Ackers gets jump on Olympian

Olympian Katie McVean didn't have things all her own way when she lined up at this weekend's Northland Area Two Star Showjumping event.
The Waikato rider, recently returned from representing New Zealand at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, had to settle for second place behind Lucy Ackers, in the toughest of the showjumping events held over the weekend, the Snow Brothers Electrical Horse Grand Prix.
Both riders completed the first round without acquiring faults and progressed to the jump-off on the Garry Sinclair designed ring.
Akers, riding Tinapai, repeated her earlier efforts going clear in a time of 56.75 and McVean was on track to beat her time until her mount Dunstan Daffodil caught a rail on the final jump.
The four faults gave the title to Akers, with Northland rider Vicki Wilson riding Showtym Girl taking third place.
Wilson's sister Amanda tasted victory in the hotly contested Young Rider series, by being the only rider in the field to complete the course with a clear round.
Auckland based Canadian Kyle Timm took second place, with another New Zealand representative Kumeu's Rachael McGregor in third place on Kabobenny Boy. Northland's Sophie Burling was the next best of the local riders, finishing fifth on Detailed.
Waikato's Melanie Weal riding Hopeful Illusion won the Pony Grand Prix, after surviving yet another jump-off held to determine the winner.
Weal and Pukekohe's Rebekah Van Peil, on Guthrie, both recorded clear rounds in the jump-off but Weal went almost a second faster to win the title in 41.06. Hayley Lockhart on Mai Amoray was third with Nakeysha Lammers on Hakuna Matata the best of the Northland riders, finishing in sixth place.
Organisers were pleased with the way the weekend's competition went.
Despite some rain on Saturday afternoon there were no major disruptions to the programme that drew plenty of spectators, including New Zealand Showjumping President Jeremy Olphert, who came north to show his support for the event.
It was the biggest ever turnout of horses entered in the event with close to 200 riders competing.