Fitzgerald, Crake, Belsham, Williamson Win 2025 New Zealand Dressage Championships (2025)

Wendi Williamson renewed her title as national Grand Prix champion at the 2025 New Zealand Dressage Championships held at the national equestrian center in Taupo on 18 - 22 March 2025.

The Championships for juniors, young riders and senior Grand Prix riders were contested at CDI level, while the FEI level division was at CDN level. The event was also comprised of the young horse championships which were won bySWE Furstin Light, Southcote Dominic, and Shall We Dance AH.

Taupo saw over 180 riders and horses competing on the weekend of the Nationals andcame hard on the heels of new zealand's second biggest dressage event of the year, the Horse of the Year competition in Hastings at the beginning of March.

Big Tour: Williamson On Top

The annual New Zealand Dressage Championships represent the crowning point of thecompetition season for dressage in the country. Unfortunately this year the big tour championship saw only two riders compete.

Fresh from winning the Horse of the Year show in Hastings and last year's National champion Wendi Williamson reigned supreme, booking a trio of wins on the weekend aboard Don Vito MH (by Don Frederico x Anamour). She bested the Grand Prix with 70.022%, the Special with 68.745% and the Kur to Music with 71.825%.

Wendi is currently chasing scores that will enable her to represent New Zealand in Aachen, Germany at the2026 World Championships. For Williamson it was a weekend full of wins in Taupo as she also won the Elementary Championship on Furst Klasse MH (by Furstenball x Totilas) and the Advanced Medium championship on Danseur MH (by Dancier x Anamour).

The runner-up and silver medal winner was New Zealand 2022 WEG team rider Gaylene Lennard, who returned to international showing after a two year break. Her top horse in the barn, the 15-year old NZ warmblood Jax Johnson (by Johnson x Anamour), last showed in Taupo in March 2023. The duo made a CDI come back exactly years later, first in Hastings at the Horse of the Year Show, followed by the Nationals in Taupo.

Lennard and Jax Johnson scored 68.435% in the Grand Prix, 68.213% in the Special and 70.51% in the freestyle.

Small and Medium Tour

The small and medium tour championship was contested at national level.

Professional Vanessa Way grabbed the medium tour champion's title for her rides on Furst Rock DW; a 10-year old bay Rhinelander gelding by Furst Romancier x Royston Rockstar. The duo bested a field of five competitors and won three times. They scored 70.50% in the Inter A, 67.10% in the Inter B and 73.20% in the Inter A/B Kur. Way also grabbed the reserve title on the 9-year old NZ Hanoverian mare Jolie DW (by Johnson x Quattro B).

At small tour level there were no less than 13 pairs competiting and it wasAmy Sage on the 10-year old NZ Hanoverian Sinatra SW (by Sir Donnerhall x Don Frederico) who moved into the winner's circle after a hattrick. They won the Prix St Georges with 68.80%, the Intermediaire I with 68.30% and the Inter I kur with 70.10%. Angela Lloyd and Philippa Wessels's 16-year old TB cross bred Airthrey Roll X (by Airthrey Highlander x About Time) were the reserve champions

Youth: Crake and Belsham

Four riders competed in the junior division at international level and it was Piper Crake on the 11-year old NZ Hanoverian Georgia MH (by Gymnastik Star x River Dance) who took home the overall title. The duo placed second in the team test with 66.00% and topped the board in the individual (68.70%) and Kur (70.80%).

Another four riders contested the Young Riders division at international level and HOY Young Rider of the Year Samantha Belsham continued her winning streak aboard the 9-year old NZ warmblood Dolcetto II (by Donnerubin x Distelfink). She won all three rounds with 66.80% in the team test, 68.80% in the individual and 72.40% in the Freestyle. Her black gelding is bred byMarianne Paton-Sentch and the rider co-owns the horse with her mother Wendy.Belsham is daughter of BMW racing driverAnt Belsham and based in Cambridge.

Pony Riders: Paige Fitzgerald Wins

Four combinations competed in the FEI pony division, held at national level.

PaigeFitzgerald and her 13-year old cross bred Greenmoor Euphoria (byWillowcroft Regal Emblem x Maxwellton Woody Woodpecker) grabbed the title after three wins. She posted 68.00% in the team test, 69.20% in the individual test and 71.10% in the Kur to Music. Her pony gelding is a riding pony x anglo arab cross bred by V. Weston. Fitzgerald is based in Christchurch and too a big haul of winnings back down to south island on the ferry.

The silver medal went to runners-up for the title Katy Payne and the 16-year old Welsh bred Dragonbach Master Rielly (byHundalee Cyrus x Eelah Executor). She was second in the team test (66.90%) and individual (66.20%) and fourth in the freestyle 66.60%) to finish second overall.

Photos ©Libby Law

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