Emily Hayward celebrates following her win Photo: Cornege Photography

 

A quietly-spoken teenager thrust off-the-track thoroughbreds into the spotlight recently when she won the coveted Olympic Cup as the New Zealand Showjumper of the Year at the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show.

 

Emily Hayward and Belischi headed home a super-strong field to take the honours after a gruelling three rounds of jumping up to 1.6m in height. But the nine-year-old Aussie import isn’t the first thoroughbred this very accomplished young showjumper has had. Add AP Ninja, Delicious and Eve to the line-up as well.

 

Ninja was the first one. He was bred to race but didn’t see duty and was certainly a handful from the start. She bought the 12-year-old from Jesse Linton and Noni Morgan in Hawke’s Bay. By AP Ruler and out of Office Affair (by Secretariat) he was always pretty hot but Emily got quite the tune out of him, twice winning the New Zealand grand prix series and placing numerous times in the FEI World Cup (NZ) qualifiers. “He can be a bit of a handful at times but once you hop on him he knows his job . . . you gotta love him,” says the 19-year-old who has also had plenty of success winning show hunter Horse of the Year titles and national series crowns with a string of horses. “Some days when I got on him I did wonder what I was doing but it is all about forming a bond and understanding how their brain works. It’s sorting out what makes them tick. They are just who they are and you have to accept that . . . once you do, you realise they are easier to get to. I feel sometimes a warmblood can put up a bit of a wall and are harder to break down, but thoroughbreds are far more of an open book.”

 

Aussie import Belischi was the next thoroughbred to join the stable. She’s had the nine-year-old three years and had plenty of success, including winning a World Cup qualifier on him. “He wasn’t an amazing racehorse but he had the odd prize.” His speedy genes have certainly paid off in the showjumping arena. “I definitely always have the advantage of speed on my side but he’s not your typical thoroughbred,” she says.

 

Belischi started his showjumping career with Australian Olympian Peter McMahon and Emily, a part time dairy farmer, had seen him competing across the Tasman. “Belischi is probably the calmest one I’ve had.”

 

Delicious was another one but unfortunately injury forced the little chestnut early into the mare’s herd. “That was gutting,” said Emily of the youngster she got from Sheena Ross.

 

And now there’s baby Eve who shares the same sire as Delicious in Indy King. “She’s just four and very sensitive but a quick learner so it will be interesting to see how far she goes.”

 

Emily is adamant thoroughbreds have a lot bigger heart than your average warmblood. “I guess it is the amount of energy they have and sure they can have a bit of heat, but that can be both a blessing and a curse. You have to be able to contain the energy but at the same time they will always have more going than a warmblood and go longer at a show.”

 

Winning the Olympic Cup highlighted that as New Zealand’s best combinations were tested by world class course designer Werner Deeg (Germany). “I felt Belischi had the talent to do this but I didn’t necessarily think it would be this soon. It still hasn’t really sunk in.” The win is massive for the teen who lives on her father John Hayward’s dairy farm between Cambridge and Te Awamutu. “Winning that just opens so many doors to me as a rider and as someone trying to make a business out of horses.”

 

She plans to take Belischi to compete in Australia over the winter months. “I will probably just stick to 1.3m-1.35m to get mileage and more experience so when he comes back here he will be fit and ready to go.”

 

She’s always on the lookout for new horses but says funding it herself means she’s always cautious. “Every horse is so different and you just need to work out what is best for them.”

 

It was a good Horse of the Year Show for Emily, who also won back-to-back Young Rider of the Year titles aboard Yandoo Lady Gold.

 

She is grateful for the support she receives from so many in the showjumping fraternity as well as from her family. “All the older riders give us (the younger riders) advice and little tips . . . it all helps.”

 

Emily is hesitant to single out riders she admires, saying anyone who is “up there” has a different story and has worked hard to get there.”

 

Long term she would dearly love to ride for New Zealand at an Olympic or World Champs level but in her usual self-effacing way she prefers to take a low approach. “I just take it all a day at a time . . . you never know what is around the corner.”