Sue Hobson (former Judges Officer) with List A Judge Mary Craine newly appointed to the Equestrian NZ Judges' Committee. Photograph courtesy Libby Law.
Sue Hobson (former Judges Officer) with List A Judge Mary Craine newly appointed to the Equestrian NZ Judges' Committee. Photograph courtesy Libby Law.
Equestrian Sports NZ recently announced that Dannevirke based List A judge Mary Craine has been appointed to the Judges committee alongside Judith Cunningham (Judges Officer) and Mura Love.
Mary has a wide range of experience to bring to the role:
■ Active Dressage Competitor from 1985-1998. In earlier years was involved in Pony Club, Eventing and an active member of the Rangitikei Hunt Club
■ Introduced to judging in 1985 and promoted to List 1 in 2013
■ A Central Districts member from 1985-2000 before moving to Southern Hawke's Bay
■ Mary has attended CDI's and Judges Clinics in Germany, England, and Australia
■ She received a Prime Ministers Scholarship to attend Aachen IDOC Judges Clinic in 2017 and has judged in Victoria, Australia in 2014 & 2018, on the judges exchange programme. Has experience in the role as Technical Delegate and working with Stewards and Organising Committees at Regional Shows
■ Organises a Judges Clinic for the lower North Island each year
■ Undertook the Event Management of the Dressage Nationals in 2008 & 2009.
"Over many years SHB Dressage has been to the fore with many great hard working officials and riders," says Sue Hobson. "For such a small area the support and contribution to our sport of dressage in the Southern Hawke's Bay region has been outstanding.
"Back in 1978 when I first moved to Pahiatua the dressage community was being led by Mr Eric Ropiha of Woodville, who had produced many good racehorses and was one of the founders of the NZ Horse Society and the Warmblood Assoc. and who bred some very good horses for dressage.
Helen Ransom of Dannevirke was a member of the C and SHB Area Dressage group in the early days and was another key figure in our area and achieved the role as Chief Selector for Dressage NZ and also achieved List 1 status as a top judge.
Helen spent many hours working for our sport. Dannevirke is to the fore of hard working dressage members - Pam and Ian Barnett also supported us for many years and I have to say that without Ian and his faithful tractor many a truck would have been "bogged in" on the Dannevirke showgrounds.
Olympic equestrian Kallista Field is swamped by school children wanting her autograph after the welcome home parade.
We also had some very good international riders in our group, namely Kallista Field who represented New Zealand some years ago (and also SHB Area of course) at the Olympics with pride," she said.
Sharon Field, Kallista's mother, also represented New Zealand internationally in Australia, together with Sue Hobson over several trips at Grand Prix level.
Sue then went on to become Finance Officer for Dressage NZ and then became an International 4* dressage judge.
She then went on to work on the Judges Sub Committee for three years and then became National Judges Officer responsible for the promotion and training of nearly 200 judges for over 14 years standing down from this position recently as per Constitution Rules within the sport.
Sue is succeeded in her role as Judges Officer by Judith Cunningham of Waitemata – however, SHB area is not short of extremely capable officials and Mary Craine of Dannevirke has taken on the role of a member of the Judges Sub Committee to assist Judith (along with Mura Love of Christchurch).
Sue has been invited to be co-opted onto this committee also for her experience over many years and will look after the international judges who come to New Zealand, also the identification and training of judges in the system.
"So all in all our judges are in excellent hands with very capable leaders at the helm," said Sue.
"It is so good to see new faces in our Area now and whilst the rest of us can take things a little easier the Area has some great new members who will take up the reins - we are indeed in good hands for such a small but professional area."
After 14 years as Judges Officer - Sue Hobson has retired as Judges Officer owing to the more recently introduced mandatory maximum six-year term but committed to the role for a massive fourteen years overseeing many developments in Judge training.
Before this she worked on the Judges Sub Committee for three years making a total of 17 years working with judges and their training.
She worked closely with her Australian colleagues to instigate an Exchange Programme with NZ/Australia for national judges to gain experience from both sides of the Tasman which has proven both popular and successful.
Prior to taking on the role as Judges Officer, Sue was Finance Officer for Dressage NZ and has also been the Dressage Appointee to the ESNZ Board.
Sue can claim international experience as both an FEI 4* dressage judge and as a rider on Trans-Tasman teams in Australia at Prix St Georges and Grand Prix level in addition to competing as both an individual and NZL team member in the FEJ Dressage World Challenge
Her current role ESNZ President came about from her understanding of the sport, and the commitment our officials, riders and supporters make.
"We are in a very exciting place at this time with a great future ahead – some exciting combinations and there is no reason at all why we can't compete with the best in the world in all disciplines," said Sue.
"I know many participants and officials in the sport in NZ and internationally and travel around NZ extensively with my judging commitments so am always in touch with the riders and other officials," she said.
