Weather set to be fine as top riders head this way

While numbers were slightly down on last year's entries, the next two days would still provide plenty of entertainment. Photo / Thinkstock

The long weekend's fine weather is set to benefit showjumpers as national horse Grand Prix riders descend upon Barge Park for the Northland Area Two Star Jumping Show.

With 154 riders and 300 horses set to call Maunu home for the next two days, event secretary Heather Deane says it is an exciting time for the sport in Northland.

Local riders include Vicki Wilson - who has two horse entered in Sunday's main event, the Horse Grand Prix - and her sister Amanda. Another to watch out for is Nakeysha Lammers, who one of Northland's top showjumpers, and her little sister Sharnaye.

Kerikeri rider Georgia Sheard was also another to keep an eye on, fresh off her recent win in the Grand Prix Series a couple weeks ago - getting her season off to a flying start while some Northlanders were slow out the gate due to a wet spring.

While numbers were slightly down on last year's entries, Deane said the next two days would still provide plenty of entertainment.

She said there was likely to be riders who "chase the circuit" attend, much the same as surfers chase the summer around the world. "It is part of the New Zealand circuit," Deane said. "People go to these events to collect points on certain classes we run, and that all ends up at the Horse of the Year Awards in March."

Deane said the event was a "two star", which means the difficulty is significant but not the hardest there is. Riders would be doing jumps of 1.25m to 1.3m on ponies and 1.25 to 1.5m on horses.

"Sunday is our big day because that's when we have our Pony and Horse Grand Prixes, because the jumps are quite big in them."