Round 1 Report
The 2011 Series got off to a great start at last week's Grand Weekend on the Sunshine Coast.
Our first round was the Stubben Classic Grand Prix ran on the Saturday Night. A large field lined up consisting of seasoned world cup horses and up and coming grand prix stars. The crowd was primed and ready for action after a very spirited Calcutta. Paul Raymont built a testing track which left no room for error in the small indoor arena.
Twelve combinations jumped clear and were invited back for the second round. The jump off saw some very quick rounds but only four managed to finish with a clean slate. The flashy paint Renmano & Sheridan Manual took out the class with a super slick round in 41.03 seconds. Second went to the newly imported and very promising Air Time Z & Paula Hamood who jumped a text book round in 43.38 sec. Third went to the big Imported mare Florina & Clem Smith who jumped super in a time of 43.42. Fourth with a time of 44.26 seconds, was Merrick Ubank’s & the Kidston Family's in form Aladino.
Our leading Young Rider is Olivia Hamood & Randlab Nero.
Round 2 Report
The second round of the series was held at the Pittsworth Show. Once again the Darling Downs town was hit by huge rains leading up to and on the first day of jumping. This led to very small numbers on Saturday for the Championship classes with most classes being an 'every player gets a prize' scenario.
Only ten horses braved the conditions in the A & B Championships. Robyn Kreig and the Show Society put together a great money programme and certainly deserve some luck next year with the weather. Their continued support of show jumping is really appreciated.
Our current leader for the Series is Renmano & Sheridan Manuel who after two rounds are sitting on 18 points. Runner Up on twelve points is the stallion Animate, who has had a change of rider from the first round, now being ridden by Michelle Lang-MacMahon.
Our current leading Young Rider is Hayden James.
Round 3 Report
Round three was the Toowoomba Royal Show A & B Championships.
Twenty horses started in the class for their shot at the excellent prize money on offer. It certainly wasn't the biggest track seen at the Royal but nonetheless saw only 8 jump clean.
The jump off was a catch me if you can affair with times getting faster as you went through the field. Merrick Ubank won the class on the well seasoned Hue & Cry in a time of 36.19 seconds from Sheridan Manuel's Renmano who set a time of 37.04 seconds. This result saw Sheridan maintain a strong lead of the series on 27 points. Renmano has placed in the top three of the three rounds held so far which is a great start to the season.
I have to make an amendment to the Leading Young Rider, Olivia Hamood is our leading Young Rider, Hayden informs me that he is no longer a Young Rider.
Round 4 Report
Round four was the Western Queensland Championships at Roma Show.
The ground is certainly one of the best we jump on and Ray Waldron puts together a top show and makes the trip west very worthwhile. There was $2000 on offer in the Mounts Machinery A & B Championships where Graeme Watts built what he called 'a genuine 1.45m first round track with 1.50m Spreads'.
The class was won by Clem Smith's imported mare Florina, who is having her first season at grand prix level. The win put them into equal third position on leaderboard. Clem also placed second on Benaloo Dark Ages who had his first start in the 2011 Grand Prix Series due to an early season injury.
Sheridan Manuel's Renmano maintain the lead of the series on 27 points followed closely by Hue & Cry on 26 points.
Round 5 Report
The Gympie Show South East Queensland Grand Prix, sponsored by Cooloola Milk, had $5500 total prize money making it one of Queensland's richest classes of the year.
John Warren and the Gympie Show Society put together a super programme of big money classes and are to be congratulated on this, a big effort in a country town. Twenty horses started in the class made up of a mix of young up and coming grand prix horses and campaigned world cup horses.
Kevin Hansen from New Zealand was the Official Course Designer, he explains a little about the track, “It had 12 fences which included a double & a treble total of 15 efforts. In the first round the verticals were 1.50m and the oxers were 1.45m by 1.65m, the triple bar was 1.50m high and a 1.90m wide. There were only four clear, five on four faults and four horses on eight faults.
The second round was shortened to 10 fences including the double, two verticals at 1.55m, and triple bar was increased to 1.55m x 2m wide. The riders rode the tough uncompromising course well and it became an exciting competition.” Clem Smith and Florina jumped double clear in a time of 58.29 seconds to take home the winner’s cheque of $1500. Second place went to the only other double clear Fairview Maestro ridden by Stuart Jenkins in 60.58 seconds. Third went to Stardom & Billy Raymont on four faults in 57.19 seconds and fourth to Gavin Chester on KS Windfall on four in 59.41 seconds.
Florina having won the last two rounds has moved into first place on the leaderboard on 30 points. In second place is Renmano on 27 points. Our next round is the Queensland State Titles being hosted by Bundaberg Show next week.
Round 6 Report
The 2011 Queensland Showjumping State Titles were hosted by the Bundaberg Show Society.
This show society has been extremely supportive of Queensland show jumping and riders for many years and certainly earned their chance to host the titles. They have always had a big money programme but this year they went all out with three days of super prize money totaling over $17,000. A new set of show jumps were purchased for the titles from EJS Designs and the ring looked great. A big thanks to the Show President Ken Schmidt, Ringmaster Craig Mills & their hard working committee for making it all possible. Thanks also to Queensland Showjumping, Mitavite, Peter Stewart, Swan Ridge Farms, Trading Post, Burns & Redden Families, Bundaberg Show Society for their generous sponsorship.
