Dateline: Sydney, Australia
Penned by: Christine Johnson
Images supplied by Christine Johnson

Relief was the greatest reaction after the hugely successful Sydney Showjumping Club’s Winter Championships. It was a case of third time lucky for organisers who had been forced to cancel two earlier dates due to the July rain! But on Sunday 5th August a beautiful sunny winters day, excellent footing and nearly 600 entries in four rings made for a busy enjoyable day of competition.

While some scratchings were inevitable due to the triple rescheduling, the overall standard was very high with many riders commenting how well their horses jumped on the Clarendon surfaces.

Competitors came from as far as Bega - Jamie Grant pictured below right - , Canberra and Nowra in the South, and Newcastle and Kulnura in the North, but it was the locals who stole the limelight. Colleen Brook - pictured below left - from Wilberforce stylish won the 1.40m feature class riding her Salute gelding “No Secrets”. Young rider Jamie Winning - pictured below centre - , who is emerging as a rising talent, won the Young Rider Championships with the first three placings in the 1.30m YR Class.

Chris Chugg from Glossodia, fresh from his recent win in Australia’s richest showjumping event, the $25,000 Elysian Fields Gold Classic Final at Beaudesert, was again in excellent form to win the 1.20m class on his other Warmblood stallion Conquistador.

Local girls shared the Amateur Championships - Sharon Beahan of McGrath’s Hill & Leanne Dalton from Kurrajong.

James Mooney was very impressive to win the 1.30m class on Woodcroft Will. Judges Joyce Brook, Ken Dolden, Margo Meredith and Fiona McLeod officiated over large fields, with courses designed by Bob Brooks Mark Atkins David Lawrence and Paul Tridgell.

Convenor Sue Coonan from Maraylya said, “This has been a massive effort by our Committee and helpers. We are very grateful to our many sponsors and would like to thank all the competitors who stayed with us throughout all the date delays to help make this day such a success!”

Ring 2 - Class 5 1.20m Height class
1st Chris Chugg on ASB Conquistador
2nd Colleen Brook on Aerobatics
3rd Jamie Coman on Noblewood Park Primadonna
4th George Johnson on Ozbred
5th Jamie Winning on Yandoo Triple J
6th Jeremy Inglis on Merlin J
7th Rod Brown on Corsica Z
Class 6 1.20m Young Rider
1st Jennifer Mitchell on Emmaville Spice
2nd Belinda Prestwidge on Mr Chips
3rd Cassandra Webb on Falcon Mandrake
4th Hayley Coman on Just Lately
5th Lauren Hartog on KP Cebrano
Class 7 1.30m Height Class
1st James Mooney on Woodcroft Will
2nd Colleen Brook on Aerobatics
3rd Jamie Coman on Noblewood Park Primadonna
4th Colleen Brook on No Secrets
5th Michelle Barrera on Alondra
6th Jamie Grant on The Player
7th Amanda Madigan on Grand Invader
Class 8 1.30 Young Rider
1st Jamie Winning on Yandoo Drought
2nd Jamie Winning on Yandoo Quincy
3rd Jamie Winning on Yandoo Vangelo
4th Cassandra Webb on Falcon Mandrake
5th Hayley Coman on Just Lately
Class 9 1.40m Height Class
1st Colleen Brook on No Secrets
2nd Michelle Barrera on Alondra
3rd Jamie Winning on Yandoo Vangelo
4th Jamie Winning on Yandoo Quincy
5th Julia Hargreaves on Copabella Visage
Class 13 1.15m Amateur
1st Leanne Dalton on Chalani Paper Moon
2nd Yukie Omori on Clive
3rd Clare Watkinson on The Love Bug
4th Sarah Jasper on Impressive Rhea
5th Sharon Beahan on Happy

Ring 3 - Class 10 1.05 Height Class
1st Rachel Higgins on Magnum Starblaze
2nd Clare Anderson on Brekko
3rd Carly Johnstone on Falcon Felix
4th Jeremy Inglis on Jencoyeh
5th Tyson King on You’re Joking
6th Jamie Winning on Yandoo Barnaby
7th E.LeMeur on Kazu
8th Rod McQueen on Dash
9th Shannon O’Meara on KingStyle
10th Cassandra Webb on Dutch Determination
11th Kathleen Seah on Everquest
Class 11 1.05 Amateur Class
1st Kel Priestley on Hennessy
2nd Michelle Hasiber on Clayton
3rd Sharon Beahan on Happy
4th Rebecca Stephenson on Sailor Moon
5th Clare Watkinson on The Love Bug
6th Mark Atkins on Sunday Creek
7th Sarah Jasper on Utazhunn
Class 12 1.15 Height Class
1st Jess Stalling on Little Cavalier
2nd Krissy Harris on AB Initio
3rd Nick Sheehan on Bonaventure
4th Craig Watson on PPP Sir Larry
5th Sue Coman on For Fun
6th Sarah McMillian on Maximise
7th Jamie Grant on Cool K

Ring 4 - Class 14 60cm Height Class
1st Ashley Matthews on Sensation
2nd Skye Blakeney on Commanche
3rd Grace McNiven on BettleBug
4th Taylor Hooten on Sugar-n-Spice
5th Tully McDonough on Buck
Class 15 70cm Height Class
1st Ashley Whiting on Alfie
2nd Jessica Conran on El Tigre
3rd Kelly Slater on Oliver Twist
4th Skye Blakeney on Commanche
5th Keira Smale on Silverhills Matilda
6th Kathryn Nutt on DoubleScore
7th Leanne Dalton on Chalani Satin
8th Jamie Blakeney on Misthaven Manaker
Class 16 80cm Height Class
1st Elizabeth Koob on Silver Hollywood Charge
2nd Jess Conran on Orions Star
3rd Taylor Hooten on Sugar-N-Spice
4th Alyce Garraway on Chance It
5th Kathryn Nutt on Double Score
6th Georgia Burkitt on Haybrook Number
7th Ryan Wood on Spiderman
8th Kristie Wosik on Monty

Junior Champion- Elizabeth Lowery, Young Rider Champion - Jamie Winning,

Amateur Champions- Sharon Beahan & Leanne Dalton.