By Sally Reid
Photography: Cornege Photography
The final round of New Zealand’s FEI World Cup Jumping series was held at Woodhill Sands in hot, muggy conditions, with the weather really providing an additional challenge for horses unused to Auckland’s humidity.
Two mares, both of whom fit into that category, dominated the day. One had travelled up from Hawke’s Bay, the other from the Waikato – and both were born in Europe.
The winner of the final was a Selle Français, Alaid de Chez Nous (Ogano Sitte - Ondine de Grozieux x Biesolo). She was bred by Bernard Sainsardos in Tarn-et-Garonne, France, and has fascinating bloodlines. Her dam is a French Trotter, with pure trotting blood and a former career on the racetrack.
This mare was introduced to Bernard Sainsardos by a friend; his first impression of her was “small but with a pretty head” and he purchased her for “her qualities, not her origins”. Ondine was around five years old at the time and has since produced several good jumpers for Sainsardos, including two with an ISO performance index (IFCE, France) of more than 150. One of these her first foal, Un de Chez Nous (Kannan), and the other is Alaid de Chez Nous, her third.
On her sire’s side, Alaid has the wonderful jumping blood of Darco, and also the KWPN 1m60 jumping stallion Avontuur (Jasper - Ujolein keur, prest x Prins Oregon). His dam line contains a good number of jumpers – and also shows quite a lot of ‘Slgdt’ blood (Studbook Gelderlander Type).
Alaid de Chez Nous (now Takapoto Alaid de Chez Nous) competed in France with Sainsardos, and later with Samantha McIntosh, who brought her to New Zealand in 2020. She is based at Takapoto Equestrian and is now ridden by Jake Lambert; the pair jumped the only double-clear in the World Cup final.
Overall victory in the NZL World Cup series went to a mare who should be no stranger to BN readers: the wonderful LT Holst Andrea (Casall - Palaune x Lavaletto) from Holsteiner Stamm 2067. She was bred by Hans-Joachim and Dörte Gerken in Hammoor, Germany, and her purchase by former sheep shearer Ewen Mackintosh was “impulse buying” of the very best kind... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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