It was fitting the top honours at the beautiful Takapoto Estate in Cambridge were shared between the two women who have duelled it out all season: Julie Davey and Sophie Scott.
Re-watch the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.
Consistency was the key with Australian-bred Normandy GHP the only horse in the league to win twice – the second qualifier at Takapoto and then Saturday’s final. LT Holst Freda won Taupo’s qualifier, with Benrose Stellar, who won the final last year, taking the opening qualifier at Takapoto for Sophie. World Cup rookie Tara Gower (Cambridge) won the qualifier at Dannevirke.
For Sophie, picking the right horse to nominate became as much of a challenge as the jumps, and three times she didn’t quite get it right, despite brilliant results. “It’s not an easy task,” she will tell you with a smile.
Meanwhile Freda, who is also the current Olympic Cup holder as Showjumper of the Year, heads to Europe on Wednesday to begin her campaign for the World Championships in earnest.
Julie has kept the plans close to her chest but with the series under her belt again and tickets booked, she’s looking forward to basing in Germany and is considering heading to the World Cup Jumping Final in the States.
“Freda is a lovely horse,” she said. “We are quite the team. It means a lot to win this again – almost as much as the first time. It is hard to win anything two years in a row!”
She had plenty of praise for Sophie too: “We get on well and you need someone better than you to make you be better.”
It was a mutual admiration society between the two riders. “I am very happy for Julie,” said Sophie. “Her horse is amazing, and she is always a great competitor. My horses have been amazing this season – I am more than stoked to get the win (in the final)… the series would have just been the cherry on top.”
Canadian designer Peter Holmes certainly challenged the nine-strong start list, with Sophie and Normandy the only combination to finish with a clean slate from the two rounds. Julie and Freda uncharacteristically picked up a single time fault in the opener but were clear jumping over both to finish on one.
Sophie was clear in the opener with Benrose Stellar but had the first fence down in the second to finish on four faults. Makenzie Causer (Christchurch) and her imported mare Dolce Del Colle finished with 10 faults over the two rounds for fourth place in the final and third in the series, with Francesca Corich (Auckland) and Bannockburn ECPH in fifth with 13 faults, and Tara Gower on Riverhills Legend in sixth. The winner of the New Zealand series has the opportunity to travel to the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas in April. Luke Dee and Gangster WW represented New Zealand at the world final this year in Switzerland, finishing 31st.
ClipMyHorse.TV FEI World Cup (NZ League) Series:
1. Julie Davey (Hastings) 87 points
2. Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) 78
3. Makenzie Causer (Christchurch) 70
ClipMyHorse.TV FEI World Cup (NZ League) Final:
1. Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) Normandy GHP
2. Julie Davey (Hastings) LT Holst Freda
3. Sophie Scott (Palmerston North) Benrose Stellar
4. Makenzie Causer (Christchurch) Dolce Del Colle
5. Francesca Corich (Auckland) Bannockburn ECPH
6. Tara Gower (Cambridge) Riverhills Legend
Full results can be found via Equipe.
Re-watch the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.
Source: ESNZ press release by Diana Dobson, edited by EQ Life
