On 10 June the club hosted an evening of equine nutrition with Robyn Mauger from Hygain/Mitavite.  There was an emphasis on feeding for good health during the winter season and keeping diets affordable.  Also covered were mycotoxins and their effects on horses with advice on when and how to effectively minimise their impact.  Fifteen equine lovers attended this session.
Thanks to Patricia Hayden-Payne for assisting with this session.

Ten riders caught a lucky break in the weather to enjoy a ride around the Wai-iti loop on Sunday 21 June.  After putting the world to rights and spending time out with their equine companion they then enjoyed a cuppa, cookie, and chat back at base.

After a weather-related postponement, the sun shone and the wind stayed away for our Cowboy Challenge event on Sunday 10 May at Rough Island Equestrian Park.  

In the morning competitors had the opportunity to practice the obstacles and finetune their skills.  During the lunchbreak the new round arena was officially opened by Councilor Jo Ellis and representatives of the Rough Island Equestrian Park Board.

Competitive rounds started at 1pm with judges Clem and Emma scoring competitors' efforts at each obstacle.  With a time limit of 45 seconds combinations were assessed on calmness and responsiveness of horse along with good horsemanship.

Check out the stunning photos taken throughout the day by Helen Power Photography.  
Nelson Cowboy Challenge: May 2026 by Helen Power Equine Photography

The placegetters were;
"Not My First Rodeo"
1st Margie 140 
2nd Julie 132.5 
3rd Liz 127.5 
4th Tina 125.5 

"Yellowstone Made Me Do It"
1st Jennifer 138 
2nd Janna 134.5
3rd Kuri 134
4th Kate 132.5 

Thank you to everyone who supported the club by coming along to the event.  

The sun shone and we got the toys out of the shed for a play.  There was an impressive show of skills as ponies and people worked through each of the obstacles. It was lovely to see some new combinations out getting to know each other.  

The Nelson Tasman Riding Club year got off to a great start with a lovely farm ride on Cozens Road in Dovedale.  There was a fantastic turnout, and it was great to see so many out with their equine partners.

Stunning weather ensured great views across the surrounding countryside.

Thanks to the Peters family to allowing access to their farm and for assisting with the ride.

Such a lovely fun time riding through the Tasman View hills on Saturday for the club's annual Christmas Ride and Quiz.  Great turnout and so lovely to see regular and new riders coming along with their equine partners
Huge thanks to Patricia for hosting us; organising for us to ride through her property and neighbours; feeding us; and creating such a fun and challenging quiz.  Congratulations to Emma, this years winner of the quiz. 

Sunday November 9th - Club day Introduction to Show Hunter RIEP 
What a great session with our local show hunter expert judge and course builder Pauline Webby learning all things showhunter!

The day started unmounted with pearls of wisdom on what SH strives to do, how to ride the perfect course, and how to set the horse and rider up to succeed.  We then set up a simple course together, looking at the design for horse and rider so we know what to practice at home and how to approach show day.

Showjumping and CowBoy Challenge
What a great day out at Rough Island with competitors enjoying the opportunity to jump and to complete a Cowboy Challenge course.  We're looking a running a similar session in March so keep an eye on the website for details.

🌩️ Riders on the Storm – South Island Teams Event, Kaiapoi 2025 🌩️
 
What an unforgettable weekend for "Riders on the Storm" at the South Island Teams Event in Kaiapoi! True to our name, we were almost kept away by wild weather — storms rolled through both before and after the event, threatening to stop us from getting there and from leaving! But with teamwork, determination, and plenty of laughter, we made it — and it was absolutely worth it.
 
Between one truck, two cars, a horse float, five horses, and six people, we travelled in true team style, complete with laughter, logistics, and just the right amount of organised chaos. I was lucky to spend it with Susanne, Guinny, Emma, Georgie, and our super-groom Anu, who kept everything running smoothly and everyone smiling.
 
We loved camping together and soaking up the atmosphere. Our horses added to the entertainment — with a few cheeky escapes and amusing dramas that kept things lively and reminded us why we adore them.
 
The highlights were endless: getting to know some amazing people even better, watching everyone’s partnerships with their horses grow, and feeling proud of achieving a calm and happy horse across nine different disciplines. The blue tutus and sparkly costumes on day two were the icing on the cake!
 
The organisation was outstanding, and the horsemanship and sportsmanship shown by all the other teams from across the South Island were truly inspiring. The whole event had such a friendly, positive vibe — it was impossible not to have a great time.
 
Our team results out of 11 teams:
🏅 Dressage – 6th
🏅 Riding Club Mount – 4th
🏅 Showcross – 6th
🏅 Jigsaw Show Jumping – 5th
🏅 Games – 3rd
🏅 Competitive Trail Ride – 6th
 
⭐ Overall Team Placing – 5th out of 11 teams!⭐
 
And a huge congratulations to Guinny and Doodles, who placed 3rd individually out of 58 riders — an incredible achievement!
 
A big thank-you to the organisers for the wonderful food and seamless coordination — the weekend was a huge success despite the weather challenges.
 
Feeling so grateful for amazing teammates, super horses, and unforgettable memories — what a ride! 💙🐴✨
Report by Irene

If this event sounds like something you'd like to do, save the date and join the club.

Check out our Facebook page for shared photos from our events and activities.

Pass Wide and Slow
The Nelson Tasman Riding Club was proud to support New Zealand Horse riders, along with our friends in Scotland, Wales, England, Ireland, Canada, America and Australia and riding to raise awareness of equestrians' vulnerability on the road.  Thirteen riders attended Ride #89, riding in the Mapua area with a combination of some road riding and some beach riding.  This NRC Ride was open to all equestrians and their friends.  
The photo shows 27yr old Archie ordering his post ride ice cream.

​In August our Club Day was held at Rough Island Equestrian Park.  There was something for all levels, with pole patterns and jump grids.

There was no club day in July due to weather events impacting members and the arena surfaces at Rough Island Equestrian Park.

In June the club was busy with our popular Dressage and ShowCross event.  We also ran a Derby Course for the Rough Island Equestrian Park Fundraiser Show.

May was a Mothers Day beach ride at Rabbit Island.