New Zealand: Avery rides to endurance victory

The Marlborough Express
Friday, 13 February 2009

Talented Waihopai Valley endurance rider Kylie Avery continued her winning form by taking her second championship event for the season at Fairlie last weekend.

Riding Silands Mia Bella, Avery won the South Island Endurance Championship's CEI 2-star 120-kilometre ride by an impressive margin of two hours six minutes over the second-placed horse.

It was the first time the seven-year-old, part-Arabian mare, bred by Avery's mother, Barbara Avery, had attempted the distance.

She finished the demanding course in 7.41.06 hours looking fresh and keen, taking the award for the best-conditioned horse.

The win added to the CEI 1-star 100km North Island Championship Avery claimed aboard her New Zealand representative stallion Silands Jasark at Aria in January.

The final main event on the calendar is the New Zealand Endurance Nationals held in the Wairarapa at Easter where Avery plans to step the mare up to the CEI 3-star 160km event and her stallion to CEI 2-star 120km.

Four other Marlborough riders also attended the South Island endurance champs.

Kevin Prangley, riding his stallion, WD Amir Ibn Kaliph, was second in the CEI 1-star 100km and daughter Alice Prangley rode BTR Symphony to sixth in the CEIJY 1-star 100km.

Unfortunately Linda Harmon vetted out lame in the CEI 3-star 160km main event; Penelope Valk also went out lame in Avery's race.

The Marlborough club hosts its next competitive trail ride this weekend on the Godsiff's Wairau Valley property, The Haycocks.

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