The Westland High School Show jumping team recently competed in Canterbury.

Despite COVID-19 levels disrupting the build-up to this event the Westland High School team of four riders finally made it there.

Mind you, we might have wished otherwise on the day with the mercury hitting 35 degrees Celsius with a HOWLING Canterbury Nor-Wester and sandstorms at McLeans Island.

Year 9 Jessie Smith had the best of the conditions riding her new pony Neo in the 80cm classes first up.

And by first up we mean first up with all the WHS team the first rider in their rings.

No chance to see how the course rides when you have to ride first!

Jessie had a dropped rail in the 80cm Instant Jump Off and an uncharacteristic fall in the Hunter Jumping when Neo decided to stop at a jump.

They certainly redeemed themselves in the 80cm 2 Phase with an 8th placing. Well done.

Both of our 95cm riders Annabel Wardle riding Le Roi de Coeurs and Isla Scott on Apache Medicine Hawk probably wished they’d stayed on the Coast.

Neither combination had much luck or success with dropped rails for Annabel and Le Roi and stops, rails and an elimination for Isla and Patches.

Meghan Scott our Senior rider competing at 1.05m on her big black horse Destiny’s Insignia was solid but weren’t amongst the ribbons.

There was no prizegiving this year due to COVID restrictions in place and no results posted online as yet but suffice to say we weren’t amongst the winners.

But valuable learning and experience and a great chance to fly the Westland High School flag in Canterbury.

The team will be looking ahead to August and the Canterbury Interschools One Day Event and will be looking further ahead to this same Show Jumping competition in 2022.