Riders compete in teams
Ka¯ piti Riding Club hosted the North Island Teams Event (NITE) at Foxton Racecourse in early January.
The club chose 2020 to host this event because the father of two of its members, the late Brian Pyke, was instrumental in starting the New Zealand Riding Club 40 years ago.
Ka¯ piti Riding Club is one of the 42 membership clubs affiliated to the New Zealand Riding Club.
NITE is held every January at venues in the North Island. Teams of adult riders competed over two days.
In the latest event there were 16 teams with riders from all over the North Island.
There were six phases to the competition — quadrille, riding club mount, mounted games and three jumping competitions.
Teams are made of four to six riders and four riders compete in each phase.
Ribbons are presented in each phase as well as overall placings.
NITE 2020 overall winners were Le Trec Wellington Team with KRC Happi Hippies team coming sixth.
“The other two Ka¯ piti Riding Club teams also did their club proud with placings in several of the phases including the quadrille, where the riders dress to a theme and ride patterns as a group of four to music,” club treasurer Valerie Ballinger said.
In this phase of Ka¯ piti Working Girls placed fourth, and Happi Hippies placed fifth.
“The objective of NITE is to promote a safe, fun, and friendly atmosphere centred around team effort, and encouraging confidence, riding skills and horsemanship for all.”