Canadian Bruce Mandeville won the Plantation Field Horse Trials advanced division, April 16-17 in Unionville, Pa., with long-time student Ashley Dalton’s Kowhai.

The 13-year-old, New Zealand-bred mare was Dalton’s mount when she won the 2003 North American Young Riders Championships (Que.).

“Ashley’s out in California at school,” Mandeville said. “She’s on a break from riding.”

Mandeville, who is aiming Kowhai at the Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.) in May, has reaped the benefits of Dalton’s hiatus.

“I started riding Kowhai at the beginning of February,” said Mandeville. “I won the dressage and then ran by a jump on the cross-country [in our first event together]. I learned I need a martingale with her; she has lots of character, which shows up on the cross-country. Then we went to Southern Pines [N.C.], and we were seventh. We still weren’t quite in sync. But at Plantation things went really well.”

The horse had a bit of a break last year, and Mandeville is not sure what the future holds for her. “We are playing it by ear to see what happens,” he said. “Right now she looks like a nice horse for the [2006] World Championships. I’m not sure if Ashley will let me have her or not, but we’ll see. Ashley has a great relationship with the mare–they get on so well.”

Mandeville has been Dalton’s mentor since she was 13. “I think I have found her every horse she has ever had except her pony,” said Mandeville.

Kowhai, named for a New Zealand flower, is part Thoroughbred and part pony, but her jump overshadows her size. She stands at only 15.3 hands and was born on the South Island of New Zealand. Before Dalton bought her, she had done three three-stars in New Zealand and had grand prix jumping experience, but Mandeville recognized that she didn’t have much dressage training.

“I have a blast jumping her, but that is where I had the least amount of practice. I was most nervous about stadium because I barely jumped her when Ashley had her,” he said.

Mandeville, who is based in Massachusetts in the summer and Southern Pines, N.C., in the winter, has been a stalwart on the Canadian team. He has demonstrated a good relationship with mares, completing Badminton CCI**** (England), two Olympics and the World Championships with Larissa. Currently he has a very promising young horse, Rock Star, who is aimed at the Virginia CCI* at the end of May.

“Right now I am laying low and trying not to get too busy,” Mandeville said. “This winter we had 13 horses, and it was a little crazy.”

Local rider Missy Ransenhousen finished second in the advanced with Critical Decision, and Mara DePuy and Good Stuff took third.