Dressage NZ Bulletin Issue 39 December January 2020

Issue 39 | December/January 2020

Equitana Auckland Wrap Up! Premier League Championships CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS PART TWO

EDITORIAL

FROM THE EDITOR WELCOME TO ISSUE THIRTY NINE OF THE DRESSAGE NZ BULLETIN

P

YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE HERE sarah@snaffledesign.co.nz

rize Givings – this topic comes up time and time again. At Planning Forum, at Conference, at Events, and in between all of these things throughout the year.

So why do we have prizegivings? What purpose do the serve? A prize first and foremost is an accolade to be celebrated.

There are two key players in any prizegiving – the donor of the prize and the recipient. The donor has more often than not contributed financially to the competition and the prize, and typically receives both marketing value and a sense of goodwill that they are supporting the target market for their brand. The recipient of the prize typically receives an award such as a presentation rug, sash, rosette, prize and prize money.

But there is something else that seems to be overlooked. The cost of entering the event for every rider is reduced thank you to the sponsors financial contributions and the subsequent ability for the organizing committee to additionally fund the event from external sources without being totally reliant on entry fees. Securing sponsorship deals is no easy task and comes with a responsibility to deliver on those deals – this responsibility comes back to again to the organising committee who collectively spend hundreds of volunteer hours in the lead up to the event to make their event as attractive as possible for competitors and ensure the financial viability of the event.

Think about doubling entry fee costs with no sponsorship. Think about the sponsor who writes to Dressage NZ expressing disappointment about prominent competitors who do not show at prizegiving.

Dressage has a different competition structure and culture for instance to say, showjumping. Many of the major prizes at dressage are cumulative over two or three rounds. No one is too sure who the winner is going to be.

Jumping is simpler. It’s one round, a jump off perhaps. Job is done. Prizes are awarded.

Our championship structure has evolved to champions being the most consistent at the event. It hasn’t always been like that. Olympic, World Championship, and World Cup Medals and titles are now all decided on one class. Would this possibly overcome some of our prizegiving woes?

The DressageNZ Bulletin is the official magazine of Dressage NZ a discipline of Equestrian Sports NZ

Editor: Wendy Hamerton E: dressage@nzequestrian.org.nz Design and Production: www.snaffledesign.co.nz

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Graphic Design Sales & Advertising: Sarah Gray Email: sarah@snaffledesign.co.nz Copyright © Snaffle Design and Dressage NZ 2019 Cover Image: Cooper Oborn and Aphrodite Photo: Equitana Auckland / Libby Law Photography

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS

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12

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WILLINGA PARK

NATIONAL NEWS

HYGAIN NUTRITION

EQUITANA AUCKLAND

Dressage by the Sea 2020 incorporating the FEI Regional Dressage Forum ...

There has been a lot going on lately, don't miss out on the news and updates ...

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TRISTAN TUCKER PREMIER MASTERCLASS LEAGUE CHAMPS Tristan works with Debbie Barke's young mare RM Suzie Q on the ground ...

It's been a full on month and we have the Premier League results from across the country ...

with these long, hot, dry days The stars came out to play at & championship shows, this spectacular event, we look Hygain discusses electrolytes ... back on highlights ...

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CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

OUR PEOPLE

Jess Roberts & Caitlin Benzie did an amazing job putting together part 2 of 3 ...

Emily Hammond & Linda Warren-Davey are this months Official and Volunteer of the month ...

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 3

https://willingapark.com.au/events/dressage-by-the-sea-2020/

DRESSAGE BY THE SEA 2020 Incorporating the FEI Regional Dressage Forum Dressage by the Sea at Willinga Park is the only CDI4* back-to-back event in the southern hemisphere, with more than $120,000 AUD in prize money on offer.

In 2020, the event includes the FEI Regional Dressage Forum as well as a masterclass by World Champion, Dorothee Schneider.

This is your opportunity to gain professional insight by leaders of international dressage – Dorothee Schneider, Vet & Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare Roly Owers and German 5* judges Katrina West and Gotthilf Riexinger, to name a few.

Limited tickets are available for the Forum and Masterclass, don’t miss out!

TICKETS AT WILLINGAPARK.COM.AU 4 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

22–24 FEB: CDI4* Event 1 • 25–27 FEB: FEI Regional Dressage Forum • 27 FEB: Dorothee Schneider Masterclass • 28 FEB – 1 MAR: CDI4* Event 2

@WILLINGAPARK

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

EXCITEMENT PEAKS AHEAD OF THE FEI PACIFIC LEAGUE WORLD CUP FINAL Article by Wendy Hamerton Photo Stephen Mowbray

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endi Williamson and Don Amour MH contest the FEI Pacific League World Cup Final on Friday and Saturday. Disappointingly for the organizers the field is now down to six starters (listed below – start order TBC) with the withdrawal of Rozzie Ryan. The Grand Prix begins at 7pm Friday AUS time.

• Captain Cooks (Pauline Carnovale) • Corinna (Lone Jorgensen) • Diamond Star (Sally Rizzuto) • Diva Royale (Holly Cutler) • Tacita (Fiona Selby) • Don Amour MH (Wendi Williamson) Helen Hughes-Keen NZL FEI 4* is on the Ground Jury along with Mary Seefried (QLD), Jane Ventura (VIC), Clive Halsall (UK), and Anne Praine (FRA).

The CDN Grand Prix is filled with New Zealand connections with Jacqui Winspear and JW Darjeeling in the field of fourteen as well as a further three horses produced in New Zealand and now Australian owned; Antonio (ex Vanessa Way), Ambrose (ex Abbie Deken) and Magnus Spero (ex Penny Castle).

New Zealand is also represented In the nineteen strong Para Classes, Anne Watts rides Joseph’s Dream, and Rachel Hughes HPH Benedict both looking for Tokyo Qualification. Devil’s Chocolate (previously competed in New Zealand by Holly Leach and Lucarne Dolley) starts for Australia with Matilda Carnegie.

In other Australian news John Thompson and JHT Chemistry are continuing good form, earning a 69.07 in their first Grand at Goulburn on the 7th of December. John is truly excited about the competitive progress of this stallion, with a huge respect for the work ethic of 'Tommy'. His aim is to now to compete in their first international at the Boneo CDI in January.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

D

orothee Schneider secured the third successive German victory in this season’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ Western European League when coming out on top with DSP Sammy Davis Jr. in Madrid. Claudio Castilla Ruiz (Alcaide) for Spain lined up second for the host nation ahead of Hans Peter Minderhoud (Glock’s Zinardi) in third.

Schneider made it a back-toback German hat-trick, but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the partnership whose record includes European team gold in 2017, World Championship team gold in 2018 and a fifth-place finish at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Paris (FRA) three years ago. Because Sammy was really on his toes this evening….

“He was very good in the Grand Prix yesterday, but in the beginning of the Freestyle today he felt really fresh and we made one mistake

Dorothee Schneider (GER) and DSP Sammy Davis

SCHNEIDER AND SAMMY TAKE THE HONOURS IN MADRID Article by Louise Parkes Photos FEI

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS in the extended trot and then in the two-tempis”, Schneider said.

“I know him so very long now, I’ve been riding him for five years and he has a lot of his own ideas about how we should be doing things! But that’s one of the reasons I love him - he has so much character, we have a great feeling together and he just keeps getting better all the time!”

Spain was well-represented with five starters in the 13-strong field, and it was Jose Daniel Martin Dockx and Manchego Arb who were in the lead on a score of 73.265 at the halfway stage. But fellow-countryman Juan Matute Guimon steered Don Diego out in front as the final group of competitors took their turn, only for his mark of 74.460 to be immediately overtaken by Great Britain’s Richard Davison and Bubblingh who put 74.615 on the board.

Castilla Ruiz blew the competition wide open however

Hans Peter Minderhound (NED) and Glock's Zinardi

Claudio Castilla Ruiz of Spain riding Alcaide

with a spectacular ride on his handsome 14-year-old stallion Alcaide when fifth-last to go, once again kicking off their floorplan with one-handed onetempi changes, and consistently producing quality piaffe/passage, they completed with a confident final halt to raise the bar all the way up to 80.230.

That was always going to be challenging, and when Schneider’s average was hovering around 79 percent it wasn’t clear if her double of errors was going to leave the double-Olympian vulnerable in the final analysis. But the pure quality of Sammy’s work, including his grace and elevation in passage and his fabulous pirouettes along with strong artistic scores edged the pair up to a final tally of 82.295 which clinched it definitively.

Second-last to go, Dutch star and 2016 FEI Dressage World Cup champion, Hans Peter Minderhoud, was pleased that his 15-year-old grey stallion, Glock’s Zinardi, coped with the arena atmosphere. “It

wasn’t easy for him because he’s a bit spooky, but it was great to be here for the first time in Madrid and with today’s points I’m now almost qualified for Las Vegas - I’ve been there three times before and I would love to ride there again!” he said after slotting into third place on 78.350 and moving up to the top of the Western European League table.

The top nine in the WEL rankings will qualify for the 2020 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final and Schneider, now in joint-seventh after four of the eleven qualifying legs, has qualification clearly in her sights. But it’s not easy being German it seems, because as it stands her compatriots Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Frederic Wandres and Benjamin Werndl are ahead of her on the league table and they all want the same thing - to be one of the two Germans who will join defending champion Isabell Werth for the season finale in the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA next April.

“We have so many very good riders, and we all want to go!” said Schneider.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 7

NATIONAL NEWS

NEWS

EQUESTRIAN ENTRIES YOUTH FESTIVAL – Taupo NEC 25-27 January Four exciting teams competitions to be contested

• INTERNATIONAL NZL VS NSW

DRESSAGE NZ INSTRUMENTAL IN NEW WARM UP ARENA DEVELOPMENT AT NEC TAUPO Dressage NZ has undertaken to fundraise for and project manage a new fiber/sand warm up arena located adjacent to the indoor stadium and primarily utilized as a warm up for indoor arena competitors. This will bring the competition and warm up surfaces into line with FEI requirements Jon Williamson, the Dressage Rep on the NEC committee is the key driver of the project implementation. Work is expected to begin immediately following the Christmas Classic showjumping event in late December and all going to plan, the arena will be operational in time for the Youth Festival. It is also planned to install an irrigation system, the type and extent dependent on funding available.

Dressage NZ acknowledges with thanks support from the NEC, ESNZ High Performance and all those Area Groups and individuals who have pledged donations to make this project possible. A huge thanks also to Martin Collins NZ, (www.martincollins.com) suppliers of the fiber product who have also supported this exciting project which will enhance both performance and longevity of our horses. Pledges are still being accepted and any excess funds raised will be held in trust by Dressage NZ for further developments as agreed by the Dressage NZ Board. If you would like to make a donation to this project or would like further information, please contact dressage@nzequestrian.org.nz A very special thanks must also go to a longtime supporter of Dressage who wishes to remain anonymous, but was one of the first to recognize the importance of the project and pledged $10,000.00 which matches the Dressage NZ commitment to the project.

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A team of Young Riders from Dressage New South Wales will be crossing the Tasman to compete on borrowed horses in a NZL vs NSW teams event. The New Zealand selectors will select the New Zealand team from riders entered at the event, aligning with classes that the NSW team will be competing in on their borrowed horses.

• INTERISLAND TEAM CHALLENGE The Richmond Saddlery sponsored Interisland Challenge for the coveted York Corporation Trophy will be held between North Island and South Island riders on their own horses. The New Zealand selectors will select the teams from riders entered at the event, aligning with classes that riders from both Islands are entered in.

If there are insufficient South Island riders on their own horses to make up a team, selectors reserve the right to select a South Island rider on a borrowed horse.

• OFFICIAL AREA TEAMS An official area team competition will be held. Riders need to be competing in graded competitions and be full or Junior members of ESNZ to be eligible. Teams must be nominated by Area Groups in accordance with schedule conditions.

• NON-GRADED TEAMS Riders in non-graded sections will be drawn into mixed area teams of three at the event.

NATIONAL NEWS

Jody Hartstone recently celebrated her marriage to Daryl Vink in Rarotonga.

Pictured L-R; Paula Stewart, Christine Weal, Zoie Gray, Christine Hartstone, Sandra Fryatt, Jody Hartstone, Celine Filbee, Bec Kerr, Julie Malcolm, Erin Mortimer, Jenny Spellman, Caitlin Spellman Photo: Turama Photography

ESNZ DRESSAGE RULES UPDATE The link to the full version can be found here: www.nzequestrian.org.nz/esnz/rules-regulations/dressage-rules/

NOTES TO CHANGES The 2019 version (v7) of the ESNZ Dressage Rule Book Effective 1/9/19 reflects the following: 1. Rule Changes approved at Conference 2019 2. Judge Classification to align with new judges’ listings 3. Clarifications to some rules but no change to the intent 4. Clarifications noted if there were any conflicts within a rule or relating to other rules owing to the many amendments since the publication of V1 5. Rules updated to align with current ESNZ GR’s Legal System and current ESNZ administrative practices eg. Previous Requirement to keep ID / Performance books 6. The movement of a number of paras to a more logical section or order, eg Art 402 Halt and Salute 7. Riders referred to as Athletes in the majority of articles 8. Summary tables of diagrams of permitted saddlery & bits now in Annexe 1 as per FEI diagrams.

