Latest news with #EquestrianSportsNewZealand
Scoop
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Equestrian Sports New Zealand Hall Of Fame Awards Winners Announced For 2025
27 June Equestrian Sports New Zealand's 75th Anniversary Dinner played host to the sports organisation's Hall of Fame Awards held in the Banquet Hall at Parliament Buildings tonight. Approximately 260 guests celebrated 75 years of equestrian sports in New Zealand since the organisation's inception as the Horse Society of New Zealand on 14 July, 1950. This year's awards were presented along with the latest Hall of Fame inductees, and others who have made an outstanding contribution to ESNZ and the sport during the past years, were announced. Special guests included founder of the Catwalk Trust Dame Catriona Williams and husband Sam, ESNZ Patron Jennifer Millar, former ESNZ CEOs Justine Kidd, Vicki Glynn and Dana Kirkpatrick now National MP (Gisborne), Sport NZ Relationship Manager Karin Adlinger-Smith and Group General Manager Strategy, Policy and Investment Julie Morrison, NZ Pony Club CEO Lizzie Turnbull and Riding for the Disabled CEO Donna Kennedy. Riders from throughout the ages, including Olympians Blyth Tait and Tinks Pottinger, took part in a series of 'fireside chats' to reflect on the past 75 years of equestrian sports. Here are the award winners: 2025 ESNZ RIDER OF THE YEAR: Melissa Galloway (Dressage). Marlborough rider Melissa represented NZL at the Olympic Games 2024, on the only Southern Hemisphere and New Zealand bred horse in the field of 60 competitors. 2025 ESNZ HORSE OF THE YEAR – INTERNATIONAL: Showcase BC (owners Frankie Webb & Louise Duncan). Showcase BC is a 15-year-old warmblood bred by Beachcroft Equestrian of Waitoki, Auckland. In just two years this horse developed all the skills of a 'para-equestrian pony' learning to work with Levin para-equestrian rider Louise Duncan (see Against All Odds Award). They went on to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, and were placed 13th in the Grand Prix. 2025 ESNZ HORSE OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL: LT Holst Freda (owners Julie Davey & Andrew Ormond). Ridden by Hastings rider Julie Davey, LT Holst Freda is the winner of the Olympic Cup Horse of the Year 2025 and the New Zealand World Cup series for 2024-25 over 4 rounds. Freda is the daughter of the mare LT Holst Andrea and together they have established a NZ record as the first mother and daughter horse duo to achieve both these titles. 2025 ESNZ TEAM OF THE YEAR: 2024 FEI Dressage World Challenge Helen Hughes-Keen (Chef d'Equipe), Katy Payne (Dragonbach Master Reilly), Paige Fitzgerald (Greenmoor Euphoria), Amanda Macpherson (Friden Star) and Samantha Belsham (Dolcetto II). This national team of members were placed 1st, 5th,11th and 16th in the world, where there were up to 107 starters. Their training and focus demonstrated excellent work as individuals, leading up to the event, as they were named just one day before the competition, in line with the competition rules. 2025 ESNZ AGAINST ALL ODDS: Louise Duncan (Para-Equestrian). At age 17, Levin rider Louise contracted the potentially-fatal disease of meningitis, suffered a stroke and was left partially paralysed. She was told she would never ride again but her determination led her to overcome that fate against all odds. Louise fought back and went on to become an FEI grade IV para-equestrian (profile 26a) which recognises severe impairment or deficiencies of both limbs or moderate impairment in all four limbs. Louise and her horse Showcase BC represented NZ at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and finished 13thin the Individual Grand Prix. They also won Champion & Reserve National Para Dressage Champion at the Webb Equestrian Para Dressage Nationals. Special Recognition was given to Jesse Campbell (Eventing). Jesse Campbell faced the loss of his wife in a tragic accident just over a year ago at an Event in the UK. With time, Jesse was able to use the memory of his wife as a motivator to pursue his eventing dreams, returning to competition just 3 months later to compete four horses in the CCI3* & CCI4* at Alnwick. He also debuted at Burghley Horse Trials and finished a very credible 21st place, crossing through the finish flags as he blew a kiss to the sky in recognition of his late wife Georgie. Special Recognition was also given to Clarke Johnstone (Eventing). Clarke tragically lost his partner Cody in an accident on New Year's Eve 2023/2024 while on holiday. Clarke displayed resilience when he returned to their home in the UK and continued the pursuit of his dream alone. Clarke's sheer determination and talent saw him succeed throughout the Northern Hemisphere season and become selected for the NZ Olympic team, where he produced a spectacular 25.7 dressage score, adding only 4.8 time faults in the cross country and just 1 rail down in each of the two SJ rounds. 