Irish eyes smile on local scene

WAR HORSE: Dressed in World War 1 attire, Libby Plummer of Poukawa, on Beau, was part of Horse of the Year in the City entertainment at the cenotaph, Hastings. PHOTOS/WARREN BUCKLAND

A top international rider has praised New Zealanders competing in the Mounted Games series at the Farmlands Horse of the Year for their talent.

The mounted games at HOY saw 11 teams sign up to battle it out against one another on the field. Each rider in a team was required to complete challenges in a series of mini-games while on horseback.

Irish competitor and the winner of three European Mounted Games individual titles Alan Keogan said the event had been well run and New Zealand riders were proving themselves in the field.

"New Zealand has brilliant riders and a brilliant standard of riding," he said.

"The events here at HOY are great and they are run to a high standard even though there are far fewer teams entered to compete.

"In the European games there would often be 30 to 40 teams whereas here, there is just 11 teams.

"Other than the fact that there are fewer teams involved, the events are very similar."

The fast-paced sport is known for its high injury rates but he said the risk of injury was worth it.

Keogan, who has been training horses for 14 years, has been living in the country for the past six months to work with, and learn from, a New Zealand trainer.

"I wanted to come over here and work with someone who trains horses the same way. I have been here six months but I want to stay the full year," he said.

"Training a horse for mounted games is tough because there are so many elements to it. You need to be able to stop a horse in an instant and get them being able to turn back on themselves.

"One of the biggest things is keeping their head settled because if you take them into a game too quickly they get too buzzy and they just can't concentrate. That is the big challenge of training a horse for these games; teaching it to keep calm."

The final Mounted Games competition in the series will be held tomorrow, and Mr Keogan said he expected his team to make the cut.

"We have been riding well in the heat rounds and we should get through," he said.