Mounted Games: Victory a fitting swansong for rider's old mate

Josh Adamson and Minnie Me.

When Josh Adamson returned home briefly from England three weeks ago his mission was to simply to renew the visa on his passport.

So it was a case of value added when Adamson got the stamp of approval in the equestrian circles before he caught his flight back to Surrey on Wednesday from Auckland.

The 20-year-old from Napier won the individual crown of the New Zealand Open Mounted Games in Pukekohe at the weekend on his 16-year-old horse, Minnie Me, retired two years ago.

"I pulled her out of the paddock and gave her a quick 2 to 3 weeks of a fitness programme," says Adamson of the mare he sold before returning to England where he harbours ambitions to attend university to pursue a degree in business management.

He sees the mounted games foray at the weekend as a win-win situation for both parties, especially Minnie Me who has found a "very good home" in a new buyer.

"I'm heading back so there's no one to ride her," says Adamson proud that Minnie Me has yielded a winner in every rider age group except for the under-17 category.

He will represent New Zealand in the world teams championship at Green Glens Arena, County Cork, in Ireland from June 11 to 17.

Adamson will then psyche up for the Mounted Games World Pairs Championship in Denmark from August 1-7 in a 15-minute drive out from Copenhagen for what is touted to be the northern hemisphere's biggest all-weather arena.

In July last year Adamson became the British individual open champion in the code.

He had counted his blessings after deciding in 2014 to take his horse, Trigger (named after an American Western), from Taihape to Surrey with him. He bought the 14.2 hands high gelding in 2013.

Adamson lives with English girlfriend and fellow mounted games competitor Mercedes Lock.

He became the first Hawke's Bay rider and the youngest to win the Mounted Games NZ Open three years ago.