9. Mark up lines on the left of the text denote changes to the text, movements of paragraphs and repagination

SUMMARY OF CLARIFICATIONS & AMENDED RULE NUMBERS Article 401

FEI Updates to Objects & General Principles / Definitions of Movements

Article 402

Now references the Halt and the Halt & Salute

Article 440

Eligibility, Duties & Responsibilities of Judges Consolidated

Article 441

Judge Classification to align with new judge classifications

Article 442

Now only refers to Ground Jury to align with current ESNZ GR’s Legal System

Article 444

Scorer. Deleted references to Judges actions re missing a mark for a movement. This is now in Art 449 under Marking

Article 445

Display of Marks. Updated to align with online scoring systems & publication of marks

Article 446

Classification of Competitions. Updated to reflect grading on points not wins (historical)

Article 447

Ride Off – Deleted as historical only

Art 477.5

Clarified that Bridle Numbers should be worn on both sides of the horse when being ridden

Annexe 4

Lead Rein Competitions

Annexe 8

Updated NZ Pony Club Assn Annexe

Annexes

Renumbered

The FEI is proposing a four-year cycle for rule changes from 2020 with the exception that rules which may affect welfare of the horse, and / or safety may be amended.

Dressage NZ recommends that all officials and athletes review the rule book. If you see any errors in this version, please email dressage@nzequestrian.org.nz Dressage NZ welcomes remits to amend the rules at the next Planning Forum to be held in April 2020 – remits will need to be submitted by Friday 6th March for amendments to be formatted and distributed for consideration by areas and then discussed at the Planning Forum. Now is your chance to document what you would like to see amended for the future.

Perhaps Dressage NZ should also consider a two year or longer rules cycle?

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 9

NATIONAL NEWS

NEW TALENT SHINES BRIGHT AT DEVELOPMENT CAMP Article by Rebecca Copplestone, Dressage NZ SI Young Rider Convenor

Fourteen young South Island riders fine-tuned their dressage skills at the Pryde’s Easifeed Dressage New Zealand Young Rider Development Camp in Christchurch at the end of September. The riders aged twelve to twenty-one, were selected by Dressage NZ for the coveted spots at the annual training camp.

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outh Island convenor Rebecca Copplestone said the aim of the camp was rider effectiveness, “Focusing on the rider’s position and the application of the aids to improve the harmony between horse and rider.”

The riders were coached by Grand Prix rider Melissa Galloway, from Marlborough, a member of the ESNZ High Performance Futures Squad, and previous New Zealand representative and ESNZ coach Coralie Williams, from Auckland.

In addition to technical coaching, a variety of workshops were run over the weekend. Including; Equine Physical Therapist Nicolett

Geldermann, Human and Equine Physiotherapist Sophie Hargreaves, Veterinarian and Equine Dentist Marieke Van den Enden, FEI 4* Dressage Judge Linda WarrenDavey, Equine Nutritionist Jonathan McNeill representing sponsor Pryde’s Easifeed, goal setting by ESNZ chair Lynda Clark, and well-being and life balance by ESNZ Dressage marketing and communications manager Michelle Zielazo.

Test riding was assessed by either Dressage NZ South Island selector Jan Mitchell or Linda Warren-Davey, who is an FEI Young Horse Judge, and is the Dressage NZ Performance and Development officer.

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SQUAD MEMBERS: Kimberley Clearwater, Lucy Cochrane, Emma Copplestone, Jorja Dann, Ella Fitzsimons, Cary Gale, Maia Gerard, Olivia Goodwillie, Jaclyn Hay, Meg Johnston, Tessa Jones, Rilee McMeekin, Hannah Nicol, Charlotte Thomas and Emily Van Herpt.

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NUTRITION

HOW IMPORTANT ARE electrolytes IN MY HORSE’S DIET?

H

orses depend on certain electrically charged minerals to maintain the balance and flow of vital body fluids, the transmission of nerve impulses, and the healthy function of the muscles and the circulatory system.

These minerals are called electrolytes.

Their positive and negative charges help to control the body’s pH (acid/ base) balance and the transport of nutrients and waste products in and out of the cell.

The minerals sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium collectively are termed electrolytes.

When dissolved in body water, those minerals are electrically charged particles called ions. Sodium and chloride are the primary electrolytes contained in blood plasma and extracellular fluid, while potassium is the chief intracellular electrolyte.

These electrolytes are critical for a large number of body functions. For example, electrolytes modulate fluid exchange between the body’s fluid compartments and regulate acid-base balance. Sodium and potassium are important for the establishment of proper electrical gradients across cell membranes. Calcium and magnesium also are important in this regard.

These electrical gradients are vital for normal nerve and muscle function– electrolyte deficiencies or imbalances therefore can impair nerve and muscle function. The kidneys are of prime importance in maintaining electrolyte balance. Some electrolytes are lost in manure, but most of the fine-tuning is done by the kidneys. In general, sodium is highly conserved – very little is excreted in the urine. On

the other hand, the kidneys excrete substantial quantities of potassium and calcium on a daily basis. This is partly due to the fact that dietary intake of potassium and calcium tends to be high.

Remembering that horses are around 60% water, that works out to be around 270 kg of water from an average 450 kg horse.

WHAT DO ELECTROLYTES DO? Following are some of the functions that each of the main and a few lesser known electrolytes do in the bodies function.

SODIUM AND CHLORIDE

NaCl, common salt, is the major electrolyte of the body. It is found in much higher concentration outside the cells (in the blood and other fluids surrounding the cells) than in the cell themselves.

The saltiness of the blood is measured as it is filtered through the

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kidneys. This way the body knows how much water to release in the urine to keep the concentration of salt in the blood at normal levels.

The saltiness of blood can also influence sweating. When the horse becomes dehydrated and the blood sodium level is much more concentrated, sweating will slow or even stop as the body is trying to preserve the critical balance of salt to water. However, without adequate sweating, dangerous overheating can result.

POTASSIUM

Inside the cells, potassium (K+) assumes the role as the major positively charged electrolyte. One of potassium’s major roles is to keep the sensitivity of nerves and muscles at normal levels, not under or over reactive to impulses telling them to contract. This includes both skeletal and heart muscles.

Even relatively small changes in total potassium can negatively affect

NUTRITION athletic performance. Because the sensitivity of the nerves and muscles is based upon maintaining a fairly constant gradient between the potassium and sodium outside the cells, the body works hard to keep the bodies potassium level within a narrow normal range. To do this, the blood sometimes ‘robs’ potassium from the inside of cells. Consequently a blood test is not always a reliable method of picking up problems with potassium because it only indicates the amount of potassium circulating in the blood. It doesn’t tell about potassium within the cells. But, if blood levels are low, you can be sure that the levels inside the cells are in even worse shape.

CALCIUM

When we hear of calcium, we think of bones and teeth. This is indeed a major function of calcium in the body, and most of the calcium is found within bones and teeth. However calcium in its ionic form (Ca++) is an important electrolyte. Like potassium and magnesium, it is critical to the normal function of muscles and nerve tissue. Also like potassium, the levels of calcium in the blood are closely regulated by the body to be kept in a narrow normal range. If need be the body can “rob” itself from the bones and other body cells to maintain its calcium blood levels.

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is probably the most overlooked electrolyte. Although found in much smaller amounts than many other electrolytes. It has a critical role to play. Magnesium functions as a co factor for over 300 enzyme reactions within the body. This means if magnesium is not present or is present in an insufficient amount, each of these 300 reactions will suffer.

Magnesium is the critical CO factor for reactions that involve the burning of glucose in the presence of oxygen.

(The most important power source for all aerobic exercise). Magnesium is involved in the metabolism of fats and proteins as well. It is also essential for DNA to be able to send messages to the cells. Magnesium is an essential link in the chain of command from the “brain” of the cell, the nucleus to the other structures within a cell.

Magnesium is required for normal muscle function, especially for relaxation of a muscle.

PHOSPHOROUS

Phosphorous is involved in the formation of bone. About 85% of the body’s phosphorous is located inside the bones in a solid form. The remainder is distributed between the blood and the interior of the cells.

Inside cell, phosphorous is absolutely essential to the normal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, as well as the generation and storage of energy from basic fuels.

MANGANESE

Manganese is a mineral/ electrolyte you rarely hear about.

Like magnesium, manganese is present in relatively tiny amounts compared to many other electrolytes, but it is essential to the formation of normal connective tissues (tissues that hold your body together), and the formation of joint cartilage.

Manganese plays a role in the metabolism of fat, the creation of DNA and the manufacture of cholesterol. (A certain amount of cholesterol is needed to form the backbone of many of the body’s most important hormones. Because the cholesterol in food is broken don before it is absorbed, the body has to make its own cholesterol.)

COPPER

Copper is also present in basically very small amounts compared to the major electrolytes. The utilisation of iron to make red blood cells requires copper. Formation of the protective outer coating on nerves also requires copper, as does the production of skin pigments and the formation of healthy collagen – the major component of tendons and ligaments.

Similarly, healthy joint cartilage can only be produced when there is adequate copper available.

CATION ANION BALANCE

metabolic efficiency declines and the stage is set for fatigue and reduced performance. Proper nutrition offers several avenues for controlling this problem and maintaining the body’s pH within the optimum range for a longer period of time. Electrolytes play a major role in the body’s efforts to buffer excess acidity. Positively charged mineral ions (Na+, K+), called cations, improve the processing of the large amounts of hydrogen ions released during exercise metabolism, and thus maintain better pH. When excess negatively charged minerals, or anions, are present, acidity increases and performance suffers.

ELECTROLYTE SUPPLEMENTS

If you expect heavy electrolyte losses, a supplement can be beneficial, but it is important to remember that the electrolytes are not stored in the body, so if they are administered when the electrolytes are in balance, the body most likely will view them as an excess, and the kidneys will get rid of them. It is important to give electrolytes while the loss is occurring (during long endurance rides, for example) or shortly after to replenish the loss.

ENCOURAGING WATER CONSUMPTION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. This often starts by

making sure your horses have free access to a good, clean water source.

For horses which travel extensively, it actually might be necessary to bring water from home; this can help keep them drinking on the van and get them started in a new location.

Many people have had good success using various flavours of cordials or molasses to mask the foreign taste/ smell of a new water source.

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During the intensive work of training and performance, the production of energy from food fuels releases increasing amounts of acid by-products. The best known of these is lactic acid, or lactate. As these acids accumulate in the muscles and the blood, the body’s pH drops, DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 13

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

Cooper Oborn and Aphrodite with the judges panel of Helen HughesKeen, Betty Brown and Sue Hobson with Laura Daly - co owner of Harrison Lane and Rod Lockwood - director of EQUITANA.

“

BACK TO BACK WINS FOR OBORN AND APHRODITE Article by Diana Dobson Photos by EQUITANA Auckland/Libby Law

Cooper Oborn made it two from two, dancing his way to victory with Aphrodite in the EQUITANA Auckland Grand Prix Freestyle to Music. The previous evening the Palmerston North combination headed home the Norwood Grand Prix 14 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

I couldn’t be happier with her,” said Cooper who scored 69.43% for the freestyle test which was choreographed to music from the Wizard of Oz. It is the biggest win of his career and he was equally rapt for the twelve-year-old mare’s owners Belinda and Emily Stuchbery from Kumeu. “I am so excited for Aphrodite’s future,” said Cooper. “She just keeps improving and surprising us with her ability and keenness to learn. She just tries so hard.”

Cooper teamed up with the horse when he moved to New Zealand fifteen months ago. Aphrodite was as cool as a cucumber in the indoor arena, not at all fazed by the huge atmosphere for the Freestyle. In second place was Jody Hartstone (Raglan) aboard her imported Lusitano stallion Ali Baba on 68.14% with Victoria Wall (Hamilton) and Letty Lei EDH in third on 64.46%.

Te Awamutu’s Christine Weal and Schindler’s Liszt pulled off an Intermediate I quinella. This upstanding Lessing gelding is really becoming established at this level Christine has good reason to be excited for his future.

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

The Grand Prix Musical Freestlye lineup led by Cooper Oborn

Tristan Tucker teamed up with Betty Bown's Neversfelde Rupert to ride a "Special" Grand Prix

RESULTS

L - R Chanel Flyger & Hot Chocoate MH, Christine Weal & Schindlers Liszt

EQUITANA AUCKLAND GRAND PRIX Cooper Oborn (Palmerston North) Aphrodite 66.63% 1, Victoria Wall (Hamilton) Letty Lei EDH 64.46% 2, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Ali Baba 62.61% 3, Paula Stuart(Hamilton) Aztec Lad 62,61% 4, Toni Louisson (Feilding) Back on Track Astute 61.63% 5.

EQUITANA AUCKLAND GRAND PRIX FREESTYLE TO MUSIC

Cooper Oborn (Palmerston North) Aphrodite 69.43% 1, Jody Hartstone (Raglan) Ali Baba 68.14% 2, Victoria Wall (Hamilton) Letty Lei EDH 64.46% 3, Nikita Osborne (Kerikeri) Alacatraz 63.47% 4, Toni Louisson (Feilding) Back on Track Astute 61.63% 5.

EQUITANA AUCKLAND INTERMEDIATE I

Jody Hartstone & Ali Baba

Christine Weal (Te Awamutu) Schindler’s Liszt 68.82 1, Cooper Oborn (Palmerston North) Revelwood Showtime 66.67% 2, Angela Lloyd (Papakura) Ruanuku R 66.53% 3, Chanel Flyger (Silverdale) Hot Chocolate MH 65.15% 4, Peter Barke (Rotorua) Parkridge Donnamour 64.46% 5.

