Top designer for cross-country event
Carys McCrory competes in the cross-country. Photo: Jan Sutherland / takethemoment.co.nz.
The second spring horse trials at the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre this coming weekend will have the challenge of a new cross-country course for the top two classes, which are being run under FEI (international) rules.
By Virginia Caro
Stuart Buntine, a British based Australian, who is a highly regarded course designer, offered his services after seeing the venue last year.
He was one of the presenters at the FEI Regional Seminar which was run at the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre in conjunction with the November horse trials last year.
His special interest is safety, and with the help of a Swedish engineer, he has invented quick release mechanisms for cross-country fences, to lower the risk of horses falling.
Stuart started his eventing career in Australia, but after taking his horse to England and completing the Badminton Horse Trials in 1993, he became involved in organising horse trials.
He ran the 1996 Melbourne Three-day Event, which was a trial run for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with four British horses brought out to test the quarantine arrangements.
In 2003 he set up BEDE Events in England, which organises a number of high profile three-day events throughout Britain.
He is an FEI listed course designer and technical delegate and is participating in another FEI Regional Seminar in Sydney, which is how he became available to design the cross-country course here.
There are ten of the country’s top horses entered in the CCI4* at the Treadlite NZ sponsored event this weekend, and 14 in the CCI3*.
The dressage and showjumping take place on Saturday, and the cross-country on Sunday.
The current New Zealand Three-day Event champions, Carys McCrory and Nemesis, who won the first spring trials here in September, will be trying to do so again, but second placed Charlotte Penny and Carousal (correct spelling!) will be hoping to turn the tables this time.
Donna Edwards-Smith has three rides in the class, and has a formidable track record, so she could well be the one to beat.
With six levels of competition being catered for, 193 entries from throughout the North Island will descend on Taupō, hoping for fine weather.
Rain or shine, the pumice soil provides going that can handle the conditions.
Entry is free, and food and hot drinks are available on site.
This is the last top-level event before the Auckland Three-day Event on December 12-14, so riders want a good outing.
The Auckland venue currently has ground problems, so is transferring the event to the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre, which is a major organisational exercise, but proves yet again what a valuable asset we have at Aratiatia.