Weekend in Wellington – Horse sports galore!
Friday Night Stars – Vanilla Ice returns
It has been over a year since PJ Rizvi and her 15-year old Lusitano stallion raised the roof at the Global Dressage Festival [GDF] with their Freestyle routine to the horse’s namesake Vanilla Ice’s rap music. This weekend at Friday Night Stars PJ and Vanilla Ice return to the arena with the same crowd-pleasing Freestyle. “We are doing the same Freestyle as last time,” PJ said. “I have not shown since February last year – so it’s still new for us!”
Dressage Festival. Photo: Sarah Eakin
Germany’s Frederic Wandres is also back in town with Verrenberg – the 10-year old Oldenburg gelding with whom he won at the GDF in January securing a personal best for the pair of 71.326% in the CDI3* Grand Prix.
Saturday Night Lights – Sweetnam on form
Week 10 of the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] sees Saturday Night Lights bring out four of the world’s top ten showjumpers to compete for the $215,000 Grand Prix.
Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam – world ranked 9th – and Coriaan Van Klapscheutz Z, winners of the WEF Challenge Cup this week, look to add to their growing collection of Grand Prix wins.
In contrast to Friday night and her mother, PJ Rizvi, following the center line to beat of rap music, Zayna Rizvi will be looking to find her own rhythm in Saturday’s Grand Prix aboard 16-year old Belgian Sport Horse mare Exquise Du Pachis. They finished 5th in the WEF Challenge week 6, so tomorrow will be an opportunity to build on that record.
Sunday Polo – In pursuit of Gold
USPA Gold Cup action continues at the National Polo Center on Sunday with the feature game lining up Chip Campbell’s Clearwater against BTA – including husband and wife Steve and KC Kreuger. League play is ongoing in the second tournament of the Gauntlet of Polo and The Dutta Corp, winner of the opening leg for the C.V. Whitney Cup, is very much in the running alongside Park Place, La Dolfina Scone and Pilot – all unbeaten at time of writing.
More family ties feature tomorrow in the semi finals of the 16-goal Iglehart Cup – a hotly-contested tournament between 15 teams run by the Wellington Polo Tour. On one side of the draw Flying H – with father and son combination Miguel and Miki Novillo Astrada – faces off against 90210. On the other, Mrs Momma Bear/LW Ranch – sporting father and son Mike and Harrison Azzaro – takes on Kaia. Winners will meet Monday in the finals.
This could be interesting: