from stuff.co.nz (dated 20mar11)

Katie McVean has provided a fairytale finish to the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings by winning the $200,000 Olympic Cup after beating Australian Jamie Kermond in a jumpoff.

The Waikato horsewoman and defending champion rode 11-year-old imported NRM Seremonie VDL to her third Olympic Cup victory today, and within an hour of hoisting the trophy she was on a plane for a World Cup show in Holland this week.

Eighteen started the class, with just 11 with 12 faults or less coming back for the first round.

As the faults mounted for the New Zealand riders it started to look increasingly like the showjumper of the year title, and the $40,000 winner's cheque, would be crossing the Tasman with any one of the eight Australian combinations still in contention.

The last to go was Australian 21-year-old Danielle Butcher aboard Twins Big Higgs, who produced the only clear of the round, but picked up three time faults for her caution.

The best performed of the New Zealanders in the first round was McVean on Seremonie, sitting on eight faults. Ahead of her were Australians Butcher on three faults, Billy Raymont on Stardom and Jamie Kermond on Colthaga with four apiece, and Julia Hargreaves aboard Vedor on five.

The second round saw McVean go clear with just a single time fault, as did Raymont on the New Zealand-owned Nicalette NZP.

Butcher had three rails down and picked up four time faults to knock her out of contention.

When all the faults were tallied Kermond on Colthaga and McVean were tied on nine faults, forcing a jumpoff.

McVean was out first and looked to be on track until three from home when she took a rail.

Kermond watched her go and came out with a clear mind and it looked for all money as if the cup was his until the last fence.

Seremonie's owner Wendy Keddell and the horse's usual rider Ike Unsworth, who broke his hand three weeks ago, were overwhelmed.

Olympian McVean only found out she was riding the horse on the first day of the show.

"She's quite a different ride to my horses," she said.

"She's a lot more European and it's taken a couple of days to adjust as she's quite strong."

Adjust she did and for the second consecutive year McVean won the most prestigious showjumping trophy in New Zealand.

Kermond was philosophical about dropping the last rail.

"It's heartbreaking not to win but fantastic considering where we have come from over the last few months," he said.

Nine-year-old Colthaga had had a small injury which limited her build-up competition before the show.

Earlier, Christchurch's Brad Cunningham set a time of one minute 17.12 seconds to win the speed horse of the year title. Tess Williams, of Gisborne, on Alltech Walnut Brown was left to rue a dropped rail that saw them slip into second place.

Hamilton's Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General rode a beautifully judged clear round in the showjumping phase of the eventing to give her the win in the three-star, nudging out World Equestrian Games team bronze medallist Clarke Johnstone, of Cambridge, and Orient Express.

In dressage, Vanessa Way, of Taranaki, won the grand prix horse of the year title with KH Arvan.