Equestrian: Saddling up for huge event

Danny Kopa riding Gambit were part of a mounted games exhibition at Kaikohe West School last week. Photo / Debbie Beadle Taylor

Northlander Danny Kopa will be the main drawcard for the local faction when he trots out with the New Zealand team at the inaugural IMGA Five Nations Championship at Kaikohe next month.

The event will take place over the first weekend of December, albeit now only with teams representing South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand after the withdrawal of the US and Canada.

Even with the withdrawals, the event was still shaping up to be the biggest international sporting tournament to be held in the Far North.

The equestrian challenge will be contested by five teams - two from Australia, one from South Africa and two from New Zealand - and nearly 50 riders participating over three days in teams, pairs and individual sections.

Spokeswoman for the organising Kaikohe Pony Club Jenny Te Whata said the event will display "the best individual line-up of riders for mounted games outside Europe".

She admitted things had been hectic after the club only learned it had won the right to host the games at the end of July.

The 18-year-old Kopa, meanwhile, is the latest rider from the region to continue a tradition over the past decade of developing national representatives at the equestrian sport and following in the footsteps of previous New Zealand team members including Nancy and Kate Te Whata and Dee Cherrington.

It's only been two years since Kopa took up the sport but he has already locked down some impressive results including coming fifth for his age group at the Australian individual championships earlier this year.

He has also just been selected to represent New Zealand at the world championships in Kentucky next year.

Hailing from Matawaia and attending school in Okaihau, Kopa was part of an entourage of six riders and their horses from the Kaikohe Pony Club who visited the Kaikohe West School just over a week ago.