EQUITANA AUCKLAND INTER I FREESTYLE TO MUSIC:

Christine Weal, Te Awamutu) Schindler’s Liszt 70.35% 1, Cooper Oborn (Palmerston North) Revelwood Showtime 69.09% 2, Peter Barke (Rotorua) Parkridge Donnamour 66.7% 3, Angela Lloyd (Papakura) Ruanuku R 66.53% 4, Chanel Flyger (Silverdale) Hot Chocolate MH 64.35% 5.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 15

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

GETTING TO KNOW TRISTAN TUCKER Article by Jess Roberts Photos by EQUITANA Auckland/Libby Law

B

orn in Cornwall, Tristan was less than a year old when his parents emigrated to Melbourne in 1980. He came up through the Pony Club system, was an eventing and jumping rider, and rode trackwork as a teenager. He continued to ride whilst studying for a Fine Arts degree during which time his Danish trainer asked if he was interested in breaking in and riding some horses for dressage rider Morten Tomsen in Denmark.

He was. He was on a plane at the end of 1999 and stayed at Tomsen’s

yard for a year.

“Morten had ridden at Seoul and Sydney Olympics for Denmark,” recalls Tristan, “and he just opened my eyes to what was possible with a dressage horse. He was heavily influenced by a lot of circus trainers - Freddie Knie senior, Albert Ostermeier - those kinds of trainers.

So when I came back and finished my degree, Morten really got me to search for people that could do special things with horses.”

“We’ve got a lot of great horsemen in Australia, and I was looking at

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anyone and anybody that could do something good with horses. In the meantime, I also became fixated on dressage because of Morten. I looked at Ray Hunt, and all these really famous horsemanship guys, and I was just absorbing knowledge and putting it towards the dressage sport.

On his return to Australia, Tristan’s body took some hard knocks. “When you’re in the middle of nowhere doing a lot of horses by yourself, and you’re starting up to 100 horses a year, you learn what not to do! And the horses were probably my biggest mentor in finding a process.

But of course, during that I ended up messing my own body up quite a lot.”

He was then on the search for people with skills and knowledge of the human body and, through a physiotherapist friend in Denmark, discovered a postural expert in Prague who was in charge of the Russian Ballet and figure skaters.

“Then I just was searching for these special people who could teach me about myself and about my awareness of my own body, and then I was also trying to transfer that through into the horses. So through development of understanding myself, I was able to find ways of looking at the horses

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW differently. I vastly underestimated over the years just how connected a horse is with his body, and how the physiology of a horse's body is in control of, or physically connected to, his mind. And it’s the same for humans. Whoever you are physically, you are mentally.”

“I try to really say in my clinics that a lot of people are looking, but not many people are seeing.

You have to teach yourself to see things. You have to be present and conscious and have an awareness of seeing and not just looking. It’s also really important for me to tell myself every day, and what I try to instill in my students, is that we’re not trying to teach riders to control their horses, but rather teach the people to teach the horses to be in control of themselves. Horses, for me, are very much about selfknowledge and self-improvement all the horses are a direct reflection of my actions. So, if I can better understand myself and how I’m able

to project energy and draw energy, I’m influencing communications and relationships with horses and humans alike, in a better way.”

Tristan has lived in Holland for the last fifteen years with twenty-two horses in training at any one time at his own yard. His TRT training method has been formulated into a series of online modules. He has 7,000 full-time members subscribing to this, in fifty-nine different countries. Live events are held in five of those countries each year, which allows members to have access to and see live demonstrations, as well as taking part in question and answer sessions. Tristan has two horses of his own competing at international Grand Prix level. His wife Katja Gevers is on the Dutch team. Add an eight-month-old daughter to the mix and it’s a pretty big schedule!

“It’s a busy life with horses,” Tristan acknowledges, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

THE NATURAL TRUTH WITH TRISTAN TUCKER Article by Jess Roberts Photos EQUITANA Auckland/Libby Law Photography

He’s famous for his hilarious alter-ego Brett Kidding’s dressage ‘demonstrations’, but when it comes to helping horses and riders improve, Tristan Tucker is a serious man. Presenting his own unique and very effective training system, that combines horsemanship and dressage.

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T

he stage is set for the Masterclass, stadium seating down one long side almost full, the spectators still in the dark.

The arena is brightly lit, perfectly groomed and empty, and there is a big screen hovering above the short side at A. At 11am exactly, Tristan Tucker bounces in - he’s wearing standard dressage rider attire: polo shirt, jodhpurs, long socks and sports shoes. He asks everyone who loves horses to stand up, and proceeds to get everyone dancing to some Swedish house music. It’s strange, funny, and although I’ve done a little research, I’m wondering what I’m about to see. We all sit down, and he starts.

“It’s about your physiology.

Being aware of your physiology and being able to change it. Not letting previous memories and experiences and your emotions and habits attached to that dictate your destiny - and it’s exactly the same for your horse. What’s really important about that is that every horse comes with a story, but the real truth comes from the horse.

The number one rule to changing a horse’s story “is to not tell the old one” he states. “If you tell the same story, you get the same s**t. And you never progress. So the important thing every day is to ride and train not with old memories, but with new thoughts and ideas.”

“So I want to start this experience today by going back a little bit. As a young boy I spent a lot of time at a racing stable with my mother.

I would go to every horse and I remember that first contact looking up at the stable door, you see the horses eye looking at you,

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW you feel his breath and the touch of the nose. The most important thing for me as a young boy was when I approached that horse, I wanted him to make contact with me. The horse put his nose over and he really wanted to reach out and he let me touch him. One thing I felt in those moments was that I was worthy.

Worthy of being able to touch that horse. Of course, there were the stable favorites but there’s always that part inside you that says ‘why can’t I touch that red crazy one?!’

You try every day, but he turns away. So, from that experience nothingmuch has changed,” he reflects. “I’m still trying very much, in my training with horses and people, to gain worth.”

“I don’t want the horses to see me as a dictator, or someone that tells them what to do, and I also don’t strive to be the ‘Mummy’, the reassurance, the person that tells them it’s ok when it is clearly not.

Because reassurance runs out when we bring horses into atmospheres like this one. Mummy’s praise and her sugar lumps do not overcome the big scary pot plant that’s staring at the horse! I want you to see from the beginning, how we start and what is important. I want to give you tactile things that you can take home and that you can try right away.”

Tristan is a stranger to the horses and riders he is about to work with.

First in is well-known Grand Prix rider and coach, Debbie Barke aboard the stunning seven-yearold black mare RM Suzie Q (Status Quo), who currently competes at medium level. He explains “The most

important thing is that I get to see from the horse’s body language how he is - what can he cope with? Does he have a good self-management system for the environment that we bring him into, or is he struggling?

How is the dynamic between the rider and the horse?”

Suzie Q is overwhelmed in the arena, especially by the big screen.

She is increasingly upset and trying to work her way back to the gate, while Debbie’s husband Peter stands by with lead rope in hand.

“That tells me a lot about where the horse’s operating system is now,” notes Tristan. “Really trying to reassure the horse. The husband, he’s got one hand out of his pocket like ‘oh I might have to catch her at some point!” Immediately I see that these two are huge horse lovers.

Although the horse is getting to a stage where it totally doesn’t want

to be here, Debbie is only thinking about her horse”.

“The horse is in a place that it can’t deal with. It has no understanding of how to manage itself in this kind of situation. For me to continue and say ‘right Debbie, let's get this horse totally quiet,’ we would not be giving the horse a chance to be master of himself. We would be pushed to teach this mare to cope with the situation. But the problem is, the word cope and the word teach should never be in the same sentence,” he asserts. “Coping is forced conditioning; you don’t learn when you cope. You just cope because you have no other choice. Learning is a condition where you can grow and evolve and have knowledge and become empowered.”

Tristan asks Debbie to dismount.

“Just find a moment where you can give the rein,” he advises, “and then

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EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

you can hop off. The important thing at the beginning is to get her to start thinking about the inside of her body, not the outside,” he explains. “The only thing she can control in a situation like this is the inside of her body. She can’t turn that big screen off even though she’d like to! She’s got paperwork on her desk this high and she’s thinking a million things. So I try to relieve her of all the jobs she’s given herself, except for one. Which is just to start to think about where she is in the space. I’m just asking her to focus on the space between me and her.

I give her a measurement job,” he says, pushing her back each time she crowds into him, but not in a demanding or prescriptive way.

“I don’t want to tell her where to be. I want to give her some sound advice so that I can have some value, she thinks I’m starting to ask her questions where she feels like she’s succeeding. She starts to get confident because she starts to have an idea of where she is within the space - when you don’t know

what to do with yourself, you get confused about where you even are in the space.”

He tests Suzie Q by leading her away, sometimes walking faster and sometimes slower. When he slows, she still ‘forgets’ and walks into him, at which point he gently but firmly pushes her back again, using a mixture of body language, sound and physical touch. “She’s walking into the space with the compass pointing north” he says. “So we want to reset that by her taking a few steps back and then she gets a little rest.

That process is then also changing her physiology. Once I start to get a little feeling of focus, then I start to think of her getting some control of her feet; where she’s putting them, that her feet don’t just go somewhere because her energy is high. Because the compass is pointing north all the time, she always wants to take a step sideways and forwards,” he observes, and this leads him into his first exercise, or pattern.

“So I am reversing that by getting her to take a step backwards and

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behind with that left front foot. This step leads her to think about her feet and leads her to think about the present and that she’s slightly in control of herself. If you have a horse that’s getting out of control and wants to go, for example, forward and to the right, teach the horse in that moment how to feel better by going backwards and to the left.”

Suzie Q stands and looks around in a more relaxed way. “So now I can start to feel the horse’s body; where the tension points are. When you have a muscle that is shortening on the horse all the time and then you have a moment of extra pressure from the environment, that muscle really shortens. Through feeling these points on the horse, it’s bringing awareness to the horse of these points so they’re able to take responsibility to be able to change that. If you think of how a muscle works on a horse - or on anybody - when you flex or tense a muscle, it shortens and when it relaxes the muscle lengthens. Through that process the horse feels the change,

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW the relief of relaxing the muscles.

And: they become able to change that themselves.”

“Learning about these tension release points is not a scientific thing,” Tristan continues. “You don’t have to have a veterinary degree or be a physio or a chiropractor or a genius. You need the feeling through your fingers that you can teach yourself what a muscle feels like under the skin. And how, when it is short, to make it long. Just get the feeling that you can start to open up parts of the body and when you ask her to move, this part of the body has to be relaxed,” he says, lifting the mare’s flank with a cupped hand. “If it isn’t, this part of the body is in a tension movement pattern: she is moving by making herself tense first, and then moving.

Instead of relaxing and then moving, and it creates an artificial order in the way that she moves.”

Tristan reiterates the importance of what this means. “Every step she takes is who she is. If you’re a person who walks into a room like this [he walks head down, round-shouldered and slowly], your physiology tells me that you’re a quiet shy person. In the same way if a horse is moving, and every time he moves it is in a pattern of tension movement, he becomes a tense horse. If you can change that pattern from a simple tension release point, then the step that the horse takes will be able to be soft and have connection with the body.”

Moving on to the next part of his process. “We start to get control of the forward step to gain connection in the body. You can see we have that ‘forward compass’ to a state that is more grounded - she’s not looking like a flying machine anymore! So the second thing I look for is the connection between the hind leg and the front, that you have a connection in the diagonal pairs. Most dressage horses have a lot of focus on the front end, the front-end stays because it is being held and the hind leg either turns together or behind. It doesn’t make this connection here: left hind to right front. Ask yourself, do they go together?” Here, Tristan pushes

the hindquarters away, keeping the mare’s nose to him, but allowing the forelegs to drift so she’s turning a small circle around him.

“When she develops more connection in her body, she gets more relaxed in herself. We want her to have the feeling that she has some tools in her toolbox - when your mind gets so excited about something that the body takes over through tension, the muscles get short. The way to get that back is to have this connection - you can see the more we repeat this pattern, the more she takes responsibility for where she’s putting her feet,” he points out. “She starts to have no resistance in the body, and we start to have this horse.” Suzie Q has become more relaxed, her head has lowered. She is still alert, but minus the desperation that was there when she first came in.

“This is my go-to exercise, it tells me if the horse is physically lame, its tells me the exercises I need to do for rehabilitation, it tells me if the order of the body is going 1,2,3,4 in order, or not. That's my way of diagnosing this,” Tristan states. Then he brings out a dressage-length whip and begins to move the mare in the same way, but by using the whip pressed against her side. He is very clear about the whip being an extension of his arm, and says he is very specific about the type of whips that he uses.

“If I’m using a sharp, quick fiberglass

dressage whip, my horse is going to turn sharp and electric. So with a tense horse, I have a whip that's very flexible, soft and bendy. I want them to follow my tool and I want them, eventually, to replicate what I am using. What’s important here is that she understands the meaning of the whip - that she’s not running away from it.”

Tristan describes this exercise as being like a clock. “If we look from above, I am the centre of the clock, she is the hour hand and the whip is the second hand. We want the diagonal pairs of legs to move together, and when she’s getting that we move to another spot so she knows she can do these movements everywhere,” he explains. “This is creating a posture for carrying. If you have a horse that is low in the back, not supple, difficult to keep in a frame, that is strong in the rein or too light in the rein; a horse that has from the beginning been trained in a traditional way and started off with a lot of lunging, done a lot of kilometres, been put in the side reins so their neck is bent but their body is in some other country- it makes connection difficult, and the ride difficult. This exercise is not difficult, you just want the horse to move away from you with this connection in the diagonal pairs.”

“Most horses that aren’t naturally supple when you start this exercise will want to walk forward over

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EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW you,” Tristan continues. “When that happens, I start with a backward step, set the limit, and then the turn.

I’m always asking with first with body language, then the noise, then a practical example of what I wanted.”

It’s important to do less work on the side of the horse that is the stiffest, Tristan believes, and takes some time to explain this. “Because otherwise, mentally the horse gets in a mindset of thinking ‘this is difficult’. You have a horse that is stiff on the right rein, you take on the right rein, you work more on the right rein and you’re like ‘this is hard, he’s getting strong!’

