February 20, 2006

Mandy Littlejohn and Charlton Highbrow Bill Noble and Vincent St James Franzi van Bruggen and Cavour Jody Hartstone and Landioso

Some 185 riders will travel to Taupo early next month for New Zealand's National Dressage Championships, from March 2-5. A feature of the event will be a reunion of past winners of the Burkner Medal, the country's premier dressage award.

Featured events at the championships include the Intermediate II, the Grand Prix B, Grand Prix Kur (Freestyle to Music), the Young Horse Championship, and the Grand Prix Special. The final day will also feature a Masterclass with leading young German dressage rider, Hubertus Hufendiek. A judges' clinic will also run throughout the weekend, conducted by Stephen Clarke (GBR).

It is 50 years since the first New Zealand dressage championship, when the Burkner Medal was presented to Ron Cropp - who was to become long-time Huntsman at the Waikato Hunt, a successful trainer of steeplechasers such as Hunterville and father of current champion jockey, Lisa.

Cropp is one of the former winners of the premier award in dressage expected to attend the Bates National Dressage Championships, at Taupo's National Equestrian Centre.

In 1956 the Burkner Medal - donated in honour of his riding trainer by Nick Williams (Hawkes Bay) who was to become New Zealand's only Official FEI Judge in Dressage, the original a bronze sculpted by the late Esther Belliss, who had represented the country in show jumping in the early 1950s. Unfortunately, ill health will prevent Williams from travelling from his English base for the celebrations.

Most of the still-living winners of the "Burkner" are expected to attend a Golden Jubilee dinner on the Friday of the tournament, which is supported by The Lion Foundation, including Mrs "Tiny" White - mother of Olympic three day event medallist Tinks Pottinger - from Otane, Hawkes Bay, who holds the record of eight wins between 1964 and 1978.

Marcia Bayley (Te Awamutu) won it six times, Sue Talbot (Hawkes Bay) four times and both are expected to attend, along with other winners including Merran Hain (Gisborne), the only rider to represent New Zealand in all three equestrian disciplines: dressage, three day event and show jumping.

Bayley, who has been trying to find all the former winners, says that only a couple have slipped through her net and, although she has yet to hear from a small number, she's confident that, apart from the three Australian winners who can't come and those who have died, most of the years are covered.

This year, as more recently, the Burkner Medal will go to the combination with the most points over the three FEI tests, the Intermediate II, Grand Prix B and Grand Prix Kur, the latter the musical freestyle.

As one of the judges is FEI Official International judge Stephen Clarke (UK), those at this top level will have the opportunity to gain a Certificate of Capability, making them eligible for selection for this year's World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in August.

Among the aspirants are mother and daughter combination Sharon and Kallista Field (Pahiatua), both former Burkner Medal winners and the latter Olympic representative at Sydney 2000 where she finished in the top 20. Sharon Field rides Soda, Kallista is on Jasper.

Defending champion, Mandy Littlejohn (Wanganui) is back, this time on Charlton Highbrow, her 2005 Burkner winner Jahan just back in work after some foot problems. Also in the line-up is 2005 Horse of the Year titleholder, Bill Noble (Auckland) with Vincent St James. Jody Hartstone on the imported Landioso from Raglan are due a big win, which has sometimes eluded them when the stallion produces some movements not in the test, just to show who's boss! The others in the field are Julie Brougham (Palmerston North) with JK Super Sonic, Franzi van Bruggen (Blenheim) on the imported warmblood Cavour, Jacqui Winspear (Auckland) on the game little Appaloosa I'm Sunday's Silhouette, whose breed is rarely represented at this level, and newcomer to Grand Prix, young rider Joanna York (Taupaki) on Kiteroa Kingston.

• Broad spectrum of talent at dressage champs
• Leading UK dressage judge to hold NZ clinic