Equestrian: European trip on the line for showjumping final

Rose Alfeld on my Super Nova. Photo / Warren buckland

A European trip beckons for the champion combination at this weekend's FEI World Cup New Zealand league showjumping final at Woodhill Sands in Auckland.

There will be 11 combinations chasing bragging rights and a trip to the world final in France on Sunday.

Points and a half are on offer for the final. Leeston's Rose Alfeld leads the field on 74 points and will ride her 12-year-old My Super Nova. Alfeld has a nine-point buffer ahead of Tauranga's Samantha Morrison.

"He is feeling great and I am looking forward to the final," Alfeld said of her horse.

"I am trying not to let the added pressure of sitting on top of the leaderboard get to me and just want to go out and do our best."

Regardless of how they go, she's a content competitor.

"I'll be happy with him no matter what happens because he has already exceeded all my expectations for the season."

Morrison is hoping her World Cup season will finish with a bang aboard her 12-year-old Selle Francais. Melody Matheson of Havelock North is a point adrift of Morrison and Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) is a further point back.

Add in experienced international performers Kate Laurie, a six-time winner of the series, and Olympian Clarke Johnstone and it's a quality field.

Laurie will ride Breeze for the first time, while Johnstone, New Zealand's best performer in the Rio Olympic eventing in 2016, will ride Quainton Labyrinth, for whom he has high hopes.

"He is feeling really good and jumping nicely at home, so I am hoping for a good result."

Leaderboard (after six rounds – best four to count): Rose Alfeld (Leeston) 74 pts 1, Samantha Morrison (Tauranga) 63 2, Melody Matheson (Havelock North) 62 3, Emily Hayward (Te Awamutu) 61 4, Brooke Edgecombe (Waipukurau), Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) 55 equal 5.