Riders came from Cairns in the north and Victoria in the south. All classes had big numbers and were very competitive. The jumping ring was very well run and organized with Alan Samuel as chief Jumping Steward and backed up by Nick Steele, Greg Auer, Rodney Ray and the SES. The Course Designer was Athol Clarke, Judge Bob Major with Pam Clarke as penciling. The Grand Prix Class had 17 starters. The first round track was very long and set at 1.35 to 1.40m which included a double and treble. Eight horses jumped clear with two on a time fault making for some excellent compeittion and all were invited back to the second round. Only two fences were removed for the jump off which left it a very long track and was raised to 1.45m plus. The length of the jump off definitely factored with the scores with only three horses jumping clear in the second round.
The winner was Cheezy Z and Brett Warren who jumped double clear with a very fast jump off getting them the winners cheque of $1000 and a State Title. Second was last years Grand Prix Horse of the Year RSB Jacane & Becky Allen also double clear. In third was Florina who carried a time fault from the first round but jumped clear in the second.
Athol Clarke said ' he achieved what he wanted to from the class with a very well contested jump off with good careful jumping' 'it was a pleasure as usual to build at Bundaberg as the committee are great to work with and this year made even easier by the wonderful new set of jumps'.
After six rounds Clem Smith's Florina retain their lead on the 2011 series on 38 points with the two grey's Cheezy Z and Hue & Cry in equal second on 29 points. The winner of the series will win a Stubben Portus Deluxe Saddle with the Young Rider of the Series winning a $500 voucher from Sandale Saddlery.
The next round will be the Queensland Country Titles being hosted by Gatton Show in July. We have unfortunately had to drop Nambour Show as a round. We were lead to believe that they were running a 1.50m or A & B Grade Grand Prix. They are actually running split championships for A Grade and then one for the B Grade which is great but does not suit our series. We have to have a level playing field and need the class open for all grand prix horses to make it fair.
Remember to vote for your favorite horse in the series for your shot at winning the $50 voucher drawn every month. Go to www.sandalesaddlery.com.au. Once again thanks to Steph and the gang at Sandale and Stubben for your support of showjumping it is very much appreciated.
Round 7 Report
The 2011 Queensland Showjumping Country Titles were hosted by the Gatton Show Society. It was an exiting event for the show to host especially after the recent devastating floods in the district. The Jumping received some wonderful sponsorship of both money and prizes which definitely was responsible for the big numbers.
The 1.45m Boral Grand Prix Class had total prize money of $2100 up for grabs. A field of 22 lined up which included many of the State's leading riders and horses. Graeme Watts built a testing and true 1.40m track which from fence two had the riders very focused with many related bowed lines.
Graeme Watts said that 'it was a really good class with a mix of older experienced horses through to young up and coming horses, the surface was exceptional both days creating very good jumping.
All in all the field jumped very well with our worst score being only four down'. Ten horses jumped clear and were invited back for the jump off. Three horses jumped clear in rather long jump off round. Brett Warren and Cheezy Z set a sizzling time of 59.95 sec and just a tad slower was Clem Smith's Dark Ages in 60.31 sec. Cathy Graham was third with Davinci's Pride on 65.95 sec. Brett picked up the winners cheque for $750 and the Queensland Country Title. The win also saw them take the lead in the series on 39 points one point ahead of Florina on 38 points. There is not much between the first five on the leader board so it should make for an exciting finish to the series.
Round 8 Report
Queensland World Cup jumping could not have got off to a better start. Toowoomba put on beautiful winter sunshine for the day and the spectators rolled in. A field of 24 horses lined up in the class which not only was a World Cup but a Equestrian Grand Final Qualifying Round for 2011 Equitana and also being a partial Qualifier for the Olympics by being able to gain a MES (Minimum Eligibility Standard).
Course Designer and Show Co-coordinator Graeme Watts built a big testing track which was approved by FEI to meet the MES requirements which included a water jump.
Jamie Kermond and Colthaga posted the only clear first round. Eight horses were invited back to the jump off with one clear, five on four faults and one on 6 faults. Jamie Kermond rode the grey mare Cothaga to perfection to jump one of only three clears in the jump off giving him the win with zero faults in a time of 65.20 sec. In second place with four faults from the first round and with a jump off time of 57.61 sec was Amira ridden by Andrew Inglis. Third money went to Clem Smith and Dark Ages also on four faults from the first and clear in the second round in a time of 62.24 sec. These three horses have now earned their place to compete at the Equestrian Grand Final at Equitana.
Cheezy Z narrowly retains her lead over the series with 40 points with Hue & Cry on 39 points and Florinaon 38 points. There is not much between the top six horses and it will come down to the wire for a final series result.
Our next round is Wednesday, the Ekka World Cup followed by our final round the Caboolture World Cup.
The Queensland Grand Prix Horse of the Year winner will receive a Stubben PortusDeluxe Jumping Saddle. Young Rider of the Series will receive a $500 Voucher from Sandale Saddlery.
A big thanks to everyone at Stubben Australia and Sandale Saddlery for supporting Showjumping.
Remember to vote for your favorite grand prix horse to have your chance at winning a $50 voucher – check out www.sandalesaddlery.com.au