And you wonder why he gets worse and worse. What I’m doing is letting them feel and learn the responsibility of the connection through their body that is effortless.

This is what I want it to feel like. So if I get four steps on their good side, and they’re feeling ‘this is nice, I can do this,’ then I’ll do just one on the other side and go back. Then the horse is naturally motivated to try harder on the side that is difficult because they start to seek and focus mentally on the good feeling - not bracing themselves on the fact that it’s difficult on the stiffer side.”

Suzie Q is now at a point where Tristan can quietly and safely take the bridle off, swapping it out for a simple rope halter and lead. “So we start to navigate our way round the arena in the posture in which she can manage herself. She’s now feeling in control and this gives her confidence,” he invites the audience to observe. “The fact that this horse is going through this experience is good. The fact that she can come into the arena and we can empower her to feel like she’s relaxed enough and in control of herself enough for her brains not to be coming out her ears means that the next time she comes to such an arena, she has the feeling that she has the tools to succeed in this place instead of wanting to escape.”

For these patterns or exercises to work, they must have meaning.

“It feels like this horse has done exercises like this before, but it has lacked any meaning. She’s been

sort of moved around, doing a bit of groundwork, but not really feeling it, just doing the steps. If you do this with a body that’s not prepared in the right way it doesn’t work,” says Tristan, pushing the mare out onto a circle around him at the end of the lead rope. He stays positioned level with Suzie’s shoulder and explains why he is so far forward. “Whenever I ask the horses to go forward in the beginning, it’s from the riding position, not a lunging position where I’m back there chasing it.

Chasing a horse will make him go again into the tension. I’m always asking with body language, then the noise, then the practical example of what I want, from the position I’ll be in when I ride.”

On the second time that he asks her to go out on the circle, Suzie Q kicks out at him. “What you are seeing now is a symptom of the body being short all the time, she’s in the ‘cranky office’ position! Her body’s holding her, so she’s become used to pushing against the handbrake all the time, then you’re getting a lot of

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short, sharp steps with tension. In this position now, the worst thing I could do when I ask her to go forward and she gets a little explosive like that is to take the pressure off - I have to encourage her to find the position of control, management.”

“With each exercise I’m not doing anything for extended periods of time; I’m not asking her to be a master from the beginning,” Tristan reminds the crowd. “I’m only interested in planting seeds, ideas, because I want her to take the responsibility. So for the next 23 hours after I put her away I want her to be thinking about that, and the next time I bring her out, she’s worked on it. The idea has grown.”

The next thing Tristan teaches the mare about self-management is what to do with herself and how to respond when she is experiencing the pressure of one of four elements: movement, touch, sound and approach. “It’s not the tractor suddenly starting up, or the sponsor flag flapping at the arena gate - it’s the element in each of these. How

EQUITANA AUCKLAND REVIEW

"You have to create a pattern in the body in which the correct management of themselves becomes part of the unconscious mind." does the horse manage itself? Do they allow their physiology to get into a state where it’s out of control or do they know what to do with their body to be able to control the situation? The difficulty here when you start with a horse like this,” he says, approaching Suzie with a big NZ flag on a stick, “is that she’s had something like this done, and it’s been useless to her. She’s been desensitized because Mummy’s not asking a question worth answering.

She gets used to the bag on the stick and the fact that Mummy’s not going to hurt her.”

“But of course, that’s not reality.

Reality doesn’t say ‘excuse me, I’d just like to make myself present, are you ok with that?’ No, you have to ask a question worth answering so that you see what the response is going to be.” Here, Tristan is waving the flag around the horse and taking stock of her reactions.

He isn’t aggressive with it but he is also not creeping around quietly.

“Now a horse that’s super sensitive, hasn’t been desensitized, you’re not going to start like that. With a more sensitive horse you have to ask a question that is obtainable. Don’t start like this and get dragged down the arena! But if you have a horse like this that is a bit desensitized, shut down, numb, you’ve made him stupid, unintelligent, not focused, not willing, not participating, standing there like a dummy while you cover him in plastic and put it on Facebook… well, I’m not interested that the horse gets ‘quiet’ - I want to see her manage herself in that moment.”

“Here we’re asking simple elements, individually. She doesn’t have the tools to cope with one element alone, let alone bring her into the arena with a saddle, bridle and a rider. It’s very much about her not letting herself to get to a state of fear, being really aware of how she is in her body and being

able to control that. It’s also not just about her dropping the head, as an automatic response. Some horses drop their head and run away! You want the horse to really find the real state of relaxation, comfort and control in the body.”

“I want to make sure with this mare that she is focusing and not getting unengaged,” Tristan notes, as Suzie ignores him and is looking over at the big screen. “You can see she doesn’t care where the flag is now because she has blocked it out.

She’s able to block a lot of things out and this puts her in a short, narrow mindset. She’s not open or aware, she’s coping by shutting down to a lot of things. I take the pressure off to show her when she’s right.

Then I’m just working in a way that I continue to get the horse to participate to get correct answers.”

With movement, approach and touch worked on, Tristan is ready to work on the last element: sound. He has patented his own little soundmaking gadget, a tiny pair of clappy hands on a stick that make a rapid snapping and clapping sound when he shakes them. He doesn’t muck around; he just shakes them straight away and Suzie jumps. “I just start like this because I want an honest response from the horse. I want to know what it’s going to be like if I’m riding along being amazing and people clap suddenly! I want to

know what she’s going to do. I don’t want to start softly and say ‘are you ok with this?’ because that’s not what happens in reality. There are times when your mentor is tough on you! Life’s not easy and breezy, and sometimes you have to be pushed out of your normal patterns that make you lazy and slip into your unconscious mind that you’re not in control of.”

“Humans and horses are the same - we are navigated through life by the unconscious part of our minds. The conscious part is the one we have the communication with that says ‘I’m going to lose weight and I’m going to eat healthy’ and then five minutes later your unconscious mind has led you to McDonalds and you’re having a Big Mac!” he says, laughing. “It’s the same with the horse. You have to create a pattern in the body in which the correct management of themselves becomes part of the unconscious mind. This work has to be useful, not just going through the motions.” “This mare is super intelligent, but she’s stuck in old patterns - she thinks she’s alive today because of the way she’s acted in all her previous experiences, memories and emotions of past events. We have to change all that.”

He hands the lead rope back to Debbie. “Congratulations - you have an awesome horse!”

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NATIONAL RESULTS

NORTHERN HAWKE'S BAY PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 1-4 Cindy Wiffin & Santana MH

ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Cindy Wiffin & Santana MH RESERVE Willa Aitkin & Geneva Star MEDIUM CHAMPION Anna Williams & Tuahu Gemma RESERVE Chris Paston & Anarain ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Penny Castle & Lord Alexis RESERVE Madison Schollum & Kinnordy Golda

HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 5-9 Kieryn Walton & Rosari Don Carlos

ADVANCED CHAMPION Nicola Drabble & Airthrey Roll-X RESERVE Nicki Sunley & Laila Dawn

PRELIMINARY PONY CHAMPION Grace Purdie & Maxwellton Monday Magic RESERVE Claudia Younger & Sandhill Trussardi

SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Penny Castle & BL About Time RESERVE Lilly Jefferies & Lindisfarne Laureate

NOVICE PONY CHAMPION Grace Purdie & Sir Pepper RESERVE Piper Crake & Glenvar Bramble

MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Catherine Tobin & Bradgate Riot Act

ELEMENTARY PONY CHAMPION Tayla McDonald & Firebird Five RESERVE Samatha Wells & Gangnam Style PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Mandy Macpherson & Frieden Star RESERVE Kieryn Walton & Rocriale RE NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Jessica Jones & Kiwi Matterhorn RESERVE Donna Wellington & Rock Man

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GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Kieryn Walton & Rosari Don Carlos RESERVE Catherine Tobin & I Like it JUNIOR RIDER CHAMPION Rebecca Mobberley & Zak Smith YOUNG RIDER CHAMPION Madison Schollum & Kinnordy Golda OVERALL PONY CHAMPION Grace Purdie & Sir Pepper

NATIONAL RESULTS

WELLINGTON PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 1-4 Mandy Littlejohn & Archie HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 5-9 Susan Tomlin & Dancealong MASTERS CHAMPION Vaughn Cooper & River Jim YOUNG RIDER CHAMPION Lilly Jefferies & Lindisfarne Laureate BEST WELLINGTON DRESSAGE MEMBER Kim Schwass & Sparks Will Fly PONY RIDER CHAMPION Rebecca Mobberley & Zak Smith PRELIMINARY RESTRICTED CHAMPION Suzanne Halligan & Vollrath Fire and Ice RESERVE Amy Brosnan & La Ping NOVICE AMATEUR CHAMPION Lenore McIver & Anaruby II RESERVE Nikki Lourie & Donnay PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Jacqui Tompson & Dillinger LS RESERVE Penny Castle & Jester RE NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Molly Lumb Griffindor MH RESERVE Jutta Rosenblatt & Vollrath Ice and Fire

ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Mandy Littlejohn & Archie RESERVE Philippa Gibbons & SWE Diamant Stem MEDIUM CHAMPION Becky Corlett & True Donnar RESERVE Anna Williams & Tuahu Gemma ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Mandy Littlejohn & Dolce Vita RB RESERVE Abbie Deken & Pineridge Pirate ADVANCED CHAMPION Lilly Jefferies & Lindisfarne Laureate RESERVE Kim Schwass & Sparks Will Fly SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Penny Castle & BL About Time RESERVE Liz Hutson & Hapsburg PSH MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Amy Sage & RM All About Me RESERVE Cooper Oborn & Revelwood Showtime GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Susan Tomlin & Dancealong RESERVE Toni Louisson & Backon Track Astute PARA GRADE IV Louise Duncan & Wolkenstein BC RESERVE Louise Duncan & Northan Ivanthus

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NATIONAL RESULTS

Lead rein winners L-R Briar Harris, Lucy Briant with Iyve Speirs Photo: Louise Savage

INTRO HORSE CHAMPION (C1-3) Harriet Savage & Ferrero NZPH RESERVE Fiona Searancke & Maddie

GISBORNE PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS YOUNG RIDER CHAMPION Isabella Chatfield & Wild Thyme MI RESERVE Danielle Taylor & Ramoon NZ HANOVERIAN SOCIETY AWARD L1 – L3 Cindy Wiffin & Santana MH NZ HANOVERIAN SOCIETY AWARD L4 & ABOVE Isabella Chatfield & Wild Thyme MI MASTERS Fiona Searancke & Maddie HIGHEST PERCENTAGE Mandy MacPherson & Frienden Star LEAD REIN CHAMPION Briar Herries & Valrosa Indian Summer RESERVE Lucy Briant & Bonnie INTRO (Walk/Trot) PONY CHAMPION (CN) Anna Spence & Brecon Bach Seal RESERVE Karma Matenga & Last Spring INTRO (Walk/Trot) HORSE CHAMPION (CN) Rosalyn Waghorn & RnB Whorly Marz RESERVE Rachael McLanachan & Paintm Hy Storm

AMATEUR CHAMPION Ashleigh Sheldrake & Phoenician High Flyer RESERVE Sonia Gardner & Dita Von Timbermill L1 PONY CHAMPION Amelia Samuels & Snoopy L2 PONY CHAMPION Lily Beaufoy & Sunland Baroque PRELIMINARY CHAMPION Mandy MacPherson & Frienden Star RESERVE Kirsty Harnett & Bonnie Bonbons NOVICE CHAMPION Catherine West & Jaidev RESERVE Ashleigh Sheldrake & Phoenician High Flyer ELEMENTARY CHAMPION Cindy Wiffin & Santana MH RESERVE Henrike Puketapu & HSP Soe MEDIUM CHAMPION Anna Williams & Tuahu Gemma RESERVE Mandy MacPherson & Tuahu Vance ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Isabella Chatfield & Wild Thyme MI RESERVE Sam Flemming & Starlight Delaware ADVANCED CHAMPION Henrike Puketapu & RM Limbo RESERVE Judy Jeffery & Pagan DTS SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Kaye Niccol & Mr O’Riley RESERVE Tessa Calder & Au Fait GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Henrike Puketapu & Alexander M

INTRO (Canter) PONY CHAMPION (CN) Iyve Speirs & Miss Candy Floss RESERVE Kyra McGuire & Abra-kadabra

PARA GRADE II CHAMPION Chontelle Honour & Eddiealex RESERVE Nicola Essex & Mirako SP

INTRO (Canter) HORSE CHAMPION (CN) Antia Hayward & Firewater RESERVE Chantal Russenburger & Mikado Son of a Gun

PARA GRADE IV CHAMPION Katie Bothamley & Rushmoor Duvanti RESERVE Sally Essex & Cider Rose

26 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL RESULTS HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 1-4 Mandy Littlejohn & Archie HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 5-9 Vanessa Way & NRM Timbermill Prequel MASTERS CHAMPION Sharlene Mitchell & Serengetti RESERVE Ellen Mitchell & Donnerstar CDS YOUNG RIDER CHAMPION Tayla McDonald & Wonda Why RESERVE Bella Small & Kingslea Busy Bee JUNIOR RIDER CHAMPION Grace Purdie & Sir Pepper RESERVE Piper Crake & Rebel Ricochet PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Kieryn Walton & Rocriale RE RESERVE Tayla McDonald & Wonda Why NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Molly Lumb & Griffindor MH RESERVE Rachel Sutton & Joi de Vivre ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Ottilie Upshall & Mistadobalina RESERVE Mandy Littlejohn & Archie MEDIUM CHAMPION Amanda Berridge & GS O Jay RESERVE Debbie Barke & RM Suzie Q ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Vanessa Way & NRM Timbermill Prequel RESERVE Wendi Williamson & Don Vito MH

