McVean takes final, McIntosh series

It promised to be a battle of the ladies in the World Cup final New Zealand series and Katie McVean and Samantha McIntosh didn’t disappoint at Woodhill Sands, in Auckland yesterday.

McVean ( Mystery Creek) – a three- time series winner – won the final on Dunstan Springfield, with McIntosh ( Cambridge) taking the series at the Waitemata World Cup final festival.

Eleven riders started the prestigious class, with just three going clear in the first round – McVean on Dunstan Springfield, McIntosh on Estina ( owned by Lakeridge Equestrian) and Logan Massie ( Dannevirke) on Kiwi Ludo ( owned by Annette Scott and Massie).

Eight came back for the second round over the Gerrit Bekerdesigned course, in which McVean was the only one to leave everything up for the double clear and victory.

She and the big rangy chestnut won the penultimate round last weekend in difficult windy conditions, and made short work of a big and challenging course yesterday.

‘‘ He was just awesome,’’ said McVean of the horse who is known as Bart at home, and was one she had to be convinced to take from breeder Sarah Milne. ‘‘ He was pretty ugly as a baby.’’ But he has grown into a star and his win yesterday was just his third World Cup start.

‘‘ I have been very careful with him. He is still only young and has heaps of jumping left in him.’’

Her original plan to take him to Canada in the coming winter has been shelved for a year as McVean and Jackson Laurie prepare for the arrival of their first child.

McVean was also third on Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark ( owned by June Berrington), a horse who is surely due for some good fortune.

‘‘ I went fast in the second round with him to put the pressure on the others and he had an unlucky rail . . . one day it will all come together for him, I am sure.’’

Meanwhile, series winner McIntosh was just as pleased with the efforts of her two horses, despite opting not to bring back Argento for the second round.

‘‘ I wanted to concentrate on Estina, and it proved the right thing to do,’’ she said.

Throughout the six rounds, McIntosh and her horses haven’t finished worse than fourth. All but one set of the points came from Estina, a mare who has grown into herself this season.

‘‘ She is just so much more settled and is working with me a lot more . . . it all takes time.’’

As winner of the New Zealand series, McIntosh has the opportunity to ride at the world final, which is in Lyon, France, in April.

However, it is unlikely the former Olympian and World Champs representative will go.

‘‘ The horses just haven’t had enough indoor mileage, and it is probably just a season too early for them . . . it is a tough call though but I just think it is asking too much.’’

She knows what she is talking about – McIntosh rode at the 2000 world final in Las Vegas for Bulgaria and finished 13th. She had won the Central European League and took Royal Discovery to the United States for the final. ‘‘ It was a great experience.’’ To win the New Zealand series is very special to this full- time rider.

‘‘ I didn’t set out thinking I could win the series, but the further we got, the more it became another goal for me.’’

She was full of praise for the course and the grounds at the show yesterday. ‘‘ It’s been a fantastic show,’’ she said.