A Week ‘Til Horse of The Year   9 Mar 2015

Horse Of The Year

A Week ‘Til Horse of The Year
by Diana Dobson

There’s just a week to go before the first horse trots into an arena for the 2015 Farmlands Horse of the Year Show in Hastings.

Show director Kevin Hansen is promising the best six-day event ever . . . and it’s his last.

“It’s going to be a great celebration of the past 16 years of shows,” he says.

And while he thrives on watching top competition, Hansen gets an even bigger buzz out of seeing crowds enjoy the sport.

“I want everyone to see what I see when I watch showjumping or eventing or dressage,” he says.

For the past 16 years Hansen has given his all to entertain and educate people about the wonders of horses. 2015 marks the 17th consecutive show in Hawke’s Bay – it’s also the year he wife Sue pack up and head to Sydney to start a new phase of their life.

There will be many highlights this year – from the return of two-time HOY Eventer of the Year, Olympian and World Champs representative Jock Paget, to the first time an international dressage combination have travelled to New Zealand to compete, and the big question as to whether Katie Laurie (nee McVean) can pull off a record-equalling sixth Bostock International Olympic Cup victory.

While it seems impossible to keep introducing new things to the show, Hansen manages to do just that.

Last year’s live streaming proved such a hit all over the world, that’s it back, bigger and better this year.

“This will be one of the highlights of the show,” he says of Equestrian Live’s (www.equestrianlive.co.nz) efforts. “It is a superb service that will be available to those not at the show and can be enjoyed world wide.”

As well as competing in the Land Rover 3* eventing, Paget is also guest speaker at the Plus Four Hall of Fame Gala Dinner, where he will be interviewed by local radio host Ross Holden.

“That’s going to be a great night,” says Hansen of the Hall of Fame dinner. “It’s always a celebration, and it will be fascinating to hear about Jock’s highs and lows of the last couple of years.”

Just who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame – a closely guarded secret – is always eagerly anticipated.

The action in the Land Rover Premier Arena rolls right through the week (March 17-22) with Gerrit Beker (Tauranga) tasked with challenging each and every combination.

This year the Bostock International Olympic Cup is not a qualifier for a World Champs or Olympic Games, so Hansen is hopeful a few more riders will step up to the challenge.

But Hansen says the biggest heroes of the show are those behind the scenes – all 450-plus of them who work tirelessly to ensure everything ticks along.

“They are just magnificent,” says Hansen. “Without them, we just wouldn’t have a show.”


WHAT: Farmlands Horse of the Year Show
WHERE: Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds
WHEN: March 17-22

ends

NOTES TO EDITORS
You will be able to access daily results through the website (www.hoy.co.nz) too, if you have riders competing in other disciplines that may not be covered in the general releases. There are a number of releases on the website too, that you may find interesting.

Things not to miss at the 2015 Farmlands Horse of the Year Show

• Take a picnic and set up near the Waikoko Lake for the best view in the house of the John Nicholson-designed cross country course on Saturday – it promises to be thrill-a-minute, heart-stopping stuff, and top eventer Jock Paget is competing.

• Check out the Kaimanawa Heritage Horses CopRice Stallion Makeover Competition – which runs Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – where wild horses become trained mounts, showcasing the beauty and talent of horse and rider. These combinations have been together just 250 days, building trust and developing relationships that must be seen to be believed. The final is part of the Hawke’s Bay Friday Night Extravaganza – another stunning evening’s entertainment for the whole family.

• Australian dressage rider Jeremy Janjic and his stunning Friesian Django of Cacharel (owned by Lynn and Dick Jenkin of Tashkent Friesians)will compete in the Grand Prix CDI, Grand Prix CDI freestyle and the Intermediate II at HOY. It is the first time a Friesian has represented Australia offshore, and they are the first international combination to have travelled to New Zealand to compete at this wonderful show.

• Head over to the showing rings (running through to Friday) and watch just what goes on behind the scenes to make these horses and riders look as smart as they do before they enter the ring.

• Don’t miss the Bostock International Olympic Cup on Sunday afternoon in the Land Rover Premier Arena – it is the diamond in the tiara of this most wonderful show and features the very best horses and riders in New Zealand.

• Can showjumping’s golden girl Katie Laurie (nee McVean) win a record sixth Bostock International Olympic Cup?

• Be entranced by the beauty of the GJ Gardner Homes Dressage Kur – dressage to music – on Sunday between 11.40am and 1.40pm in the Land Rover Premier Dressage Arena. The action in the Land Rover Premier Arena stops while this incredible class is under way. Those in the Grandstand will have a perfect view of the dressage arena, with everything also relayed on the big screen.

• Make sure you catch the Taste of the Bay Night Market on Wednesday in the Land Rover Premier Arena from 6pm. Entry to the showgrounds for this event is free from 6pm.

• If you’re heading to the show, make the most of the free parking on Bennett Road, where complimentary shuttles will ferry people to the showgrounds during competition hours. There is parking available on Kenilworth Road for $5 a day.

ends

 

Add a comment

News

Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students

29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more

New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process

7 Mar 2020 News By Rt HON WINSTON PETERS
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more

Business

NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19

17 Mar 2020 Business News By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more

NZ Government announces aviation relief package

19 Mar 2020 Business News By Hon Phil Twyford
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more

Living

Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London

6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall. It was the first... more

Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate

12 Jan 2022 Arts By Charlotte Everett
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...  New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more

Property

Fairer rules for tenants and landlords

17 Nov 2019 Property By Minister Kris Faafoi
17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more

New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax

17 Apr 2019 Property By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more

Migration

Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued

19 Nov 2019 Migration By Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
19 NOVEMBER 2019 We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more

Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location

18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018 HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more

Travel

Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more

New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas more

Sport

The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners

27 Oct 2019 Cricket By Charlotte Everett
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more

PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final

26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more

Columns

Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade

11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade First published on Werewolf The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more

Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome

10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell   Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more

Kiwi Success

Congratulations to Loder Cup winner

26 Sep 2018 People By Hon Eugenie Sage
25 SEPTEMBER 2018 The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more

Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO

16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO HON JENNY SALESA Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more

Recruitment

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

14 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

22 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more