For the first time in a very long time Westland High School fielded an equestrian team for a Secondary Schools event in Canterbury.

The Canterbury Secondary Schools Showjumping and Hunter Jumping competition was held at the National Equestrian Centre at McLeans Island in Christchurch on Wednesday 26 th February. This involved travelling the team and horses over on the Tuesday afternoon and camping – no easy feat putting in the tent pegs on the rock-hard Canterbury ground! Luckily the showjumping arenas were watered and nice and green and not too hard underfoot for the competitors.

18 schools, 28 teams and around 112 riders competed – including 4 teams from Rangi Ruru Girls High(who also took our 3 of the top 6 placings). The other 2 top 6 placings went to St. Margaret’s Girls High with their 2 teams and first place taken out by Rangiora High School. Westland High School were batting above their weight in this competition but performed admirably well ending up 12 th out of the 28 th teams in the show-jumping and finishing 5 th in the show hunter and just outside the top 4 ribbons. They also finished “live” which meant no eliminations.

Jessie Smith and her appaloosa gelding Whipper Snapper (aka Squiggle) and Isla Scott and the wee paint mare Weiti Quality Street (aka Iti) competed at the 80 cm height with Jessie winning a 4 th in the 2 phase round and Isla winning a 10th (ribbons up to 10th ) in the Instant Jump Off round and only just outside the placings in the 2 phase going clear.Annabel Wardle competed 95cm on the Kowhai Riding School owned paint gelding Le Roi and they did a lovely round of Hunter Jumping for a 5th placing. Meghan Scott riding Apache Medicine Hawk on their first start at the 1:05m height did not disgrace themselves with only 4 faults in each of the show-jumping rounds and a nice round of hunter jumping. 

With some high calibre riders and horses competing at that height it was a great effort from horse and rider. The show-jump courses were set to ask questions and certainly a large number of riders couldn’t answer the questions. The heights were fairly challenging too, especially in the 95cm and 1:05m classes. The show hunter course and judge looked at equitation (rider skills) and smooth paces, nice jump style and good manners in the horse. It’s not judged on time. Very different to the 2 show jumping rounds but wonderful training and opportunity to practice something we don’t have happen on the Coast. The Westland High School team had a great day. 

It was something different for the 3 Greymouth Pony Club members Jessie, Meghan and Isla and Annabel (who rides for View Hill Pony Club in North Canterbury) to ride as a school team. They looked very smart in WHS jerseys with their white jodphurs and blue and white ribbons in their hair. It was suggested by another team coach that if there had been a prize for most interesting team colour (of horses) we would have won with 2 paints, a medicine hat paint and an appaloosa. We looked more like a Cowboy Challenge team than show jumpers!

The team have now got their sights set on Canterbury Secondary Schools One Day Event in August. We know there are lots of other keen equestrians at Westland High School so keep it in mind. Dates to be confirmed – heights are 85cm and 95cm.

Thank-you to the school for the opportunity to compete.Photo credits to Bella Maitland Photography and Chris Wardle