Australia has two representatives competing in the Global Amateur Tour (GAT) at the Takapoto Estate Showjumping event in New Zealand this weekend.  Both riding borrowed horses, the current NSW Amateur Champion Damien Churchill is competing on the 8-year-old gelding, Midway Detroit, while Sydney-based Abby West has been paired up with another 8-year-old gelding, Midway Rowdy Yates.

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The Amateur Class at Takapoto serves as a qualifying round of the Global Amateur Tour and the Aussies are competing with a number of riders from different parts of the world.

Today’s first qualifier was held in lovely cool sunny conditions on the lovely APL sand arena. Neither of the Aussies had the round they would have been hoping for in the two-phase class today, with Churchill and Midway Detroit taking four rails to finish in 39th place, while West and Midway Rowdy Yates also took four rails and incurred a single time penalty to finish 41st.

Damien Churchill and Midway Detroit

Abby West and Midway Rowdy Yates

Australian Jumping looks forward to following the progress of these riders as they continue to develop their relationship with their borrowed horses.

The first six placegetters in the Amateur First Qualifier were: