Youngster Reins in North Island Driving Championship
(Article taken from a North Island Newspaper)
Jennifer Weal caused a boilover winning the open under 128cm class at the North Island Combined Driving Championships.
The Te Awamutu College 5th former's performance was remarkable over the three days of competition run by the New Zealand Carriage Driving Society at the Taupo Equestrian Centre.
Not only was Jennifer (15) the youngest driver in her class, she had the youngest groom (11 year old Emma Trillo of Tamahere) and the oldest pony. Ascot Lilly is a rising 23 year old part bred Welsh pony.
Jennifer was placed second in both the dressage and marathon phases and won the cones to be overall winner of her class.
It is a rare occurrence for a junior driver to win an open class event at this level, particularly one experiencing only the second combined drive she has driven in.
Carriage driving is in the teenager's blood.
She has been her mother Yvonne's groom since she was five, along with anyone else who can get hold of her to groom.
Yvonne Weal won the North Island 128cm and under open class championship with Greenlee Easter Delight in 1997.
Carriage driving is run under the same format as three day eventing - dressage, marathon (cross country) and cones (showjumping).
Yvonne and her husband Lloyd have hosted the Waikato Horse Drawn Vehicle Combined Drive on their Kakepuku Road property for the past two years. |
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What a great article and it is so great to see some new young talent emerging here in New Zealand. This is something our Society desperately needs to keep going for the next 20 years.
STOP PRESS: Jennifer is going to the Dilmah International Carriage Classic at Ellmore in November to compete and I hear she has been offered 'Wally" to drive. Great news and I am sure everyone will be right behind her and wish Jennifer every success.
Margaret Miller
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