BAY OF PLENTY PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS ADVANCED CHAMPION Wendi Williamson & Bon Jovi MH RESERVE Nicole Sweney & Flute Noir SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Gaylene Lennard & Jax Johnson Reserve Christine Weal & Schindlers Liszt MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Vanessa Way & NSC Pronto RESERVE Cooper Oborn & Revelwood Showtime GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Melissa Galloway & Windermere J'Obéi W RESERVE Melissa Galloway & Windermere Johanson W PARA GRADE I Jodie Thorne & Ira Hayes PARA GRADE II Chontelle Honour & Tama Park Bradman PARA GRADE III Aimee Prout & Laghmor PARA GRADE IV Matilda Carnegie (AUS) & Devils Chocolate Reserve Louise Duncan & Wolkenstein BC

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 27

NATIONAL RESULTS

Melissa Galloway and Windermere J'Obéi W Photo Mel's Moments Photography

CANTERBURY PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS NZ HANOVERIAN SOCIETY AWARD L4 & ABOVE Kirsty Schist & Kinnordy Gambado PRELIMINARY NON GRADED CHAMPION Sarah Davies & Riverbrook Luci RESERVE Rosie Sullivan & Summer Ale NOVICE NON GRADED CHAMPION Zoe McNeilly & Sophia Grace RESERVE Nicola Sim & Tipperary Gold PRELIMINARY NON GRADED PONY CHAMPION Madeleine Collins & Dalmar Rhinestone RESERVE Alice Murfitt & Waimai Intuition PRELIMINARY PONY CHAMPION Beth Condon & Cody Banks RESERVE Emily van Herpt & Westwood Dalmar Ricochet NOVICE PONY CHAMPION Ella Fitzsimons & Apsley Golden Secret RESERVE Jorja Dann & Westbrook Diana ELEMENTARY PONY CHAMPION Lucy Cochrane & Haven Davalia MEDIUM PONY CHAMPION Meg Johnston & Little Blessing RESERVE Charlotte Thomas & Farview Free Spirit

PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Tanya McKenzie & SE Gatsby RESERVE Louise Hipkins & Y-Puna Rue NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Corey Miln & Clenayr Roulette RESERVE Anna Gale & Bloomfield Furst Love ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Jane Fibbes & D Malia RESERVE Jo Wadworth & CDS Rohdiagym MEDIUM CHAMPION Lucy Cochrane & Gymanji RESERVE Sarah Gray & Alasaan Wanderstarr ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Tessa Van Bruggen & Fiorenza RESERVE Lucy Cochrane & Lovely Rita ADVANCED CHAMPION Rebecca McKee & Solo Reserve & Diane Wallace & KP Dexter SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Nicola Maley & Astek Galahad Reserve Fiona Sharp & New World Finesse MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Diane Wallace & Profile Reserve Kirsty Schist & Kinnordy Gambado GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Melissa Galloway & Windermere J'Obéi W Reserve Melissa Galloway & Windermere Johanson W

28 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL RESULTS

ASHBURTON PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 1-4 Mary Davis & Denzel MH HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 5-9 Joy White & Gammon KS INTRO NON-GRADED CHAMPION Sally Cooper-Johnston & Silver Linings Cumulus RESERVE Paule Crawford & Attesa RH 1.

PRELIMINARY NON-GRADED CHAMPION Nicola Sim & Killarney RESERVE Stephanie Johnson & Isla PRELIMINARY RESTRICTED CHAMPION Christine Walker & Cobigan Mia Bella RESERVE Jane Jackson & Doodle Bug NOVICE RESTRICTED CHAMPION Belinda Anderson & Flynnie McGoogan RESERVE Julie Sime & Vogue PRELIMINARY PONY CHAMPION Kate Stalker & Rifesyde Prancer RESERVE Emily van Herpt & Westwood Dalmar Ricochet

2.

L2 PONY CHAMPION Ella Fitzsimons & Apsley Golden Secret RESERVE Lucy Cochrane & Haven Davalia PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Shannon Brien & SWE Shutterfly RESERVE Greg Smith & Du Soleil SSH NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Mary Davis & Denzel MH RESERVE Sandy Houston & Southwell Razzmataz ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Rebecca McKee & FIS Get Smart RESERVE Charlotte Thomas & Te Puke

3.

MEDIUM CHAMPION Lucy Cochrane & Gymanji RESERVE Charlotte Thomas & Time After Time ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Lucy Shaw & Legacy ADVANCED CHAMPION Rebecca McKee & Solo RESERVE Corey Miln & Beanie SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Sonya McLachlan & Alliarna RESERVE Fiona Sharp & New World Finesse MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Joy White & Gammon KS RESERVE Phillippa Thompson & Gemstar

4.

1. Runners Emma Ottley (L) Poppy Hart (R) 2. Kate Stalker & Rifesyde Prancer 3. Julie Sime & Vogue 4. Sonya McLaughlan & Alliarna

GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Barbara Chalmers & Rossellini Out of respect to the copyright of our photographers any 'Screenshot' photos posted on Social Media that are taken from the Dressage NZ Bulletin will be directed to the photographer for invoicing.

Photos: © Mel's Moments Photography DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 29

NATIONAL RESULTS

1.

AUCKLAND MANUKAU PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 1-4 Kathryn Corry & Ganache MH HANOVERIAN SASH LEVEL 5-9 Wendi Williamson & Decadence MH DEVELOPING YOUNG HORSE CHAMPION Reece Downham & Ruby MH RESERVE Anne Watts & Joseph's Dream PRELIMINARY OPEN CHAMPION Alex Matheson & PSL Piper RESERVE Reece Downham & Ruby MH NOVICE OPEN CHAMPION Alex Matheson & Irish Coffee RESERVE Kylie Baker & Red Baron MH

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ELEMENTARY OPEN CHAMPION Kathryn Corry & Ganache MH RESERVE Reece Downham & Georgia MH MEDIUM CHAMPION Casey Burton & Fanfare MH RESERVE Jeanette Benzie & Libretto ADVANCED MEDIUM CHAMPION Rebecca Williamson & Don Tobio ADVANCED CHAMPION Wendi Williamson & Don Vito MH RESERVE Nicole Sweney & Flute Noir SMALL TOUR CHAMPION Charmian Pearson-Brown & Wimborne Conniston RESERVE Chanel Flyger & Hot Chocolate MH MEDIUM TOUR CHAMPION Wendi Williamson & Decadence MH RESERVE Anya Noble & Geronimo Star GRAND PRIX CHAMPION Bill Noble & Manuka Magni RESERVE Cassandra Dally & Jazdan D’Moviestar CD

30 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL RESULTS

2.

4.

3.

5.

6.

1. Alex Matheson & Irish Coffee 2. Bill Noble & Manuka Magni, Cassandra Dally 3. Rebecca Williamson & Don Tobio, Wendi Williamson & Decadance MH 4. James Jackson & Kinnordy Gasparo 5. Anya Noble & Geronimo Star 6. Alex Matheson & PSL Piper, Kylie Baker 7. Brina Carpenter & Plutonium Lady 8. Betty Brown & Hot Gossip Out of respect to the copyright of our photographers any 'Screenshot' photos posted on Social Media that are taken from the Dressage NZ Bulletin will be directed to the photographer for invoicing.

7.

8.

Photos: © Han. Photography

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 31

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

WORKING TOWARDS FEI YOUNG RIDER COMPETITIONS WITH BRINA CARPENTER AND PLUTONIUM LADY

Part 2

AN EVENING WITH CARL HESTER MBE Article Jess Roberts Photos © Caitlin Benzie

The Dressage NZ Bulletin brings you the second part of the Master Class with Carl Hester at Equidays.

32 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

Nineteen-year-old Brina is aiming to compete in FEI level Young Rider competitions later in the season on her standout twelve year-old TB/American Saddlebred palomino mare by Denmarks Platinum Playboy.

Carl decides to focus on one thing that they’ll need to be able to do: flying changes.

“Brina has just started the changes, the horse is doing them quite nicely, so I thought it would be quite good to talk about the timing,” says Carl. “Because timing is important. It just looks so easy sometimes when you watch a horse go across the diagonal and pop to the other side - it looks like somebody just slung their leg back and the horse did it, but it’s not as easy as that!”

He quietly observes the canter for a few minutes. Then the session starts to captivate the crowd. “We need to check the canter out before we look at the changes. Could this horse be a little bit better in the three beat?

It could, and it could get better quite simply by bringing her back more onto the hindlegs so she starts to take her weight, and then you

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS ride forward again. On and back, on and back.” Brina rides a few of these transitions down the long side of the arena. “Now, when this horse is in a short canter you can see that she doesn’t carry her shoulder as much as she could. Her hindleg is actually pretty good, but her shoulders get a little bit loaded and she misses her rhythm. But when she rides a good medium canter, it starts to grow and it starts to lift the shoulders, and there you have a three-beat canter.

“So, in other words, you’ve got to do some of the work,” says Carl.

“You’ve got two ways of using your leg. You’ve got your upper leg which you can close, and you have your lower leg which you can close. And to me, your lower leg gets a little bit stuck on, so loosen it up - again this is just stretching the back of your leg down and push the horse more forward again. Start getting her to think, when you’re taking your leg off, that she’s got to go forward.

Take your leg off… and go. Again, and go. More forward!” Carl calls, sticking with this exercise until he is satisfied with the forwardness.

Only then does Carl move on to collecting the horse. “Ok, now you collect her, and see if you can have that energy. Now you ride medium canter again,” he guides, before stopping briefly to tell a story.

“There are certain trainers that you learn certain things from. Many years ago, with one trainer, all he said was these words: on and back.

He used to sit in a tiny little room up

by C which had a porthole in it, with wafts of cigar smoke coming out of it, and he would just shout ‘on and

back’ at me in German all the time!

In the end I used to ask, why do you keep saying on and back?

“He said ‘because until you can ride the horse forward and back, in suspension, you have not got the horse on the hindlegs. That’s the transition that you will do every day until you learn it, and until you know what self-carriage is.’ And I said well, how do you describe self-carriage? He replied: ‘the horse is in self carriage when it carries itself on all four legs.’ It’s important to remember this transition!” Carl concludes, before returning to onand-back with Brina.

“Forward again and go. More!

Your mediums are like working canters,’ he scolds. “Good, now back again. Go down the long side, get off her back and medium canter again. Forward, really forward. Like

you’re going eventing! We have to energize this horse. Now medium and collect three times on this long side. Basically, how this works,” he explains, “is eventually Brina will say go forward, the horse will go forward and she’ll say half halt, the mare will come back and then Brina can ride forward again. Focus very much on the fact that your inside leg stays longer through the corner so that the horse is upright. Every [movement] is happening from a corner. That’s why you need to pay a lot of attention to corners.

Carl is now happy enough with the canter to move on to the flying changes. He asks for a single change on the short diagonal from M to E. “Brina gets the change, but Lily is late to change behind. “What happened was the horse went ahead of her. Brina said the right-to-left

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33

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

change can sometimes be late behind, and she’s quite right. Carl has pinpointed immediately what is happening. “What happened there, was your left leg came forward too quickly. When you’re going to do the flying change [from right to left], you let your left leg off first. So she changed from your ‘inside’ leg rather than your ‘outside’ leg.”

He asks Brina to repeat the change again on the short diagonal.

“Come across again, I’m going to count you in on a one, two, three, change ok? Keep your leg on.”

The same thing happens. “Her legs moved on number three for starters!” says Carl, “and it was also late behind again!” He tells Brina to put her whip into her right hand and go back onto the right rein via a simple trot transition. She repeats the change and this time gets her timing spot on, although Carl still wants improvement in the change itself. “What didn’t happen this time was the horse didn’t jump off your right leg,” observes Carl. “Canter to the right again, and this time when you come across the diagonal, you’re going to touch the horse with your inside leg and the whip together. I’m going to count you in and when I say change, you’re going to touch her with the whip to make her jump from behind.”

Before they attempt the change, Carl wants to check how Lily responds to the use of the whip.

“Circle again and lets just see how she reacts if you touch her on the right side. Does she lift her hindleg?

Yes, she does - pat her. Now come across for the change - straighten her neck, don’t bend it from one side to the other - and one, two, three... ok,” he says, when the change is late behind again. “Your left leg is the problem here. Let’s get a really good counter canter with the horse very straight on your left leg. Leave it there, do not let it off.” He spends a moment working on the counter canter, then counts her in once more and the pair make a lovely cleanflying change. “Well done!” Carl praises. “Walk, let her stretch her neck and think about it a minute.”

34 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

“The next thing for me to do is get Brina to do the counting rather than me, so that she starts to learn the timing. A young rider has to get the feel… you must treat the single change as though you’re doing your second one - count to yourself one, two, three, change. Now pick up your walk, and when you’re ready, make the canter to the left. She told me this was her good change,” Carl tells the audience, “so fingers crossed!” The left-to-right change is better, because she has a better canter, timing and balance this way, he observes. “The canter is better to the left; I don’t know if you can see but the horse is cleaner in her rhythm and she’s thinking more forward this way.”

He does notice that on the left rein, the horses head and quarters are to the left, but the middle of the horse is falling to the right. “This is quite typical, what I’m seeing here.

What happens a lot, certainly with people I have at home, they say “I need a new saddle!’ but you don’t need a new saddle. You just need to get the middle of the horse between the hindlegs and the shoulders.

You need to get the horse straight.”

They try another flying change, with Carl telling her to count out loud to the audience. “Well, she got it,” he states. “Was it perfect? No, because the horse overreacted. Was it a clean flying change? Yes. Try again, and see if you can be a bit softer, and see

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

Carl says

if you can keep the frame of your horse soft in your hand. Again, I want to hear your counting. There you go, good, well done! You didn’t count though,” he reminds her. “I can cope with disobedient horses, but not disobedient riders!”