2025 ESNZ GROOM OF THE YEAR: Madison (Madi) Schollum (Dressage). Based in West Auckland, Madi has devoted four years of her career to Team Williamson, a facility co-owned by Grand Prix Dressage Rider Wendi Williamson and husband Jon. There are 30 horses, with 15 in active training. Madi is herself a successful international rider, and understands well the physical demands of caring for horses in high-level training. THE PILMER PLATE – ESNZ LIFETIMEVOLUNTEER/OFFICIALS AWARD: Wendy Farnell (Endurance). Waitaki equestrian Wendy is a 3* judge, technical delegate and steward, and has been instrumental in bringing the sport of Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding together. Wendy is the go-to person for entries throughout the country, the vet gate at all lower South Island rides, as well as all three Championships and two non-championship FEI rides throughout the country. ESNZ YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARDS FOR 2025 Dressage Young Person of the Year is Paige Fitzgerald. From Canterbury, Paige and Greenmoor Euphoria are winners of the 2025 Dressage Pony of the Year and National Title Trophy at Horse of the Year, and the FEI Dressage Pony Challenge at the Bates National Championships. Paige has also set the standard for the Youth section of the FEI Dressage World Challenge Youth World Rankings where she was ranked 2nd in 2022 and 2023, and 1st in 2024. Paige will represent the Dressage Youth Council at the 2025 Dressage Conference this weekend. Eventing Young Person of the Year is Charlotte Penny. From Karaka in South Auckland, Charlotte has excelled from competing at 95cm to being one of NZ's most successful riders nationally. Charlotte and Festival are winner of the 2025 Horse of the Year CCI4*. Together they were able to produce the fastest cross country time getting closest to the optimum time around a course, which is notoriously difficult to achieve. The duo placed 4that the 2024 Sydney CCI3* and 2nd at the Taupo CCI4*. Jumping Young Person of the Year is Johanna Wylaars. At just 18 yrs old, Christchurch's Johanna has represented NZ five times in the Trans-Tasman Young Rider teams. She was the joint winner of the 2024 Horse of the Year Young Rider of the Year and has produced a number of horses herself, including those winning the National Six & Seven year old series this year. Johanna has been awarded a Sports Scholarship for Equestrian while studying at Lincoln University. 2025 ESNZ HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES David Goodin (Waerenga) Harvey & Ann Wilson (Waverley) Joe Yorke & Big Red (Wanganui) Penny Pearce (Hawke's Bay) HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS FOR 2025 (Bio's available on request) Sue Hobson (Dressage) Pahiatua Gill Usher (Dressage) Canterbury Helen Christie (Eventing) Southland Dr Margaret Evans (Eventing) Canterbury Rowan Armer (Eventing) Bay of Plenty Roger Laplanche (Jumping) Timaru Marilyn Vincent (Jumping) Waikato Adrian White (Jumping) Hastings Tony Parsons (Jumping) Taupo Wendy Farnell (Endurance) Waitaki
Newsroom
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsroom
Lissington leaps to new heights with flurry of firsts
Samantha Lissington is riding the crest of a wave. In the space of a week, across two European nations, the Kiwi eventer has made equestrian history – and followed it up with the best result of her career. On Monday morning (NZ time), Lissington finished second at the elite CCI5* Luhmuhlen horse trials in Germany – one of the top eventing competitions in the world – on her horse Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. It was the best international result for the 33-year-old from Kerikeri – her first time standing on a five-star podium – and the culmination of '15 years' hard work'. The previous weekend, Lissington pulled off a world first at the Royal Jump at the Chateau de Berticheres in France – becoming the first person to take out the top three places in a CCI4*-L (a four-star long course) event. She topped the standings aboard Quantas R, with Billy Alberto finishing second and Delrado third in the prestigious three-day spectacle. To top things off, she also came second in the CCI4*-S event (short course) on Sooty. 'It's been a pretty bloody cool run of events,' Lissington says. 'In our sport there are so many ups and downs and it's very much about experience. We're under no false illusions that this is going to be forever but when the good times come around you've got to enjoy it and make the most of it. 'You take the learnings from whatever you did right, keep repeating and hope that you can put that into your next runs, into your future events and into the ones that matter ultimately, hopefully world championships or Olympics in the future.' Samantha Lissington rides Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ in the showjumping for the CCI5*-L Luhmuhlen horse trials. Photo: Libby Law Photography After blitzing the cross country at Luhmuhlen, and going clear in the showjumping, Lissington finished just half a penalty point behind British rider, Ros Canter. The only other Kiwi left in the field, Olympian Jonelle Price, was 13th on Senor Crocodillo. 'Whilst you can barely dream of a result like this, being here feels right – like we've earnt this,' Lissington said afterwards of her 14-year-old Sooty, who she's worked with for almost a decade. 