Te Kauwhata's Keean Cooper produced the only clear round to win the Young Rider title at the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings today.
The John Cottle-coached 16-year-old, who rode Amarula MVNZ, was competing at this Dunstan Horse Feeds-sponsored class for the first time.
Cooper described the course, designed by German Werner Deeg, as the biggest he had confronted in his riding career.
"The course was very technical but if you knew where it was technical you could sort them out," he said before accepting the $770 first prize.
Second place went to Samantha Morrison, of Tauranga, on Frangipanne De Toxandria, and Te Awamutu's Emily Hayward-Morgan, on AP Ninja, finished third.