Carl asks her to walk, to give Lily a break, and Brina makes a rather unprepared transition which he doesn’t let slide. “This is where you have to be disciplined with yourself as a rider. Every transition counts.

I probably live with the biggest transition freak in the world, which is Charlotte. Whenever she does a transition, they are always nearly perfect. And it’s because she does them all of the time and if I say give the horse a rest, she would never let the horse fall in a heap. She collects it, gets it on the hindlegs, shortens the stride, and boom.”

After a walk break, Carl asks to look at Lily’s trot. “Interesting,” he notes, “because she uses her hindlegs much more there in trot than she does in canter; she’s very active here.” He asks to see some lengthened strides across the diagonal. “What do we need for a good medium trot? Rhythm, and it should get bigger: it should look like it’s being released not being made

A good medium trot comes from good collection, right?” he encourages. “If you come around the corner like you did, just give her the reins and go much more forward, she goes on the forehand and pulled from her front legs rather than pushing from her hind legs. Your vision when you do this, Brina, is to think about slow front legs.“We can also see that the underneath of Lily’s neck needs to come up, not down. Underneath the bridle, in her throatlatch area, she gets too short. Think about keeping that area as an upside-down U shape, not a V shape. That gives the horse room to go forward. Let her neck UP. You’re better to be less greedy, and get this pushing and the correct frame and the right rhythm. It should be like taking off, not like a journey to the floor!

Carl wraps up their session with some trot stretching, and helps Brina to find what he calls Lily’s ‘swing speed’. “Give her a long rein and ride a serpentine with no hand at all. We have to all decide, what speed does our horse swing at? A swing speed, we call it. If it gets longer, you’re reaching her swing speed. If it gets faster and shorter, you’ve gone over the swing speed and the horse can’t take the

“The interesting thing is, this horse’s flying change is actually better than her canter. In this case, the flying changes help her canter. We saw Lily’s canter in the beginning, and it’s not always in a good clean rhythm, and then when she does a change, she lifts off the floor and becomes expressive.

So that will help her canter. When you read the books - and there are many, many good books about dressage sometimes you think they’re only designed for perfect horses, and if your horse doesn’t do that you think ‘I must be doing something wrong’, but sometimes you don’t have a horse that’s perhaps always naturally engaged. If I could just talk about her conformation - I love her, don’t get me wrong - but if you look behind her saddle she has a much longer back, this little horse, out to her tail. So, when you talk about a longer-backed horse, their hindlegs inevitably are further back. In other words, they have to work even harder to get their hindlegs forward. If you have a shortbacked horse, they are usually very good at collecting. For instance, that’s why PRE horses can be very good at piaffe and passage. The longer-backed horses are normally better at sideways and extensions, because they can open up their backs longer. What I’m saying is, training doesn’t always have to follow the book, because you can see here that the canter needs to get better, but the flying changes are actually helping her”

long steps. Make sure you’re not chasing her, just really loosen the rein. To make this horse better on the contact, because she’s a bit grabbing and a bit strong on the contact, learn to ride with no reins too, so she relaxes, softens her jaw, chews on the bit and then you get the release in the hand. The horse doesn’t become sensitive if she’s always got pressure on her mouth.

You can control the speed with your rising by thinking of rising up through your hat instead of forward through your shoulders. That’s it. Now transition down to walk without using the hand. Let’s give Brina a round of applause.”

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 35

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

THE SMALL TOUR HORSE: GAYLENE LENNARD AND JAX JOHNSON Jax is a nine-year-old Johnson (KWPN) gelding, (bred by David Woolley) and produced in his ridden career by Gaylene.

Carl begins this session by describing his timeline of getting a horse to Grand Prix. “We break our horses in at three years old, which takes just about six weeks. We see what their temperament is like, turn them away and bring them back in when they’re 4-year-olds. They don’t have any training before then. Those that are big and floppy or a bit weak, we leave them maybe until they’re five years old - they’d just do hacking and bits and pieces for another year.

You train according to the horse but also, how much do you know? If you’re experienced, obviously you can bring your horse more quickly but if you’re inexperienced, it might take you longer” “So at nine years old, you’re doing small tour with four and three tempi

changes. And a horse at this level, if it’s all gone well, has had a little taster of the Grand Prix bits and pieces. Bringing a horse to Grand Prix by the age of ten or eleven, is very normal. Sometimes even twelve.

What I always say to everybody, which seems to get forgotten, is that once you get there you now have all this time to get it better. If get your horse to Grand Prix and you’re getting 60, 62 percent, that doesn’t mean that’s the standard you’re going to stay at. What that means is, how much stronger the horse can get? When you look at it like that, it’s going to take you five or six years to get to Grand Prix, but then you’ve got eight, nine, or 10 years to make it better. That’s how I’d look at it,” he concludes.

What is Carl’s first impression of Jax? “He is very nicely underneath with his hind legs. He is that shape that is very easy over the back, in other words he doesn’t go with his middle down, or his back hollow.

He finds it easy because his shape is round. That’s just a plus from nature!

36 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

His canter - also nicely under. If you could just show me some short steps in the canter and we’ll see from the training how he is carrying.

Shorter again please - now look at the difference there. That is a horse that sits. Look at this horse, and you can train your eye to how the three previous horses will end up,” he reminds the audience.

Carl then asks for a transition from canter to walk. “Terrible, terrible!” he says. “Why was it terrible? Because although the horse has an amazing canter, he canters really short, but he just didn’t answer her rein aid. So, a half halt with your leg, your seat and your rein aid… how do you ride a half halt?” he asks Gaylene. “I bet if I asked five riders out of the audience, I’d get five different explanations. I call a half-halt a circle [of aids]: it’s Go, Whoa, Release. In simple terms.

The horse has to react in the hand for the whoa bit though,” he says, telling Gaylene to have a go at another canter to walk transition. “You can see him thinking, what am I doing next - that’s a little bit of tension left in there. Keep a soft hand. This has to be without pressure.”

Gaylene is sent to travel around the outside track, and Carl asks everyone to have a look at the frame of the horse. “He has a very good hind leg. However, what would I want to improve?

When you ride a dressage test, you have to think about what you

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS and your horse look like, side on to the judge. Are you presenting an uphill picture?” he questions.

“This horse should now be thinking about impulsion in his collection.

How many strides does it take you to canter the twenty metre short side, Gaylene? Did you say seven?

That would be nice! She said she did seven, but I counted at least 11. We should all know!”

Taking a moment to expand, Carl explains why you should know your horse’s length of stride. “When you’re with a jump rider and talking about related distances, or about moving forward to five or bringing it back for four [strides], it’s the same with dressage. If I say to you now, Gaylene, go across that short side and do it in nine strides, look at the difference in the way she rides when I tell her nine. I want the horse’s poll up; I want you to ride forward.

See!” he points out to the crowd, as the whole picture changes when she rides forward with intent for the nine strides. “Let’s do it again.

Also, your horse is too behind the vertical, your half halt needs to come forward. That’s it - now he’s starting to carry. Now ride uphill and forward in the nine strides. Oh look, she can do seven!” he jokes, as Jax reaches the other end of the short side in seven strides.

“Knowing your horse’s strides is important, because if you’re a rider that’s always waiting for the letter, you will probably start riding backwards. But if you know you can ride twenty metres in eight strides, and then I ask you to ride a serpentine of five loops,

Preparing for Canter to walk transition - Carl's favourite...

you will also know that you’ll turn and count one, two, three, change.

That is a forward ride, instead of going ‘where’s the centreline? The centreline’s imaginary. You have to really know those strides so you can ride expression.”

“Whether you’re doing collected canter or collected trot, it’s not you going slowly, alright? That is a misconception. Change the rein on the diagonal, one flying change at X, please.. The main thing we have to work on is your outline. The horse is good from behind, it jumps. Let’s have a look at some tempi changes, five four-time changes across the diagonal. After each change, your job is just to create a higher frame.

In other words, keep correcting with your half-halt that goes upwards and not downwards.”

Gaylene accidentally does threetime changes across the diagonal,

earning herself a telling-off from Carl. “Can you count to four? The horse does what she says, I’ll give her that much. Come again, five fours on the diagonal. That’s five… five… four... it’s like Christmas, you just don’t know what you’re going to get!” he jokes, asking Gaylene to count loudly for her next line of fours. “Hallelujah! I don’t know if you saw, but this horse has an enormous stride and he ended up right at the other end of the diagonal there, so she has to make sure she starts these changes early. Now, five three-time changes. You will start them on the 4th stride [on turning across the diagonal].” The pair complete the three’s well, but as we are discovering, the excellence is in the details.

“There are several things we can make better. First of all, what number stride will you start your

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All enquiries should be directed to David Woolley. Priced from $20,000 plus GST.

DAVID WOOLLEY - 021 430 455, david.woolley73@gmail.com

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 37

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS changes on when you come off the corner for your three-time changes?

Do you have any idea, do you have a plan?” Gaylene replies: five strides.

“Absolutely spot on,” he agrees. “If you’re doing three’s you’ll start on the fifth stride. Why? Because we want to have the middle change here, at X. Then we know the arena is being used correctly, and she’s spreading everything out evenly. It’s not just about doing the movements,” he reminds everyone. “If you can present it to the judge in a way that we have a good corner at this end, a good corner at that end, everything was in the middle, then it starts to look really polished. You’ve got good changes, now it needs polishing.”

As riders, we have the choice of using a passive seat or an active seat, and Carl describes the difference between the two. “A passive seat is where you just hang, and an active seat is where you drive. Drive is a bit of a strong word, because you don’t want to think too much about pushing down, but a driving seat is where you think about your hips coming through your hands. You need a little bit more drive in your collected canter,” he advises. “That’s right don’t override it. Now five threes.

Well done, very nice!” It’s a beautiful, organised line of changes and the audience give a round of applause.

“Now get your outline right - you’d be the perfect person to have mirrors, Mirrors are brilliant,

sometimes of course it can feel nice but then you look in the mirror and it’s overbent. And you think, I’ve got a soft contact but it’s still overbent - the horse has to learn to carry himself uphill and feel nice. So, if your horse feels nice when you ride it ‘down’ and not very nice when you ride it ‘up’, then you need to ride ‘up’ more until the horse gets used to it,” he advises.

After a brief look at Jax’s half passes, Carl moves onto the half steps. “Does he do any little half steps? Can we just look at them? I can see that the canter work for this horse is easy, he’ll do the Grand Prix canter work no problem - but has he got the half steps? The half steps are where we can see if the horse has some talent for piaffe, and classically, you should be able to walk in, make some half steps, and walk out. Why - because that tells me the horse is doing it from relaxation, not tension. If you see a horse do piaffe that is hurried, worried, fast, no rhythm - that’s a worried piaffe. We are looking for a diagonal spring from one to the other.”

Gaylene and Jax demonstrate some very, very nice half steps. “And walk,” says Carl. The crowd is silent.

There is a long pause. “Hmmmm…

I might buy this one Gaylene!”

Once more, some amazing half steps to admiring applause from the audience. “Don’t clap, she’ll think she can ask more money for it!” jokes Carl. “No, if we’re being

38 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

serious about this, there is really very much potential in that. Why? Look at the way his hindlegs come under him. What's happening is, he’s losing his balance. Because his front legs are coming down and he’s piaffing over his shoulders - he has to learn to have his front legs out in front of him. Do less behind. That’s it! And walk,” he says, talking her through it step by step. “Rhythm, let him lift his shoulders, now half steps and just touch him behind… and walk forward. He tries to lift too hard at the moment, you’ve got to keep making it easy for him. It’s just walking forward with the hand loose and the horse learns to do the half steps with a loose hand and walk out again.

“I mean, if you look how close his hindlegs come to his front legs in the half steps, it is so close. If we just go back to what we said about conformation at the beginning, and I said this horse is so short and round and over his back, so he has no problems bringing his hindlegs underneath him. He really sits - he sits too much, that's why he’s getting a little bit stuck sometimes. He’s got to learn to open up and be a little bit horizontal, so he opens his frame and doesn’t get his hindlegs so close to his front legs that he cannot make his way out again. We have to think of the front legs going forward, with his neck up and light in the hand - loose, loose, loose, good! A little click and start again. Pat him, good!

I love him,” praises Carl. “Very nice.

Paris [Olympics] easily I think with something like this! He's showing all this already! If you think he’s got another 5 years till [Paris] - lots of ability. Just give him one more trot for me, so I can be totally convinced!”

Gaylene and Jax head out to finish their session with some trot work, and Carl is full of quietly observed advice for her, as with all the riders.

It’s about tactfully adjusted small details, but the improvement is always obvious and instant - it’s fantastic to watch. “Now there is his swing speed, he doesn’t need to be more forward than that, he needs to just take his time. Because how this horse is going to improve is really just

CARL HESTER MASTERCLASS

Gaylene says

through learning to lift his shoulders.

We all work on the opposite of what we've got,” he explains. “If your horse is very short, you've got to make it longer through the stretching, if your horse is very long and flat then you have to teach him to be short. If your horse has got small strides you have to teach it to have big strides and the other way round. This horse just needs more strength.

Carl asks her to finish with rising trot and let the horse have a stretch.

“For this horse particularly, the stretch is so important, because he’s so short and he really needs to learn how to use his topline. Watch he doesn’t curl over - you can push your hand at him. I still feel there that you are bringing him in rather than pushing him out to the bit. Yes - exactly, really good,” he agrees as Gaylene adjusts her hand. “Correct.

