Whanganui rider Rebecca Benge at NZ Mounted Games aiming for clean sweep of open titles

Whanganui riders continue to feature among the elite group at national level of the New Zealand Mounted Games.

Former Whanganui High School student, Rebecca Benge, 20, only needs the national individual title to hold all three trophies in the open grade after winning the open teams and open pairs in Hastings last week. Benge won the open pairs title with partner Olivia Brookes (Hawke's Bay) riding Briar.

Normally the national pairs and teams events are held in conjunction with the Horse of the Year showcase in Hawke's Bay, but with HOY cancelled because of Covid-19 this season, the Mounted Games was held as a stand-alone event.

The national individual competition will also be held as a stand-alone event as it traditionally is over Easter weekend, this year in Cambridge.

If Benge is successful in adding the open individual title to her tally at Easter this season, she will hold all three major open trophies on offer.

Meanwhile, fellow Whanganui club member Hayden O'Leary finished third in the open team event, after a jump-off with another team following a dead-heat for second.

O'Leary's younger sister Elena O'Leary finished third in the under-17 pairs and under-17 teams.

Iain Hyndman
Whanganui Chronicle 19/3/21