Dunedin’s controversial cross country course opened at Wingatui race course over the weekend. Organised by the Taieri District Pony Club, the two-day opening event attracted more than 170 riders from Otago, Southland and Canterbury, who braved frost bite to compete.

The controversy over the nearly $500,000 grant saw an investigation into claims that the grant was used as a front for racing interests.

However the club was cleared of any wrong doing and the opening of the new cross country course went ahead. 

Former Olympian Mathew Grayling, whose home bred steed also won Burghley, this year with William Fox Pit on board, was at the event to open, and show  the brand new cross country course off to the public.

And in other equestrian news, the expected dual between friendly rivals Maurice Beaston and defending champion Katie McVean, in the second leg of the Bomac World Cup, at Kihikihi over the weekend, saw a surprise turn in events.

Kumeu’s Lisa Coupe and My Ocean Wave took on the wet conditions, was one of the few combinations to make a clear round, and took their first Bomac FEI World Cup points, in the second round of the series.

Coupe and her 12 year old gelding had the jump on the 14 other talented combinations and also snatched the Gavin Pike Memorial Trophy.

The winner of the series will represent New Zealand at s-Hertongenbosch in the Netherlands in April next year.

These results come hard on the heels of last week’s news that New Zealand’s dressage riders had qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

It is the first time New Zealand has qualified a dressage team for an Olympic Games.