Now look at the rein contact, it becomes soft and loose. Just to look at stretching for a minute: it has to be in the right way.

We stretch the horse for these reasons. Physically releasing, mentally releasing and so that you know you’re doing the right thing. If your horse doesn't do it, do not give up. You get to the end of a session like this and this horse is tired now, and he wants to stretch. So you don’t do one round and go ‘there you go I’ve made it’, you keep going and you just do your curves, do your transitions and keep telling the horse that that’s the right place to be. Because he is so relaxed.

“The idea is, if you then go to a show from here, and you have a horse that's a bit hot or a bit nervous, with this sort of work they learn straight away that this is what

“I’m still on a big high, especially after Carl saying how much he liked Jax. To hear this from someone that has so much knowledge was amazing. I wasn’t nervous and told myself to go and enjoy it, which I did, I loved every minute. I must have been a bit nervous though as I forgot how to count to four in my tempi changes! But as Carl said it was all good and provided great entertainment for everyone.

I learned Jax has eight strides of canter on the short side of the arena, three strides of canter before the four-time changes and five strides of canter before the threetime changes; also to be much stricter on myself in downward transitions, to always prepare and never let him do a bad one. Having a lesson with Carl was definitely on my bucket list in life, which I never thought would get crossed off. And now it has! Just amazing.”

you do. If you go to a dressage test and you don’t feel that you had a good ride, the horse is too tense and so on, when you come out don’t just put the horse on the lorry and go home and be beastly to your husband because your horse didn’t go very well - it ruins marriages!

You’ve just got to come out and go back to the warm-up and let the horse have a few minutes trotting round on a long rein again so that it actually finishes soft, like this.

You’ve got to get to this stage at the end of your session where you can ride with no hand, no rein, the neck drops to the right place. The horse is reaching for the bit - it's called ‘the falling down neck’. Gorgeous horse.

Well done!”

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 39

Photo: Take the Moment

OUR PEOPLE

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

EMILY HAMMOND Sponsored by AllinFlex

E

mily Hammond has the auspicious title of being Dressage’s youngest event secretary.

At just 18 years of age she took on the huge role of overseeing the Bay of Plenty Kiwi Arena Rakes Premier League event which is one of the biggest shows on the dressage calendar. Peter Jenkins president of Dressage Bay of Plenty who worked closely with Emily at the event said “Emily is hard working, efficient, well organised and above all friendly to everyone, definitely a keeper!

Her involvement in equestrian sport started with her pony The Mighty Weka, who she transformed from a wild and woolly showhunter with a vicious buck to a somewhat

less woolly dressage star over a period of many years, although the vicious buck never quite disappeared! The pair competed successfully winning several Dressage Rotorua and Bay of Plenty series awards and a championship at the 2016 DNZ Young Rider Champs. Weka has since retired and is now a therapy horse at the Rotorua RDA. Under the guidance of her grandmother Ann Smith and mother Andrea (Hammond) who is very active in the Dressage community, Emily took to the role of event secretary like a pony to the feed bin. Over time she took on more and more of the event administration and has now

40 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

stepped up to event management for both Dressage Rotorua and Bay of Plenty. Many years of helping Ann in the office at shows guided her to become an organised and competent young event manager with the ability to think on her feet and deal with the many issues that arise in a show office.

She enjoys the challenge of ensuring the entire process from taking entries to post show wrap is done to a high standard, dealing with riders, judges, writers, volunteers, endeavouring to ensure their needs are met and everyone has a good time. This is always done with good humour and polite efficiency, which is one of the most important traits for someone in the high-pressured situation of event management.

Emily is no stranger to elite sport. Her passion for small bore rifle shooting led to international representation, selected for both the NZ Women’s and NZ Junior teams in 2018, and represented NZ against Scotland. As a result of her successes, she was named as Western Heights High School’s 2018 Sportswoman of the Year.

Now Dressage have awarded her volunteer of the month which will put her in the mix for the coveted volunteer of the year prize at the 2020 awards dinner. Emily finished school last year and is currently taking a gap year while she identifies where she would like to focus her future efforts.

Thanks Emily Hammond – showing the way for the new generation of dressage event managers.

Emily is the recipient of this month’s AllinFlex Volunteer prize. Check out their range of products at www.allinflex.co.nz

OUR PEOPLE

LEFT: Linda with Gabriela Valerianova (CZE) Photo: FEI / Lukasz Kowalski BELOW: Jessica von BredowWerndl (GER) winner of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019 Stuttgart, Germany.

OFFICIAL OF THE MONTH LINDA WARREN-DAVEY Sponsored by AR Dressage

O

ur December Andrea Raves Dressage Official of the Month award goes to Canterbury’s Linda Warren- Davey for her commitment to judging.

Linda travelled to Stuttgart (GER) to sit the FEI 4* Judge promotion exam, supported by the ESNZ Chris Hodson Scholarship.

Congratulations Linda on attaining 4* status.

The Bulletin asked Linda to tell us more about the FEI Judge exam experience and what it means both for her and New Zealand…

“The Course took place at the FEI Stuttgart World Cup and World Masters event which was the third of ten Western European league qualifiers for the FEI World Cup Dressage final in Las Vegas next year, and also included jumping and driving competitions.

I was joined by colleagues from

all around the globe - Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Australia, France, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary and Canada. The opportunity to network, discuss and share ideas about the many and varied aspects of our sport was invaluable.

Conducting judge exams at large international shows in Europe is really valuable, as they simulate the conditions of judging at a high level under pressure at a high level with all the outside influences of the spectators (the arena had an 8000seat capacity), noise and visual distractions, whilst judging some of the top combinations in the world.

The two course directors were FEI 5* judges and mentors; Katrina Wuest (GER) and Isobel Wessels (GBR) both giving their knowledge, experience and wisdom unreservedly.

Over three days, the course consisted of • Individually judging specific dressage movements from videos with comments and marks noted for later assessment.

• 1.5hr closed book theoretical and rules exam • Shadow-judging the World Cup Grand Prix class of 16 competitors • Individually judging the CDI 4* Grand Prix test by microphone with immediate verbal feedback received from the course directors on the comments and marks given • 20-minute one-on-one interview including a review of each section of the exam and overall assessment.

The course was overseen by an independent representative of the German Federation, and FEI Dressage Sport Manager Anna Milne, who was in attendance in a support capacity to the Course Directors, including adding all our scores and marking our exams.

It is a real thrill to have attained the next level of international accreditation. Many more opportunities will be available as a 4* judge, and the increased exposure to more international arenas will allow me to more effectively benchmark NZ riders which will enable their progress both nationally and internationally, as well as assisting with the future development of our national judges.

A heartfelt thank you to the ESNZ Board, to Chris Hodson for investing in NZ Equestrian sport, and to the Chris Hodson scholarship trustees for choosing me to be a recipient this year. It was very much appreciated”.

Thirteen judges earned promotion at Stuttgart including our close Australian colleague Connie Bookless.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 41

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER

WHICH EVENTS AND SERIES ARE FOR YOU THIS SEASON? EQUESTRIAN ENTRIES NZ U25 NATIONAL DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS January 25 - 27 2020 - TAUPO National Equestrian Centre (NCH /RE)

REMINDER: This event is now designated as a Horse of the Year Qualifier for Horses & Ponies required to qualify at a Premier League Event. Musical Freestyles count at this event where Zilco Musical Qualifiers are required ESNZ National Titles (NCH) Hyland Pony Championship (Pony FEI tests – Medium level) the Waldebago Trophy for Young Rider Championship (Young Rider FEI tests – Prix St Georges level), and the KH Arvan Trophy for the U25 Grand Prix. All other grades and/or age group competitions will be designated Premier League (RE) status and will include event championship titles. The York Corporation Inter-Island Team Challenge will also be held. No prior qualification required. There are plans to host a Pony & Young Rider educational forum on Monday 27th January (Details TBC) Entries only on www.equestrianentries.co.nz

FEI DRESSAGE WORLD CHALLENGE 2020 The date and venue for the 2020 FEI Dressage World Challenge will be confirmed during 2020 and will not be held prior to 1st August 2020.

SERIES Check out the latest Series results https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/disciplines/dressage/competition/results/

For more information about series go to: https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/disciplines/dressage/competition/dressage-series-classes/

For information about Rider Categories refer to ART DR Art 462.5 https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/esnz/rules-regulations/dressage-rules/

ZILCO MUSICAL FREESTYLE SERIES The crowd pleasing Zilco Musical Freestyle Series will be a feature again this season from Novice through to Grand Prix. Refer to the 2019 Test Book for the new Freestyle Tests from Novice (L2) through to Advanced(L6). Small tour (L7) uses the FEI Int I Freestyle. Go to the FEI web site for guidelines for these tests. https://inside.fei.org/system/files/FEI%20Freestyle%20Directives%20for%20Judges_final-19.04.2017.pdf

The competition comprises two Island Series contested at Premier League Events (Top 5 scores to count). The North Island Series completes at the Horse of the Year Show and the South Island Series completes at the South Island Festival of Dressage. Points table managed directly by Dressage NZ

SUPER 5 DRESSAGE LEAGUE The 2019-20 Super 5 League comprises a points series in each island from Preliminary Grand Prix 9 (top 5 points only to count) plus an island final at both the South Island Festival of Dressage and the Bates National Championships. National Super 5 rankings will be determined from % in each level at both these events.

Tests used for Super 5 League at Premier League Events: Preliminary to Advanced B Tests; Small Tour – FEI Int I; Medium Tour FEI Intermediate B; Big Tour Grand Prix or Grand Prix Special.

Points tables managed directly by Dressage NZ

42 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER BATES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS & TRAINING FORUM 26 -29 March 2020, Taupo National Equestrian Centre

NATIONAL PARA EQUESTRIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Para Equestrian Championships from Grades 1 to V will be held from Wednesday 25th through Friday 27th March FEI 5* Para Equestrian Judge Sue Cunningham (AUS) and FEI 3* Mura Love (NZL) will officiate

NATIONAL AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS Amateur Championships from Preliminary to Advanced Medium will be held as separate classes.

Eligibility is based on rider categories and horse grades.

Qualification for the AMCH. The term Amateur is defined by rider category status.

Amateur Riders are C5 and below (ie - not more than 15pts in level 6 or above) DR Art 462.5

The Bates National Championships are being held after the Horse of the Year Show in 2020 in order not to clash with the FEI Dressage Forum and Willinga Park CDI 4*(near Sydney) in mid-February. The event will include a CDI3*, CDIY, CDI P, Young Horses, Bates National Open Championships from levels Preliminary to Grand Prix, National Amateur Championships from Preliminary to Advanced Medium.

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE: * CDIJ ADDED TO FEI SCHEDULE For the very first time in NZL, a CDI-J will be included in the FEI schedule. FEI Junior Classes are the equivalent of NZL Advanced Medium and are open to riders from the beginning of the calendar year in which they turn 14yrs until the end of the calendar year they reach 18yrs. Must be on a horse and both horse and rider must have FEI registration and horse must have an FEI approved ID Book (passport not required).

Horses entered in the CDIP, CDI J and CDIY may not be entered in any other classes at the event. Open Pony Classes will be offered at Elementary & Medium in addition to the CDIP Foreign International Judges confirmed are Henning Lehrmann (5*GER) Maria Schwennesen (5*AUS) Sandy Hotz (4* USA) and Ricky McMillan (4*AUS).

A Training Forum for Riders, Judges & Fans will be held on Sunday 29th with Sandy Hotz.

Eligibility NCH 2020: (Graded competitions only) From 1 Jan 2019 – Date of close of Entries If excessive entries are received, wait lists and balloting will be implemented Open & Amateur

MES

Preliminary & Novice

63%

Elementary - ADV

60%

Elementary & Medium Ponies

60%

CDIP (Medium Level)

60%

CDIY & Small Tour (PSG /Int I)

57%

Medium Tour (INT A/B) & GP

57%

Event Classification

Premier League, ICH, U25CH, NCH or HOY

Young Dressage Horse Classes & NZ Breeders Championship Award No prior qualification. Proof of age of horse must be supplied with entry. Proof of breeding to be submitted to be eligible for NZ Breeders Championship Award

Title Classes Eligibility HOY 2020: (Graded competitions only) All classes up to Advanced From 1 Sept 2019 – 3 Feb 2020 plus Waikato PL (14th -16th Feb 2020) ** FEI levels (CDIY, Small, Medium & Big Tour) as a combination from ** 1 Jan 2019

HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW 2020 (DRESSAGE SECTION)

LEVEL

MES

EVENT CLASSIFICATION

Preliminary Horse

64%

Premier League or Youth Fest Prelim, Zilco Novice or Youth Fest NOV MFS

Novice Horse

64%

Premier League Zilco Novice OR Youth Festival NOV MFS

Elementary Horse

64%

Premier League Zilco Elementary OR Youth Festival ELE MFS

Medium Horse

64%

Premier League Zilco Medium OR Youth Festival MED MFS

Advanced Medium Horse

60%

Premier League Zilco Advanced Medium OR Youth Festival ADV MED MFS

Advanced Horse

60%

Premier League Zilco Advanced OR Youth Festival ADV MFS

FEI Small Tour Horse

60%

Premier League Int1, PSG OR Youth Festival FEI YR Team or IND

FEI Medium Tour Horse

58%

Premier League Int A, Int B or Int II or Youth Festival U25 GP

FEI Grand Prix (FEI 3* / Nat)

58%

Premier League GP or GPS or Youth Festival U25 GP

CDI Y (FEI Young Rider)

60%

Premier League: FEI YR Test, PSG or Int I OR Youth Festival FEI YR Team or IND

Title & Non-Title Pony Classes Eligibility Preliminary Pony

60%

Any Preliminary graded competition

Novice Pony

60%

Any Novice graded competition

Elementary Pony

60%

Any Elementary graded competition

Pony of the Year FEI Pony Tests

60%

Any Medium graded competition

Non-title classes Horses Eligibility HOY 2020 Preliminary Horse

64%

Premier League

Novice Horse

64%

Premier League Novice or Zilco Novice

Elementary Horse

64%

Premier League Elementary or Zilco Elementary

Young Dressage Horse Classes No prior qualification. Proof of age of horse must be supplied with entry.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 43

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER PRESTIGE EQUESTRIAN DRESSAGE FUTURES PRIZE

The Prestige Equestrian Futures Prize will be awarded to the best performed combination competing at KiwiArena Rakes Premier League Events from 1 September 2019 - 16 February 2020 and meeting the following eligibility conditions.

