North Canterbury News: September 28, 2023

Percival St, Rangiora
(03) 313-8186
www.rangiora.toyota.co.nz
Proudly supporting sport
in North Canterbury
Hawarden golfers out drive city cousins
Asmall group of women from the tiny
Hawarden Golf Club have out shone
many larger clubs in the past month.
Ateam of four —Erin Mulholland,
Nicky Lang, Rose Cassidy, Michelle
Fletcher —won the Cowlishaw Cup at
the Christchurch Golf Club, atrophy
they last won in 1928.
The invitation tournament for
Canterbury clubs is apinnacle event,
played in pairs playing straight
foursomes.
Ateam then went on to win the Boyle
Cup for the first time since 1933, after
successfully challenging Scargill on
Friday, September 15.
The Boyle Cup is like the Ranfurly
Shield of Golf.
It was presented to the Christchurch
Golf Club in 1914, and is the Canterbury
Interclub Match Play challenge trophy.
Each team has five players who play
individual match play.
An interesting tradition allows
caddies and spectators, adding to the
excitement of the matches.
For the small club winning the
trophies has been very special,
particularly as it does not have many
women to choose from, and who are
available to play.
‘‘For asmall club like ours winning
trophies like these is pretty special as
we don’t have many women to choose
from and who are available to play.’’
Awinning smile ... The winning team,
from left was Erin Mulholland, Nicky Lang,
Rose Cassidy, Michelle Fletcher. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Ateam of high endurance
NC SPORTS RESULTS
By JOHN COSGROVE
Petria Haigh’s ambition thisracing
season is not to get lost and to make
the transtasman horseendurance
racing team.
‘‘I wasinsecond place at the
Easter Nationals thisyear whenI
misread adirectionmarker. I
endedupnearly five kilometres
away from where Iwas supposed
to be and lost two places,soInever
want to make that mistake again,’’
she says.
The 23­year­oldEyrewell­based
endurance rider competes in longdistance
horse riding endurance
events ranging from20kilometres
to 160km.
‘‘They are alot of fun and
require you and the horse to work
as one.’’
The formatfor an endurance
horserace can cover up to 40km
laps around adefined course.
At the end of each lap, the horse
must passcompulsory vet
examinations.
Petria says they lookclosely at
the gait, heart rate,hydration, gut
sounds and generalappearance.
‘‘If any one of these is not right
you're out.Ifall are okaythen they
allowyou to do another lap.’’
The welfare of the horse is
paramount and whenalap is
finished the ridersenter a
strapping area where they, and the
strapper, coolthe horse down and
get its heartbeattoslow.
‘‘It’s avery stressful time as the
clockdoesn't stop in there, if it
takesalong time to get your
All set ... Petria Haigh and her
mount Najah, ready for anew
endurance horse racing season.
Petria is holding the buckle she won
racing in the Tom Quilty Gold Cup
Australian Endurance Nationals.
PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE
mount’s heart ratedown you can
be passed by afollowing rider.’’
The clock stops once the vet
examinesthe horse and then
teams get a40­minutebreak to rest
before heading out for another lap
if all is okay.
Long­distance racescan often
take over 15 hours to compete.
Petria is preparing for her first
race of the 2023/24 season this
weekend in Ashburton after
campaigning for the past five
months in Australia.
‘‘It will be agood chancetotry
out my new mountMagic and
renew my racingbond with
Najah.’’
Najah,a16­year­old Arabian
enduranceracing horse, and
Petria, are in their fourth season
ridingtogether.
In 2022 the duo won the 100km
Canterbury and South Island
Championship titles, were fourth
place at the nationals at Easter and
the Canterbury EnduranceClubs
rider of the year. Theywerealso
secondoverall in New Zealand for
the horseand rider of the year
pointscompetition.
While in Australia, Petriarode
for several teams, one owned by a
descendent of the family that owns
Mars Bars.
‘‘Bothteams werevery
professional, the Oso Arabian
Horse Stud wereastrongracing
team and Irodethreeraces for
them, then Iworked at ariding
schoolwhich empowers young
riders.’’
She says racing in Australia is
very different fromNew Zealand.
‘‘Races there are serious team
events. Iwas shocked on my first
race with nearly200 other
competitors all jostling for position
at the start line.Imissed the cue to
start and followed them off.’’
She says hereendurance racing
fieldsare alot smaller, but she gets
to rideover someofthe most
beautiful scenery in the world
compared to the dirtroads she
raced on in Australia.
The daughterofformer national
speedway champion and atwo­star
rated endurance horse racer Allan
Haigh,Petria saysshe wouldn't
mind havingagobehind the wheel
of one of the mini­stocksone day.
Rangiora Bridge Club
Pocock Pairs: North/South: Heather Waldron/Colleen Adam 1,
Noreen Thompson/Veronica Hall2,Judith Calder/David
Rainey 3. E/W: Liz Duke/Barry Smart 1, Lorraine Proffit/Pam
MacAllister 2, Gaynor Hurford/Dawn Simpson 3.
Spring Pairs: N/S: Lyn Edwards/Sue McIlroy 1, Robyn Dawson/
Joyce Gray 2, Jan Roose/Judith Driver 3. E/W: Dawn Simpson/
Gaynor Hurford 1, Alison Price/Derek Wilson2,Jenny Hassall/
Jill Amer 3.
Junior Evening :N/S: Diane Graham/Trish Warnes 1and Gay
Saunders/Debra Wilson equal 1, Ellis Sanders/Judy McIver 3.
E/W: Denis Milne/Gerard McRae 1, Murray Messervy/Tim
Marshall 2, Carol Creamer/Helen Creamer 3.
Premier Pairs:N/S: Jim Knight/Ken Fox 1, Hilary Lakeman/
Jill Amer 2, Owen Evans/Tony Biddington 3. E/W: Jenny Story/
Peter Story 1, GaynorHurford/Dawn Simpson2,Nancy Harris/
Maggie Johnston 3.
Rangiora 9­hole golf
Putting: Men: Ron Reed 15 c/b, 1; Hudson Dean 15 c/b, 2; John
Gardner 15 c/b,3;Ralph Sinclair 15 c/b, 4.
Women: Catherine Boddy 13, 1; Diane Sinclair 15 c/b, 2; Rita
Moore 15, c/b, 3.
Amberley Golf Club
Melbourne Cup winner: H Murray, KGussettee +6, DBanton
+3, DVan Turnhout +3, M Hedges +3,RDenby +3, SHeslop
+2, J Cumming +2, J Reardon +1, PWylie +1,RHornblow +1,
BYates 0.
Excel Design Build Longest Putt: WVan Zuylen.
Mid Week Men: SHarnett 40, GWayne 39, BBalderstone 39, A
Genet 38, KGussettee 38, DFlewellen 38.
Mid Week Women: 4BBB: SWiddowson and RLester 49
Longest Putt: J Cumming.
9Holers: MCarpenter 31, IPettigrew 34.
Women: PMander 30, VCrooks 33.
Amberley Bridge Club
Monday Evening: JanRoose &JanenneCumming 1, Douschka
&Tim Saunders 2, Shula Guse &Sarah Hughes­Games 3.
Thursday Afternoon: N/S:Irene Carson &Mary Warren 1,
Judith Driver &
Jan Roose 2, Douschka Saunders &Nell McKellow 3. E/W
Nancy Hassall &HughBradbury 1, Nola McKissock &Diane
Watson 2, Grant Mangin &Ian
Pettigrew 3.
PROUDLYSUPPORTING LOCALSPORT
RANGIORA