With the exception of the third leg, which went to an Australian Thoroughbred, Belischi HM xx, all legs in the series were won by sport horses from international Warmblood families. They were: NZ Sport Horse gelding Ulysses NZPH (Cabdulla du Tillard x Twist Kerellec), who has full Selle Français bloodlines; Windermere Cappuccino (Corofino II x Voltaire II), a New Zealand Warmblood gelding; NZ Sport Horse mare Mea I (by Ngahiwi One Eye, who is by Corland VDL) and the Holsteiner mare LT Holst Andrea (Casall x Lavaletto).

However, it was the German-bred LT Holst Andrea (Casall Ask - Palaune x Lavaletto) who won the last of the six legs, held at Woodhill Sands in Auckland in January. The very talented 10-year-old Holsteiner is ridden by Brooke Edgecombe of Waipukurau, who jointly owns her with LT Holst stud founder Ewen McIntosh. She was the only horse to jump clear over both rounds.

Ewen McIntosh imported the mare six years ago from her breeder, Hans-Joachim Gerken of Hammoor. She was in foal to Quinton I at the time and that foal, LT Holst Elizabeth, is now a multiple winner in the age-group series. Andrea herself has been a consistently good performer, and was the ESNZ’s leading mare in last season’s jumping series.

Her win in the final meant she finished second overall in the World Cup series. The horse who finished second in the final was the series winner, Windermere Cappuccino (Corofino II - Vespa x Voltaire II). This New Zealand Warmblood gelding and his rider Tegan Fitzsimon had a very unlucky four faults in the first round of the final, but a beautiful, fast and accurate clear in the second. Cappuccino, who’d made the long road and ferry trip from the South Island for this competition, contested only four of the six legs, winning two and finishing second in the other two, and taking only that solitary Woodhill rail over all eight rounds. He’s a horse worth watching very closely (more about him later in this report).

Third place in the final went to the big, handsome 10-year-old German Sport Horse, Quainton Labyrinth (Lancelot Quainton - Caraby x Carnaby), bred by Quainton Stud in Buckinghamshire, UK. This gelding, who is ridden by Clarke Johnstone, finished second in the final last year at his first World Cup start.

The very popular Popeye (Cardento - Cufflink x Lio Caylon), who set a cracking pace but paid for it with a rail in each round, finished fourth for his owner/rider Tom Tarver. His breeder is unrecorded...CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO BREEDING NEWS

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