With showjumping shows back on with a vengeance in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania now Sydney has come back in full force!

Not satisfied with running the Australian Showjumping Championships at the Sydney Equestrian Centre (SIEC home of 2000 Olymicn Games Equestrian events) there is also the Sydney International 3 Day event being held over the same weekend at the same venue - and I am here to tell you the place is swarming with selectors for both disciplines!

But we are here to talk showjumping and this weekend there is plenty of it......... Thursday, Friday and Saturday are really all about Sunday when the finals of the Junior Championship, the Young Rider Championship and the Senior Championship are all decided for the top 20 in each category.

Sunday is also the day the Eventers get to strut their stuff over the showjumps so it will be a busy day indeed!

So all classes lead to this ultimate goal - but winning and placing along the way is no easy task either - and this year the greatest number of rider numbers are in the Junior section which is a great sign for the future of the sport as hopefully these Juniors will stay in the sport and become seniors.

With the number of seriously nice imported horses carrying the Juniors I am sure there are also many parents who are wishing to see these Juniors stay in the sport for many years to come!

There has been a new addition to SIEC - an undercover section in the viewing gallery and this has been a godsend this weekend as the rain has been falling and it could have been a dismal, soggy weekend without it and no doubt when the usual Sydney heat heats it will also be much appreciated as a place to escape the dangers of the Australian sun.
Pictured left - the viewing gallery between practice arena and main arena is always well utilised by coaches and supporters and this year is no different.
This year, for a fee, competitors could take prime position to park their trucks or trailers, on the hill overlooking the main arena and several took this
option - pictured above right and below left and right

The Showjumping Selectors -
Above left (in 5 gallon hat) John Wilsher chats with Course designer for the event, John Vallance.
Above centre - Graeme Watts (Chairman of Selectors)
Above right - Peter Cook

Thursday results:

Class one: - EFA Junior Championship Round One Table C - 55 starters - 8 eliminations

and even though it looked like Tom McDermot was one of the only riders in this class there were plenty trying to knock him out of taking all the money home!

1st - Tom McDermott and He's Crafty
2nd - Tom McDermott and Zaydan
3rd - Tom Mcdermott and Merriwear
4th - Ben Blay and Ryles
5th - Monique Barrett and Snowy River Ginger Meggs
6th - Tom McDermott and Markovich

Class two: ISS Mini Prix (1.35m) - 23 starters - 1 elimination

1st - Amy Graham and Transatlantic
2nd - Colleen Brook and No Secrets
3rd - George Sann and CP Romantic Dream
4th - CHris Chugg and ASB Conquistador
5th - Sophia Gostelow and Big Bucks
6th - Michael Lucas and FH Mr Darcy

Class three: Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office Young Rider - 27 starters - 6 eliminations

1st - Danielle Butcher and HP Landsong
2nd - Coco Miles and Tiquila
3rd - Jamie Winning and Yandoo Drought
4th - Jessica Brown and Last Drop
5th - Hilary Scott and Oaks Miss Scarlet
6th - Georgie Sheridan and On the Dark Horse

Class four: ISS Senior Australian Championship - Round 1 - Table C - 15 starters

1st - Vicki Roycroft and Noblewood Blatini
2nd - Chris Chugg and Vivant
3rd - Becky Allen and Koyuna Ted
4th - Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Set
5th - Amy Graham and Transatlantic
6th - Merrick Ubank and Dover Street

Class five: Futurity Round 1 - maximum 1.30m - 26 starters - 2 eliminations

1st - Tom McDermott and Merriwear
2nd - Tom McDermott and He's Crafty
3rd - Amy Graham and SE Prada
4th - Julia Hargreaves and Copabella Courcheval
5th - Vicki Roycroft and Noblewood Park Cassini's Girl
6th - Nick Taliana and Ambrose

The top 20 out of 26 move through to round two of this class.
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