The inaugural season of the AJTL has delivered on so many levels – not the least being the team spirit it has created amongst our competitors. The excitement, anticipation, encouragement and friendly rivalry between teams has been evident at all events and for us has been one of the highlights of the series.

As we eagerly anticipate the final at the Chatham Park Summer Classic CSI-W ** this weekend, there is one team that has shone the whole way through the competition and is entering the final in the enviable place of number one on the leaderboard. Team Emcee Apparel comprised of Amanda Madigan, Jennifer Wood, Jessica Tripp and Jessie Rice-Ward with Edwena Mitchell as their Team Manager have indeed set the bar high.

Advertisement

At the first leg of the series at Willinga Park, Team Emcee, led by the experienced Amanda Madigan and backed up by the two under 25 riders, Jess Tripp and Jessie Rice-Ward were certainly on the top of their game and the Emcee girls set Willinga Park alight with all six rides clear and finishing on the perfect score of zero. The win secured them first prize of $40,000 as their share of the $100,000 on offer.

The great form from Willinga was carried through to the other two legs, with a 5th place at SIEC in the indoor arena and then another podium finish a couple of weeks ago in Sale, finishing in 3rd.

We caught up with their effervescent Team Manager Edwena Mitchell to find out how this talented team came into being.

“Our team started at dinner one night at Diamond B Farm – as Amber Fuller was filling us in on the exciting news of the AJTL. Helen Chugg & I simultaneously came to the conclusion that we would love to be involved & that we should put a team together!! It was no stretch to decide who to approach, my daughter Jennifer, Jessie Rice-Ward, Amanda Madigan and Jess Tripp (the later two both ride Diamond B horses). One phone call to each and we had provisional agreement on our team!! We were equally pleased to have the opportunity to take the Emcee name – the Miles are great supporters of showjumping in general and great personal friends.”

Advertisement

“The entire comp all we have wanted to do was jump clear- never have we gone into the second round thinking about the clock just to be kind to our horses and keep them confident” Jennifer Wood.

“We were never trying to beat the other teams, just trying to achieve our best result” Amanda Madigan

” I think we’ve been really smart about how we’ve thought going into the AJTL by not putting too much pressure on ourselves & just trying to get the best rounds possible out of our horses which has clearly paid off.” Jessie Rice-Ward

“I came into this competition just feeling so lucky to be able to compete in such an exciting competition against amazing riders. I was always just hoping to make the second round in each leg and finish in the top 8 but to have had 2 podium finishes and a win is unbelievable. We’ve had so much fun together as a team and we’ve been really laid back, everyone has had the same amount of starts and we’ve been really supportive of each other, it’s been such a fun and amazing experience.” Jess Tripp

Jennifer Wood adds “we are very proud of our all girls team to have done so well and somehow managed to be at the top of the point score- whatever happens in the final happens- we are so thrilled to be a part of the AJTL.”

We wish all the girls from Team Emcee Apparel the very best for the final.