $500 to the organisers of the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay showjumping championships in Dannevirke is simply short-sighted, Kathy said.

"People taking part in the event would have spent money here," she said. "As for Mr Christison's suggestion the showjumping organisers should deal with their budget shortfall by cutting prize money, well, we don't always receive prizemoney at shows. It costs John and me $120 to enter our horses at Tielcey Park in Palmerston North during the season, with ribbons the only prize.

"At the end of the day it's the fun and enjoyment I get out of my horses and entering shows and I think more than 50 per cent of others in our sport are like me, making sacrifices and going without so we can compete."