Cyclone Lusi is already making her presence felt in Hawke’s Bay with the cancellation of Showjumping's Holy Grail.

Kevin Hansen made the announcement this afternoon. The event was to be held on Sunday at the beautiful Church Road Winery.

"It is a huge disappointment, but the adverse weather conditions predicted over the weekend mean the event has had to be called off," said Hansen. "This isn’t a decision we have taken lightly, but the health and safety of our riders and horses comes first."

The event was to be the first leg of the Mitavite Trans Tasman Teams competition, but that will now be decided in a winner-takes-all during the Hawke’s Bay Today Friday Night Extravaganza.

It was also to be the first glimpse New Zealanders would have of the world champion showjumper Philippe Le Jeune, who is in the country for the Horse of the Year Show. He will be competing throughout next week’s show in all the main events.

Cyclone Lusi is forecast to be gone before HOY starts on Tuesday, ensuring a week of top quality competition across 19 disciplines. More than 2600 horses and riders are expected in Hawke’s Bay for one of the biggest sporting celebrations in the Southern Hemisphere.