World Cup series leader Samantha McIntosh and Argento, on their way to third place in the Dannevirke round of the Bayer FEI World Cup at the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay Showjumping Championships at the A&P Showgrounds event on Sunday. Photo/Christine McKay
World Cup series leader Samantha McIntosh and Argento, on their way to third place in the Dannevirke round of the Bayer FEI World Cup at the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay Showjumping Championships at the A&P Showgrounds event on Sunday. Photo/Christine McKay
Showjumping is a wonderful thing, Dannevirke's Tim Delaney says, but attending day three of the Central and Southern Hawke's Bay showjumping championships in Dannevirke on Sunday hasn't changed the community board member's mind over funding such events.
As riders and horses battled galeforce winds and driving rain, Mr Delaney wasenthusiastic about the spectacle, but told the Dannevirke News the community board shouldn't help fund such events, backing their decision in December to turn down the showjumping group's application for funding. In previous years, the community board had given the organisation $500 towards the running of the championships, on the grounds the event brings people into town.
However, Mr Delaney said other events such as the three-day dog show and bird show also bring a similar number of visitors to Dannevirke, without relying on money from the community board.
"My point is that our clubs and organisations shouldn't be relying on the public purse," he said. "But instead cut their cloth to suit their budget."
Weather throughout the three-day show was a challenge for organisers, with gusty winds knocking over fences on Sunday.
But the conditions didn't deter Katie McVean from taking out her first Bayer FEI World Cup victory of the season, doing it in style, finishing first and second in the class.
McVean guided Dunstan Springfield to a win with double clear rounds in just his second World Cup start and said afterwards the weather conditions had not hampered her horse.
Coming home in second for McVean was Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark, with World Cup series leader Samantha McIntosh and Argento third.
McVean's win has tightened up the top of the leaderboard as riders head into the final of the New Zealand World Cup series next weekend. McIntosh sits on 72 points, and still holds a slender lead over McVean on 67 and last year's series victor, Dannevirke's Maurice Beatson on My Gollywog, on 65.
