Hoy Show: Mum's the word for lady

Katie Laurie with her father, Jeff, and daughter, Grace. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hands trembling, Lucy Akers watched intently from the picket fence near the horseshoe entrance of the premier arena as Katie Laurie went through the motions with Dunstan Springfield in the third-round jump-off in Hastings yesterday.

The lanky call steward, Blake Keane, of Gisborne, dressed in smart cowboy fashion, craned over and reminded Akers: "You know, it isn't over until the fat lady sings."

Clipboard-armed Keane, no doubt, stated the obvious and Longburn rider Akers, who was out first with a blemish-free round on Tinapai to ask the question with a brisk time of 43.36s, didn't need reminding.

Laurie did strike a magical chord with her mount, affectionately known as Bart, to etch her name on the Ultra Mox Lady Rider of the Year Cup for the fifth time yesterday at the HB Showgrounds. She's 22 weeks pregnant, expecting a boy.

"It's such a prestigious one and such a good feeling," she said, revealing female riders dominate and don't even think about whether blokes should have a class of their own.

"I think the ladies are so competitive in any class and there's probably more of us anyway," she said with a laugh.

So has motherhood made her stronger?

"I think it's a little harder because I don't have that athletic feeling," she said, revealing she tried to park the pregnancy at the back of her mind.

"I brought all very nice horses that'll look after me," she said, emphasising it was imperative not to leave behind her confidence as she competed at the annual Farmlands Horse of the Year Show.

It didn't bother her that her other horse, Luego GNZ, had stumbled to finish fourth because he was tired.

"Springfield is very careful so I was just talking each jump at a time," a beaming Laurie said, carrying her 1-year-old daughter, Grace.

Thirty-five combinations started the first round with 26 (those with eight or fewer faults) coming back for the second round.

Ten of those progressed with a clean slate.

Four remained in contention after that - Sam Morrison (Tauranga), on Frangipanne De Toxandria, Laurie and Bart remaining blemish free. Akers and Tinapai as well as Laurie progressed with Luego GNZ on four faults each.

The importance of Bart as an insurance is reinforced in her decision to have him as back-up to two other horses competing today and on Sunday in the marquee Olympic Cup.

"He's done enough now and he likes this ring, too."

A smiling Akers, 31, took her runner-up placing in her stride.

"There's one horse and rider today in my way and they weren't the ones I wanted so congratulations to Katie for her three beautiful clear rounds," Akers said, adding she dropped one rail in her first round and needed a miracle to win it but was really thrilled to be runner-up for the fourth time in the class.

The two-time winner saluted her mount, saying: "I thought my rail drop was just sheer bad luck. I wouldn't have ridden it any differently as I touched it so lightly and it came down."

Laurie's father, former Olympian Jeff McVean, said stallion Luego hadn't done much jumping and that showed yesterday, accentuated by his dislike for heavy grounds.

McVean, 61, of Mystery Creek, said after the Olympic Cup on Sunday Laurie would stop riding until after the birth of her second child.

"I'm proud of this show they've put this year. The organisers have done a great job this year," he said.

Ultra Mox Lady Rider of the Year: Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Springfield 1, Lucy Akers (Longburn) Tinapai 2, Sam Morrison (Tauranga) Frangipanne De Toxandria 3, Katie Laurie (Mystery Creek) Luego GNZ 4, Tegan Fitzsimon (Canterbury) Alacazam MH 5, Danielle Maurer (Auckland) Supernova NZPH 6.

Today's events:

Premier Arena:

* Class 26, 8.15am-9.45am: 7-year-old Horse of the Year Championship.
* 10.15pm-11pm: 3* eventing showjumping phase.
* Class 27(b), 11.30am-12.45am: Pony championship stakes 1.25m.
* Incorporating Class 13(b): Saba Sam Shield - second round pony team competition.
* Class 28, 1.15pm-3.45pm: Young Rider of the Year 1.35m - 1.45m.
* Class 29, 4.30pm-7.15pm: Silver Fern Stakes 1.40m - 1.55m.

NRM Arena:

* Class 27 (a), 8.30am-10.30am: Pony championship stakes.
* Class 30, 11.30am-1.30pm: 5-year-old Horse of the Year Championship.
* 1.45pm-3.30pm: Eventing 2* showjumping.
* Class 31 (a), 4.00pm -5.30pm NZ Pony Club Team of the Year

Arena Two:

* Class 32, 8am-12.15pm: Horse 1.25m.
* Class 33, 12.30pm- 5.30pm: Horse 1.15.

Arena Three:

* Class 34, 8am-1.30pm: Pony 1.05m.
* Class 35, 2pm- 4pm Pony 1.15m.

Dressage:

Dressage Oval:

* 7.30: 233 CDIY FEI young rider team test 2009.
* 8.55: 405 IV Para equestrian team test 2013
* 9.15 234 FEI intermediate A 2014 (level 8).
* 10.45: 232 level 4 pony musical freestyle (title).
* 11.50 235 FEI intermediate I 2009 (title)
* 15.30: 236 Virbac Equine CDI FEI Grand Prix v 2015

Polo Grounds:

Arena 1:

* 8am: 229 HOY level 2 pony musical freestyle (title
* 11am: 231 level 3 pony musical freestyle (title)
* 12.45: 401 Ia Para equestrian team test 2013.
* 12.55: 403 II Para equestrian team test 2013.

Arena 2:

* 8am: 230 Prydes Easifeed level 3 horse 3D (title).
* 13.45: 404 III Para equestrian team test 2013.

Arena 3:

* 7.52: 228 HOY level 1 pony 1D (title).