World Cup Showjumping final to be held in Taranaki

Hāwera will saddle up and become the centre of New Zealand horse riding this weekend when Taranaki hosts the World Cup Showjumping final for the first time.

But it will be a very different event to the one planned before the country moved to the Covid-19 red traffic light setting at 11.59pm on Sunday.

‘‘We can definitely run,’’ said Taranaki Equestrian Jumping chairperson Tanya Hansen. ‘‘We have got good support from Equestian Sport New Zealand to run it and we are still definitely going to go ahead.’’

But they and Equestrian Sports NZ, the sport’s governing body, were now looking to see how the event would work when it comes to the Egmont A&P Showgrounds between tomorrow and Sunday. Vaccination certificates would required. Originally, about 600 people and 500 horses from all over the country were expected to take part.

The final had been staged at Woodhill Sands in Auckland, and Hansen admitted the committee was taken aback to have been given the opportunity.

Last year, Taranaki Equestrian Jumping hosted the North Island Championships at the showgrounds, and Hansen said the committee had decided to try to go one bigger.

‘‘We really did not think we would get this. It’s something that has been in Auckland for some time, so for it to come to Taranaki is really cool.’’

The committee had been planning for change since the prime minister’s announcement last week that the country would move to red within 24 to 48 hours of evidence showing Omicron spreading in the community.

Hansen said they had hosted events in the past under Covid-19 rules and could do so again. ‘‘We’re pretty determined to show them that we can put on a good show.’’

The World Cup final will start at 4.30pm on Saturday, with the winner invited to represent New Zealand at the World Cup final in Germany.