New Zealand Championship series gets underway at Taupo National Equestrian Centre

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

26 January 2018
Race Report made with the assistance of Daryl Owen

Taupo National Equestrian Centre. Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 January 2018. A select but strong field started this season’s 160km event at the ESNZ North Island Championships in Taupo.

The starting line-up suggested the probable leaders, and this was indeed the case for the first part of the event. Georgia Smith and Glenmore Vixen led strongly from the start, with Alison Higgins, Sian Reid and Amanda McConachy not far behind. As day dawned the temperature climbed, the humidity reaching 85% at one point. The field thinned out as the hard ground took its toll in gait irregularities.

As expected Georgia Smith was first across the finish line but unfortunately went out lame at the last vet check. All eyes were on the remaining three riders. Deirdre Bartlett and Craig Royston Zaria, in their first 160km, took the win in 13:28:05, and were also awarded Best Conditioned...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/new-zealand-championship-series-gets-underway-taupo-national-equestrian-centre/