Speed rules for Coupe and Amaretto

Lisa Coupe’s season just gets better and better.

The 26-year-old from Hawke’s Bay tonight won the penultimate round in the New Zealand Bayer FEI World Cup in Tauranga aboard Bates Amaretto MVNZ.

The victory was made all the sweeter as she finally nominated the right horse, meaning full points for the rising star. Riders with two mounts in the prestigious showjumping class must nominate which horse they will do better on, and Coupe, with a win and two seconds to her credit already in the World Cup league this season, hadn’t managed to do that – until tonight.

Ten started the class in Tauranga, in which faults were transposed into seconds. The long and undulating John Vallance (Australia) designed course challenged many, but was perfect for Coupe’s horse Amaretto.
The combination were second to go and despite taking a rail after a bit of a mis-communication and slide into the double, still managed to stop the clock at 89.75 seconds.

“This was always going to be a good track for him,” said Coupe of Amaretto. “He seems to be happier jumping quicker.”

Farrier Bernard Denton (Gisborne) and Suzuki rode a beautiful clear round, but could only manage 90.35 seconds.

Defending series champion Kate McVean (Mystery Creek), riding Dunstan Daffodil with a fractured vertebrae in her lower back were last to go and while clear, came home in 90.70 seconds. McVean, who is unbeatable in the series, looked uncomfortable in the class.

Simon Wilson (Waipukurau) and Swinger dropped two fences but finished in fourth, while Coupe was also fifth on My Ocean Wave (owned by the Green family) despite dropping four fences to finish with 101.89 seconds.

The final of the New Zealand league is set to go on Sunday afternoon at 2pm.

In the 1.35m Mills Reef Classic Olympian Daniel Meech (Taupo) took the honours aboard Winston Darco V ahead of Catherine Cameron (Cambridge) and Campione GNZ.

Twenty-two started the class with 10 going through to the jump-off.

Cameron went mid-field and stopped the clock at 50.76 seconds, with Meech following her four horses later, and coming home in 48.85 in a beautifully ridden round.

Third to go in the jump-off was Mathew Gilmour (Waikato) who notched the fastest time of the day with 48.74 but paid for it with a rail.

Results -
FEI Bayer World Cup (NZ league) speed round: Lisa Coupe (Hawke’s Bay) Bates Amaretto MVNZ 1, Bernard Denton (Gisborne) Suzuki 2, Kate McVean (Mystery Creek) Dunstan Daffodil 3, Simon Wilson (Waipukurau) Swinger 4, Lisa Coupe (Hawke’s Bay) My Ocean Wave 5, Tess Williams (Gisborne) Alltech Craighaven Nitro 6.

Points (best four to count): Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) 52 points, Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) 39, Tess Williams (Gisborne) 32, Bernard Denton (Gisborne) 31, Phillip Steiner (Tauranga) 25, Lisa Coupe (Hawke’s Bay) 24, Ross Smith (Canterbury) 15.

Mills Reef Classic 1.35m: Daniel Meech (Taupo) Winston Darco V 1, Catherine Cameron (Cambridge) Campione GNZ 2, Mathew Gilmour (Matangi) Cuba D'Esquelmes Z 3, Samantha McIntosh (Cambridge) Estina 4, Luis Pedro De Chaby (Tauranga) Stratton 5, Catherine Cameron (Cambridge) I Reckon 6.