Horses 148cm and over, 4 -10-year-old and competing at Levels 1 - 7 with riders who have no grading points in Level 8 or above on any horse. The prize is a fabulous Prestige Saddle.

(Riders may only win the saddle prize once) Enter online at Equestrian Entries by 1/12/19

Enter online at Equestrian Entries by 1/12/19

EXCITING NEW AMS SADDLERY PONY PERFORMANCE LEAGUE & AMS SADDLERY YOUNG RIDER PERFORMANCE LEAGUE

There will be separate AMS Saddlery Leagues for Pony Riders and Young Riders this season with more opportunities to earn League points. Points will be earned from graded classes at KiwiArena Rakes Premier League events.

The Pony League is for riders 16yrs or under at 1 August, but if a rider turns 17 on or after 1 August, they may continue to compete in the Pony League. The Young Rider League is for riders 20yrs or under at 1 August but if a rider turns 21 on or after 1 August, they may continue to compete in the League.

The AMS Saddlery Pony & Young Rider Performance Leagues aim to increase participation at a Pony & Young Rider level and to establish a culture where these riders compete against their peers of a similar age and experience.

TOP TEN LEAGUES All Top Ten Leagues accrue points from 1/8/19 - 30/4/20

Riders love the Top Ten Leagues for a number of reasons but the biggest draw card is that they can simply enter online with no fee attached and then can see how their performances are stacking up against other riders in the same league and category from throughout New Zealand. And then of course there is the chance to win stylish sponsor rosettes at area level and fabulous sashes and rugs at national level.

So get across to Equestrian Entries and choose the series that are just RIGHT for you and horse or pony.

Chances are there is more than one. Conditions for each of the leagues are on both Equestrian Entries and the ESNZ website www.nzequestrian.org.nz/disciplines/dressage/competition/dressage-series-classes/ Entries for all Top Ten Leagues close on 1/12/19

THE STERLING WARMBLOODS SMALL STARS TOP TEN LEAGUE

For horses over 148cm and not exceeding 163cm (verified by RAS height certificate by 1/12/19) Riders must turn at least 12yrs in the calendar year of the beginning of the competition.

Points accrue from 1 August 2019 until 30 April 2020, in three divisions. Bronze (Levels 1 & 2) Silver (Levels 3 & 4) Gold (Level 5 & above)

QUIN BUILDINGS DIRECT MASTERS TOP TEN LEAGUE Riders at least 50yrs as at 1/1/19

Pewter (Area and National) For CN – C2 Riders on horses (or ponies) competing at Preliminary and above Bronze (Area and National) For C3 & C4 Riders on horses (or ponies) on competing Novice and above Silver Area and National) For C3 & C4 Riders on horses (or ponies) competing at Elementary and above Gold (Area and National) For C5 - C9 Riders on horses (or ponies) competing at Preliminary, Novice and Elementary Platinum (Area and National) For C5 - C9 Riders on horses (or ponies) competing at Medium and above

EQUISSAGE AMATEUR TOP TEN LEAGUE

The competition is open to riders 21yrs and over at 1/8/19 and over and is run in four National divisions plus special awards, with twenty area winners.

Bronze Area & National Level 1 Riders CN - C3 at 1/8/2019 Silver Area & National

Level 2 Riders CN - C4 at 1/8/2019 Gold Area & National

Level 3 Riders CN - C5 at 1/8/2019 Platinum Area & National Level 4 Riders CN - C5 at 1/8/2019 Newcomer (First year member) Rider no grading points in Dressage prior to 1/4/2019 Island Hi-Points Award Highest Score in each Island Amateur Owner Horse with zero grading points at date of purchase by current owner and may not have earned any grading points with any other rider at any time.

EQUIZEE PONY & YOUNG RIDER AMATEUR TOP TEN LEAGUE

Ponies: Riders 16yrs and under at 1/8/19 Pony Bronze: Level 1 ponies Riders CN – C3 at 1/8/2019 Pony Silver: Level 2 ponies Riders CN – C4 at 1/8/2019 Pony Gold: Level 3 & 4 ponies Riders CN – C5 at 1/8/2019 Horses: Riders must turn at least 12yrs during 2019, and be 20yrs or under at 1/8/19 Horse Bronze: Level 1 horses Riders CN – C3 at 1/8/2019 Horse Silver: Level 2 horses Riders CN – C4 at 1/8/2019 Horse Gold: Level 3 & 4 horses Riders CN – C5 at 1/8/2019 Top Score Rider North Island 12yrs & under at 1/8/19 Top Score Rider South Island 12yrs & under at 1/8/19 Newcomer ESNZ graded Dressage rider. Must have never earned any dressage grading points on any horse or pony prior to 1/4/18

44 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER

PREMIER LEAGUE CALENDAR 19/20 DECEMBER 2019 6/8

Southland Championships

Gore SG

7/8

Waitemata Championships

Woodhill Sands

14/15

Northland Championships

Barge Park (Whangaerei)

14/15

Taihape Championships

Taihape SG

JANUARY 2019 10/12

Taranaki and NI Festival Future Stars

Egmont SG (Hawera)

18/19

Wairarapa Championships

Solway SG (Masterton)

25/27

Equestrian Entries Youth Festival

Taupo NEC

FEBRUARY 2020 7/9

South Island Championships

Gore SG

14/16

Waikato Championships

Taupo NEC

MARCH 2020 29/1

SI Festival Future Stars

Mcleans Island NEC

10/15

Horse of the Year Show (CDI 3*/Y)

Hastings SG

26/29

Bates NZ Dressage Championships (NCH – CDI 3*/Y) Taupo NEC

DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 45

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER

WHAT’S ON DECEMBER 2019 | SOUTH ISLAND 15

North Loburn EC

Rangiora Show Grounds

Training

22

Northern Equestrian Group

Harrs Road

Training

JANUARY 2020 | SOUTH ISLAND 5

Dressage Canterbury

CANCELLED

Local

11/12

Southland DG

Gore Show Grounds

Local

18/19

Nelson DG Championships

Rough Island

Local

19

North Loburn EC

Rangiora Show Grounds

Local

26

Northern Equestrian Group

Harrs Road

Training

FEBRUARY 2020 | SOUTH ISLAND 2

Dressage Canterbury

CANCELLED

Local

1/2

Otago DG Summer Tournament

Taieri Show Grounds

Local

7/9

South Island Dressage Championships

Gore Show Grounds

RE

16

North Loburn EC Day

Rangiora Show Grounds

Local

23

Northern Equestrian Group

Harrs Road

Local

29/1

South Island Festival of Future Stars

McLeans Island

RE

MARCH 2020 | SOUTH ISLAND 7/8

Otago Autumn Tournament

Taieri Show Grounds

Local

10/15

Land Rover Horse of the Year

Hastings Show Grounds

National

21/22

Dressage Southland Autumn

Gore Show Grounds

Local

26/29

Bates National Championships

Taupo NEC

National

APRIL 2020 | SOUTH ISLAND 4/5

Central Otago Autumn Tournament

Cromwell Racecourse

Local

19

SCNO Autumn Show

Waimate Show Grounds

Local

26

Ashburton Dressage Group

Ashburton Show Grounds

Training

46 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER

WHAT’S ON DECEMBER 2019 | NORTH ISLAND 14/15

Northland Dressage Group

Barge Park Show Grounds

Premier League

14/15

Taihape Dressage Group

Taihape

Premier League

15

Auckland-Manukau Dressage Group

Clevedon Show Grounds

Training

JANUARY 2020 | NORTH ISLAND 10/12

NI Festival Future Stars

Egmont Show Grounds

RE

11/12

Taranaki DG Championships

Egmont Show Grounds

Premier League

12

Warkworth DG Local Day

Warkworth Show Grounds

Local

17/19

AMDG Pony, Young Rider, Amateur,Para Championships - Clevedon Show Grounds

Local

18/19

Wairarapa Championships

Solway Show Grounds

Premier League

19

Waitemata DG Summer #1

Woodhill Sands

Local

25/27

EE Youth Dressage Festival & Forum

National Equestrian Centre (Taupo)

NCH/RE

27

Rotorua DG Anniversary Day Show

Rotorua Show Grounds

Local

FEBRUARY 2020 | NORTH ISLAND 2

Horowhenua DG Autumn Tournament

Levin Show Grounds

Local

9

Northland Dressage Group

Barge Park Show Grounds

Local

9

Tauranga Dressage Group

Tauranga Racecourse

Local

9

Waitemata Dressage Group

Woodhill Sands

Local

9

Wellington Dressage Group

Trentham Memorial Park

Local

14/16

Waikato DG Premier League Festival

National Equestrian Centre (Taupo)

Premier League

22

Gisborne Dressage Group

Gisborne Show Grounds

Local

23

Auckland-Manukau DG

Clevedon Show Grounds

Local

23

Eastern Bay of Plenty DG

Te Teko Racecourse

Local

23

Taupo Dressage Group

National Equestrian Centre (Taupo)

Local

23

Warkworth Dressage Group

Warkworth Show Grounds

Local

MARCH 2020 | NORTH ISLAND 1

Bay of Islands DG

Kaikohe Show Grounds

Local

7

Waikato Combined EG Autumn Show

WEC Hamilton

Local

8

Wellington DG Summer Series

Trentham Memorial Park

Training

10/15

Land Rover Horse of the Year

Hastings Show Grounds

National

22

Dressage Waitemata Autumn Day 1

Woodhill Sands

Local

26/29

Bates National Championships

National Equestrian Centre (Taupo)

National

29

Gisborne DG Autumn Series Day 1

Gisborne Show Grounds

Local

29

Warkworth Dressage Group

Warkworth Show Grounds

Local

APRIL 2020 | NORTH ISLAND 5

AMDG Autumn Accumulator Day 2

Clevedon Show Grounds

Local

5

Nth Hawkes Bay Autumn series Day 1

Hawkes Bay Show Grounds

Local

5

Taupo DG Ribbon Day Two

National Equestrian Centre (Taupo)

Training

12

Morrinsville/TeAroha DG Autumn Day 1

Waihou Show Grounds

Local

19

Gisborne DG Autumn Series - Day 2

Gisborne Show Grounds

Local

19

Solway Dressage Autumn Series Day 1

Solway Show Grounds

Training

19

Warkworth DG Training Day

Warkworth Show Grounds

Training

26

Northland DG

Dargaville Racecourse

Local

27

Taranaki Dressage ANZAC Tournament

Egmont Show Grounds

Local

27

Waitemata Dressage Group

Woodhill Sands

Local DECEMBER/JANUARY 20 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | 47

NATIONAL COMPETITION CALENDER

DRESSAGE DIRECTORY Dressage Area Group Websites and other useful links.

Equestrian Sports NZ/Dressage www.nzequestrian.org.nz/dressage www.facebook.com/DressageNZ www.facebook.com/EquestrianSportsNZ www.facebook.com/DressageNZU25Championships www.facebook.com/StableoftheStallions Dressage Bay of Islands www.sporty.co.nz/bayofislandsdressagegroup Dressage Northland www.sporty.co.nz/dressagenorthland Dressage Waitemata www.dressagewaitemata.co.nz Dressage Warkworth www.warkworthdressage.webs.com Dressage Auckland - Manukau www.amdg.org.nz Dressage Waikato new website coming soon!

Dressage Morrinsville -Te Aroha www.mtdg.co.nz Dressage Gisborne www.gisbornedressage.org.nz Dressage Bay of Plenty www.dressagebayofplenty.co.nz Dressage Eastern Bay of Plenty www.sportsground.co.nz/ebd Dressage Rotorua www.sporty.co.nz/dressagerotorua Dressage Tauranga www.dressagetauranga.co.nz Dressage Taupo www.sporty.co.nz/taupodressagegroup Dressage Northern Hawkes Bay www.sporty.co.nz/dressagenhb

48 | DRESSAGENZ BULLETIN | DECEMBER/JANUARY 20

Dressage Central Hawkes Bay www.sportsground.co.nz/chbdressage Dressage Southern Hawkes Bay www.sportsground.co.nz/shbdressage Dressage Central Districts www.sportsground.co.nz/dressagecentraldistricts Dressage Taranaki www.dressagetaranaki.co.nz Dressage Wellington www.dressagewellington.org.nz Dressage Horowhenua www.horowhenuadressage.com Dressage Wairarapa www.dressagewairarapa.com Dressage Nelson www.nelsondressage.webs.com Dressage Marlborough www.sporty.co.nz/marlboroughdressage Dressage Canterbury www.canterburydressage.co.nz Dressage Otago www.dressageotago.webs.com Dressage Southland www.dressage-southland.com National Equestrian Centres www.nzequestrian.org.nz Tielcey Park Equestrian Centre www.tielceypark.co.nz (Manawatu) Northern Equestrian Group www.freewebs.com/northerneq (North Canterbury) North Loburn Equestrian Centre www.nlec.co.nz (North Canterbury)