It was a glorious end to the Bates National Championships – watching Raglan’s Jody Hartstone calmly win the Grand Prix Kur in convincing style. Riding her stunning new black stallion, Whisper, Hartstone finished off a mistake free test with her trademark one-handed passage and piaffe final centreline.
The crowd roared their approval and there was little doubt this was the winning test – expressive flying changes, consistent passage and well ridden pirouettes.
While Taranaki’s Vanessa Way trailblazed the field in the test prior, mistakes in the canter pirouettes and inconsistent piaffe proved costly. Despite quality work from KH Arvan, Hartstone’s clean test was just too good to catch.
Both riders however impressed the international judges, with Uwe Spenlen awarding 73.75% to Hartstone, just a smidgeon ahead of Way on 73.5%. However Hartstone also notched up 71% from Bernard Maurel and 72.5% from Mary Seefried, making her final score 71.2%.
Way, in just her fourth Grand Prix start on KH Arvan, had to settle for second place on 68%, with Lisa Blackbourn and Prestige VDL in just their third Grand Prix outing on 64.4%. Considering how new these combinations are to this highly competitive and demanding level, both riders are making a strong and rapid impression at Grand Prix.
The more seasoned combinations of Karen Anderson (Komplete Kaos) and Charlott Bayliss (All Black II) had to settle for fourth and fifth place this time, despite polished tests from both. Some disparities in scores saw their individual judges placings vary from second to ninth, with the overall effect of sliding them down the prize table.
It has been a whirlwind month for Hartstone, with her newly imported stallion Whisper having arrived from Australia just eight weeks ago. In this short window of time, the pair has competed at two competitions, winning all of their tests and showing the flair for which Whisper was renowned in Australia, where he competed under rider Brett Parberry.
“It’s been pretty amazing,” admits Hartstone, “He’s such a super dream horse and was amazing today. It just all came together, he’s so much fun to ride.”
Hartstone and Whisper were laden with medals, ribbons, sashes and garlands at the final prizegiving, as well as winning a Bates Innova saddle courtesy of Bates. The pair won the Tironui Trophy for the Bates CDI *** Grand Prix Kur; the Julian & Elizabeth Aaron Award for Best Performed Stallion and the prestigious Burkner Medal for the Grand Prix Championship, Hartstone’s third time winning the Burkner medal.
BATES CDI *** Grand Prix Kur
1. Jody Hartstone (Whisper V), 71.2%; 2. Vanessa Way (KH Arvan), 68%; 3. Lisa Blackbourn (Prestige VDL), 64.40%; 4. Karen Anderson (Komplete Kaos), 64.3%; 5. Charlott Bayliss (All Black II), 64.1%; 6. Jenny Scott (JK L’Amour), 63.5%; 7. Kieryn Walton (Saraceni), 62.6%; 8.Nicky Pope (Fabarchie), 62.45%; 9. Shiwon Green (Gosh), 62.05%
Press Release: Equestrian Sports New Zealand
Congratulations – what an absolute privalege it is for me to share some time with you here in Blenheim. Thank you so much – I am sure you will continue to inspire me as well as the rest of the nation!
Best and thanks,
Jane