North Canterbury News: April 18, 2024

28 North
RURAL LIFE
Canterbury News, April 18, 2024
Victorious ... The Kaiapoi Pony Club team which took home the 2019 Springston Trophy.
New equine course
BySHELLEY TOPP
A world­class equine cross­country course
is being established at the Rangiora A&P
Showground for the 2024 Springston
Trophy in October.
The course has been designed by
Rangiora’s Cam Robertson, asenior
international eventing coursedesigner, for
the North Canterbury Pony Club’s event.
Cam has competed as an international
eventing rider, and he has also
experienced Springston Trophy success as
arider when he was amember of the
Eyreton Pony Club’s 2014 winning team at
Middlemarch in Otago.
He has been involved with ponyclub for
most of his life, is still riding andcompeting
when he can, and is enjoyingbeing able to
give back to the sport by being part of the
North Canterbury Pony Club’s event.
The new Rangiora coursewill start and
finish on the polo field, and loop through
the North Canterbury Riding For the
Disabled paddocks.
It will be 2.5 kilometres long, with 19
numbered fences includingthree with
configured jumps with atotal of 25 efforts
—defined as any obstacle that requires a
horse to jump over it. It will also include a
spectacular new water jump.
The course will be used for the first time
at the event, and will be fenced off before
then to prevent North Canterbury riders
from gaining an unfair advantage during
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
the competition.
Cam says he is hoping that the new
coursewill help generate excitement for
the event, similar to that at famous English
horse trials, such as Badminton or
Burghley.
‘‘It is ahigh adrenaline, entertaining
spectator sport, and there will be plenty of
places around the course to get a
spectacular view of the competition,’’ he
says.
The Springston Trophy is the largest
ponyclub three­day eventing competition
in the southernhemisphere. Pony clubs
from Picton to Invercargill are invited to
enter teams of six riders, ages ranging from
from 25 to as young as six, to compete in
dressage, cross country and showjumping.
Between 30­40 teams are expected to enter
the event.
North Canterbury Pony Club’s
Springston Trophy organising committee
chairman Geoff Spark says the club’s vision
is to deliver aquality event which will
showcase North Canterburyand the
‘‘awesome facilities’’ at the Rangiora
showground.
‘‘We expect about 800 people including
riders,supportersand officials to attend
with extra public spectatorsespecially on
cross­country day. The club includes the
Amberley, Belfast, Eyreton, Kaiapoi,
Okuku, Oxford, Rangioraand View Hill
ponyclubs so it really is atrue North
Canterbury event.’’
Plans to reduce emissions
The a2 Milk Company, ANZ Bank New
Zealand and ASB Bank are the latest big
names toget behind AgriZeroNZ and its
effortstoequip Kiwi farmers with tools
to reduce emissions.
Announcing the new shareholders at
an event at Parliament last week
MinisterofAgriculture and Trade, Todd
McClay, also confirmedthe Government
would match the new private sector
contributions dollar­for­dollar,
bolstering the AgriZeroNZ fund by $18
million.
AgriZeroNZ Director Fraser
Whineraysays the move strengthens the
joint venture’s focus on supporting
farmers and securing the agricultural
sector’s future.
‘‘New Zealand farmers are highly
efficient producers of grass­fed milk
and meat and they work hard to keep
our economy going, but global
customers, trade partners and lenders
are demanding more in emissions
reduction.
‘‘Our partnership was set up to deliver
astep change in investment to get
emissions reduction tools into farmers’
hands so we can meet these targets and
maintain market access.
‘‘I’m pleased more of the private
sector is joining us to back farmers —
reinforcing our ambition and
demonstrating their commitment to
ensuring farmers can reduce emissions
and maintain their competitive edge on
the world stage,’’ Mr Whineray says.
The new shareholders join ANZCO,
Fonterra,Rabobank,Ravensdown,
Silver Fern Farms and Synlait with the
government retaining 50 per cent
ownership through the Ministry for
Primary Industries. This takes
AgriZeroNZ’s total funds to $183 million
over its first four years.
‘‘The addition of more banks reflects a
growing emphasis on sustainable
finance and sends astrong message that
the finance industry is actively
supporting farmers to achieve real
progress,’’ Mr Whineraysays.
‘‘Welcoming the a2 Milk Company also
widens the dairy base, so almost all
farmers are now connected to us. This
will be key tosupport uptake of
emissions reduction tools on all New
Zealand farms.’’
It is hoped that amethane vaccine for
ruminant animals will be one of these
tools, with Kiwi scientists having
worked on its development since 2007,
achieving many world­leading
discoveries.
The vaccine research has been led by
AgResearch and funded by the Pastoral
Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium
(PGGRC), New Zealand Agricultural
Greenhouse Gas Research Centre
(NZAGRC), Ministry for Primary
Industries and Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment.
Mr McClay revealed anew way
forward for this important work, with
AgriZeroNZ to establish anew methane
vaccine venture.
This will roll up more than 15 years of
pioneering research into one entity, to
support astronger focus on vaccine
development, and attract international
funding to help deliver aworld­first
solution to market.
This follows AgriZeroNZ's earlier
commitment of up to $1.5 million into
the methane vaccine development
programme while it explored ways to
accelerate it.
‘‘A methane vaccine is highly soughtafter
as alow cost, high­impact solution
to reduce agricultural emissions, and
Kiwi scientists have done some groundbreaking
work in this space over the
years.
‘‘We're confident this new venture
will significantly boost their work and
help get the vaccine into farmers’ hands
sooner,’’ Mr Whineray says.
AgriZeroNZ is now investing an
additional $1 million to setup the new
venture which will operate as a
standalone entity, but continue to be cofunded
by the joint venture.
The event at Parliament was attended
by up to 130 policy makers and
agricultural sector representatives. It
marked one year since the unique
public­private partnership was
launched on February 1, 2023.
To date it has committed more than
$22 million to accelerate development
of emission reduction tools for pasturebased
farms. This includes funding for a
methane inhibiting bolus, novel
probiotics, New Zealand research for a
methane vaccine and inhibitor, and
construction of agreenhouse gas testing
facility.
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