Olympian Kallista Field has dominated Advanced level at Horse of the Year for the past three years. This year it was her mother’s turn to win the big sash and title – with Kallista delegated to the role of groom. Mum Sharon Field (Pahiatua) headed off a classy field to take the Level 5 Horse of the Year Championship, on Waimoana FE, out of Kallista’s Olympic mare Waikare.

Having competed at Horse of the Year Show since the 1980’s, Sharon Field is delighted at the win and planned to head straight back to the truck, where a huge group of friends waited to toast her with champagne. “I’m over the moon. I love riding her. This is our first HOY together and I just can’t believe it actually. “In fact it’s the first championship rug she has won. We’ve just taken things slowly with her. All the other horses I trained like Mosaic and Waikare were Grand Prix by the time they were seven. Waimoana is eight and has needed more time than the others – but she’s very exciting and a very confident mare now.”

Having bred Waimoana at their Pahiatua Stud, Field says she knew the chestnut mare was something special the minute she was born. “I’ve waited for this horse a long time.” It was a clear cut win, with Field winning today’s Level 5 Musical Freestyle decisively on 70.50%. Andrea Bank (Auckland) and her stallion Doringcourt had to settle for second place on 66.94%, with young rider Caitlin Benzie (Auckland) and Greendowns Laredo pulling off a smooth ride to take third spot on 66%, just a fraction of a second behind the vastly more experienced top two riders. The placings remained the same for the overall Championship line up, with Field retaining her strong lead and Bank finishing as Reserve Champion.

Level 5 Horse of the Year Champion – Sharon Field, Waimoana FE Reserve Champion – Andrea Bank, Doringcourt