Double title for Masterton rider

Masterton's Gemma Haywood was a star performer at the 2011 New Zealand horse riding endurance championships at Kuratau, Taupo, over Easter weekend, winning titles in both the 80km one-star and 120km two-star events.
And she was not the only member of the Haywood family to feature prominently, with her mother Sandra picking up a third placing over 60km and her father Tony and brother Cole being part of their strapping team, along with Kelly Mason and Jordyn Piripi.
Good Friday saw Gemma Haywood competing in the 80km one-star competition on her homebred mare Roselea Flaunt It. They took the honours in a time of 4hr 54min. Haywood said she was "extremely proud" of her charge as she was in her first season of endurance and only completed the novice grading system in December last year.
The 120km two-star event was on Easter Sunday with Gemma Haywood and her homebred gelding Roselea Royal Fire crossing the start line at 2am and completing four phases of 30km each. The course was challenging with the uneven terrain including some hill work and that, along with the darkness, required extreme care to be taken to avoid injury. Roselea Royal Fire successfully passed the five veterinary inspections and went on to claim the spoils in a time of 7hr 57min.
Sandra Haywood contested her 60km race on the 19-year-old semi-retired Karamea Bay Shadow. While his best endurance days are behind him he found the distance to his liking and ended up a creditable third.
For Gemma Haywood the results at Kuratau showed the benefits of the preparatory work which had started around last October.
"We wanted all the horses to be fit and strong so we could get the best outcome and they looked amazing ... I think the hard work paid off," she said.