THE STANDARD of performance is guaranteed to be high when the Wairarapa Area Showjumping and Showhunter Group hold their premier league show at Solway Showgrounds in Masterton over the three days of Labour weekend.
This event is part of the Equestrian Sport New Zealand jumping season calendar and provides competitors with the chance to boost their standings on the national Horse and Rider Series points tables.
Group spokeswoman Jenny Booth says the "very picturesque" Solway Showgrounds will be in tip-top order for a busy programme with caretaker Brian Tatton and newly-appointed manager Melissa Warren opening the gates for the trucks to roll in tomorrow so that everything is in readiness for the competitions which will run from Saturday to Monday.
Five rings will be used. four for showjumping and one for showhunter, with the feature likely to be the second round of the North Island FEI World Jumping Challenge which is pretty much open to every rider in the country aged over 14. Riders will compete on horses over three height categories with each category involving two events over two days.
The first round of the challenge was held at Equidays at the Mystery Creek Events Centre last weekend and there will be three rounds in all before it is finalised at the National Equestrian Centre's Christmas Classic Show in December. Both the North Island and South Island winners will go on to represent New Zealand in the Australasian pool standings and, depending how they fare, could then take on the rest of the world.
