Massey gears up for Horse of the Year

Team Massey members have been preparing meticulously for this week’s Horse of the Year event in Hastings, the largest equestrian event in Australasia.

The Team Massey riders were put through their paces by conditioning coach Darryl Cochrane, lecturer in sport and exercise science, to help prepare for the event. Riders also receive ongoing mentoring from elite coaches such as Andrew Scott and Penny Castle, while their horses are fine tuned with the help of the Massey Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Olympic equine physiotherapist Nikki Lourie and Fiber Fresh Feeds.

Rochelle McGregor is competing in the young rider event as part of her selection for the eventing trans-Tasman team. Helen Bruce will ride Fiber Fresh Dark Magic in the young rider showjumping team against Queensland. Also aiming for national honours will be Katie Cowley, on Fiber Fresh Hu Ra, in the dressage young rider championships.

Off the arena, the Massey breakfast will inform and entertain attendees on Saturday morning, with animal welfare specialist Professor Kevin Stafford speaking.

Professor Stafford’s talk is entitled The elite sport horse: what’s in it for the horse? It will give a light-hearted look at equine behaviour and training and what makes horses tick. Professor Stafford is the co-director of Massey’s animal welfare research team. Its work has contributed to the establishment of animal welfare science as a recognised discipline within New Zealand.

The University’s site at Horse of the Year will feature medical and surgical experts who will be available for consultation, with assistants – all vet lecturers – stationed at the tent for the day.

Equine programme leader Dr Chris Rogers Horse of the Year is a great place to showcase Massey’s involvement with equestrian sport at all levels. “Our staff, researchers and riders are all on there, showing the breadth of our involvement in the industry.”

Horse of the Year, the largest equine event in Australasia, begins today at the Hastings A and P Showgrounds. The Massey University Horse of the Year breakfast is at 7am on Saturday.