Equestrian: Awkward moment as 'winner' loses title

Annabel Wigley called it "weird" and it's a fair bet Kate Strankowski agreed after the dramatic conclusion to the country's premier three-day equestrian event at Manukau yesterday.

Wigley, a 21-year-old Canterbury student, won the advanced three-star class on her 9-year-old bay gelding Black Drum, at their first top-level start.

Whitford's American-born Strankowski thought she had the victory when she dismounted from Double J Chatsworth, believing the one rail she had dropped in the showjumping phase was insufficient to deprive her of the top spot she had held since the opening dressage phase two days earlier.

She was delighted at attaining her career high point, and spoke engagingly about her past and her future. But Strankowski had not bargained on getting pinged for time faults on her round, which she discovered only after her press conference.

That handed the title to a bemused Wigley, leaving 25-year-old Strankowski the poor consolation of third place. Confused? So were both riders.

In the washup, just 0.2 points covered the first three placegetters, with the country's leader in the Young Rider standings, Ohaupo's Chelsey Hawthorn, grabbing second with a clear showjumping round aboard Look At That.

When Strankowski entered the wind and rain-lashed Puhinui arena yesterday as last rider in the field on her 14-year-old bay gelding, she had a 13.8-point cushion and could afford to drop three rails and still win the title provided she completed the 15-jump journey inside the required 1min 27sec.

What Strankowski, who settled in Whitford with her parents when she was 14, had not expected was finishing a whopping 10 seconds outside the time limit. Every second over the mark cost a penalty point. On top of the four points for her dropped rail, the delay slipped her out of first place.

Strankowski paid for being too cautious. Had she gone faster, she could have afforded to drop two more rails and still won. She said she had been concerned her horse was a bit jumpy and might not respond well to an extra nudge.

It was a tough experience for the friendly American, and Wigley, who comes from the north Canterbury township of Amberley, had some sympathy.

"It's so confusing. I didn't really know what had happened. I thought I'd gone quite slowly. I feel so sorry for Kate," the national development squad rider said.

Black Drum was 10th after the dressage and fifth when the showjumping began. The decision to bring Black Drum to Puhinui was made the night before she left to travel north. The horse had suffered a stone bruise and it was touch and go whether he had recovered sufficiently to make the journey.

To complete a remarkable leadup, the pair charged into a tree at an event in Te Kauwhata a couple of weeks ago.

Wigley, who has been riding since she was 5 and who owns the horse, was the only rider to have two mounts finish the three-star event. Her other horse, The Ghost, finished ninth.

She admits the Olympic Games is her ultimate ambition and says she is keen to improve her talents overseas. But first, she wants to complete her Bachelor of Commerce next year.

After a rugged day on the shortened cross country stage, the 29 starters had become 16. Then two more combinations, including Olympic reserve Jonelle Richards, who was lying second on Brookland, withdrew yesterday morning.

Wigley, jumping fifth last, put one rail down to sit fourth. Those who followed missed their opportunities.

Jenna Mahoney on the Straussman was one of several combinations who appeared to be spooked by the giant television screen beside a fence.

Hawthorn, an economics student from Ohaupo on pint-sized Look At That, drew level on points with Strankowski but a place higher by dint of a superior cross country time.

Olympian Heelan Tompkins won the intermediate two-star event on Bozton, heading off Palmerston North's Cecilie Rold by the same method. Both finished on 51.4 points.

Tompkins also won the the invitation international ShowCross challenge on her Athens ride, the 18-year-old Glengarrick.

The novice one-star class, which drew 67 entries, was won by Genaldo da Silva on Vincent Vega, who led the division from start to finish.