'I know how much my team and I have put in and this result is the beginning of that work starting to show.' Lissington and her husband, Brayden, moved to England in 2019. It was a huge leap of faith, flying four horses over from their Matangi farm in the Waikato. Based just outside of Hungerford in Wiltshire, the Lissingtons have moved into Jock Paget's old yard and still have plenty to do with Paget, a former Badminton champion and part of the New Zealand eventing team who won Olympic bronze in 2012. He's now the general manager of high performance at Equestrian Sports New Zealand. Lissington is one of many Kiwis who've made the move to the UK, meaning the top events in the world, many of which are in Europe, are much more accessible. But it hasn't been easy. Soon after the Lissingtons arrived, the Covid pandemic broken out, throwing their plans into disarray. 'We landed hoping to build a network of support and really crack on in terms of making a business and becoming self-sustainable,' Lissington says. 'But then we had the complicating factor of not being able to meet anyone which made life tricky for a couple of years. 'But it feels like we're on the other side of that now and starting to get some really good results – it all feels like it's heading in the right direction.' Lissington with Royal Jump champion, Quantas R. Photo: Libby Law Photography The time invested in equestrian sport is extremely high, and all-consuming, as riders and horses bounce from event to event. Lissington is conscious casual observers of the sport may not realise just how much goes into it. 'Our sport is a little bit unique in that we don't just do a sport. It's not just being an athlete – we're the CEO, the HR department, we're managing staff, we're the finance department, the head of logistics, the lorry driver,' she says. 'The lifestyle is pretty outrageous. These big shows are a bit of a holiday for us. Last month, there were only four days we didn't leave the yard and when we leave the yard, we're usually up between 2am and 5am to take the horses somewhere.' A huge part of the operation, and Lissington's key support person, is Brayden – who's been an elite sportsman, representing New Zealand in the Futsal Whites. As well as helping with everything from being the team chef and walking the courses, Brayden works as a sales and marketing manager for one of Lissington's key sponsors, equine feed company Keyflow. He and Mitch Thomasen – husband of Kiwi equestrian rider Ginny Thomasen – have a popular podcast called 'Eventing Weekly', now in its third season, reporting on all things from the world of eventing. Her latest run of form helps Lissington with her long-term goals to ride for New Zealand at the 2026 world championships and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 'We punch above our weight as a nation. We're consistently on the podium at big five-star championships [the highest ranked events],' she says. 'We've probably got over 20 New Zealand riders based over here doing their time. 'We're a serious nation to be contended with, but it all comes down to on the day at the Olympics. It hasn't gone our way at the last couple of Games which is tough to stomach –as a programme, we feel strong and we've got horsepower and all of those good things.' Lissington presents Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ during the first horse inspection at Luhmuhlen. Photo: Libby Law Photography Sadly, those recent Olympic results have seen a reduction in funding, with the $1,381,500 that the sport received each year from High Performance Sport New Zealand in the last Olympic cycle being reduced to $750,000 a year in the build-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. 'As senior riders we're all ready to mongrel in and prove our worth again and hopefully gain that [funding] back at the next Olympics, so it's time to knuckle down and prove that we deserve to be back up there,' Lissington says. Before the Olympics, Aachen in Germany will host the 2026 world championships in August next year, an event which is a huge aim for Lissington. She has been named as one of the five riders selected to represent New Zealand at the CCI04*-S competition at the same venue later this month, which will provide participating nations an invaluable opportunity to prepare for those championships. There are plenty of other events this year in nations like the Netherlands, France and Poland, as well as the Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire, England in early September – one of only seven five-star events worldwide. 'We've got quite an exciting second half of the year. We've suddenly got a lot of horsepower at the four-star level, which is the Olympic level, and so the four horses that did so well at Royal Jump will be busy,' Lissington says. There are some key differences between four-star and five-star events. The dressage is harder, with more difficult movements required. The cross country is about a minute longer, making it more of an endurance test. And the showjumping fences are 5cm higher, at 1m 30cm. Although the Olympics is a four-star event, the showjumping there is at the taller five-star height. Ultimately, Lissington has one eye on the Olympics, confirming it's a huge goal for her. 'We're running a squad, we're not just running one athlete. We're managing the talent development for five to eight years before they're then ready to do a championship,' she says. 'It's important for any sport but with horses there's the added complicating factor of having the right horsepower at the right time. So it's not just about my own preparation, but having the horses that are at the right age at the right level, all peaking at the right time.'
