Olympian Samantha McIntosh showed she's settling perfectly back into life in New Zealand with a convincing win in the horse grand prix at the Tauranga World Cup showjumping final show today (Sat).
The 36-year-old, who relocated from Europe in the middle of 2011, steered her classy imported mare Estina to victory with a double clear round in 49.02 seconds. She was also fifth on the stallion Don Quattro, a ride she's only recently started riding.
There were 22 starters in the class, with just four going through to the jump-off. First out was the in-form Rosie Commons (Auckland) and her Aussie-bred Glenara Chandon, who set a cracking pace at 44.06 seconds but dropped a rail.
Natasha Lammers (Whangarei) and Telestory clocked a steady 51.54 and also took a rail and the experienced Catherine Cameron (Cambridge) and I Reckon dropped two fences and stopped the clock at 48.02, which left the way clear for McIntosh to take the honours.
Earlier in the show Cameron won the two 1.3m classes aboard her rising star Lights Out.
