The 2024 Stal Tops Australian Young Rider Series continued today, with the second leg of the four-leg series being held as part of the Larapinta World Cup Show. The Series, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Australian rider Edwina Tops-Alexander and her husband Jan Tops is now in its sixth season. With four rounds scheduled over the year, Young Rider combinations have the opportunity to score points along the way, with the highest scoring combination being crowned the series winner at the final leg, to be held at SIEC as part of the Summer Classic show in December. The first leg was held at the GDP classic at Boneo Park in February and the third leg will be held at Jumping@Willinga in September.

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The series winner will join an illustrious list of previous title winners, those being Erin Buswell and Quero Quero in 2018, Amelia Douglass and Cassis Z Ten Halven in 2019, Madeline Sinderberry and Keilor Bamboo in 2021, Clemency Hughes and Diamond B Corvina in 2022 and last year, Jack Barker and Tulara Colchic.

With over $4,000 prizemoney on the line today’s second Leg was an exciting affair. A total of 27 combinations presented for the competition, with the best 10 performed combinations invited back for a second round. The second-round field consisted of four combinations who were clear in Round 1, one with three time penalties and the other five combinations were the fastest five of eight four-faulters.

Carrying their round one penalties into Round 2, all of the five four faulters added to their score, by either taking one or two further rails with them, to finish on either eight or 12. One of the total eights faulters, Charlie Magnier and Quinn Z, had an exceptionally fast time, of 58.54 seconds, which saw them sit in the lead with five more combinations to come.

Above: Charlie Magnier and Quinn Z

The second half of the second round was lead by Charlie Magnier with his Belgian Warmblood mare Notre Dame De Bourguignon. This pair brought three penalties with them and produced a magnificent clear round to finish on a total of three and put real pressure on the three combinations to come, all of whom went clear in round one, but knew that a single rail would cost each of them, in turn, the win.

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Each of the three combinations, tried their best, but none of them were up to the challenge. Firstly, Jack Barker and Tulara Colchic, last year’s Series winners, took down a trio of rails, as did Holly Tomkins and Finch Farm Vroom, the fastest round one clear combination. Sienna Holdsworth-Rose and Oaks Kestrel, who had placed fourth in the First Leg this year at Boneo Park took two second round rails to finish on a total of eight.

When the dust settled, the win went to Charlie Magnier and Notre Dame De Bourguignon. With just the three first round time faults, they were the only combination to have left all the rails in place over the two rounds of competition. The next five placings all finished on a total of eight, however it was that young man again, Charlie Magnier and Quinn Z, who thanks to their cracking pace, secured second spot. They were 6.5 seconds quicker than the third placed combination Skye Hosie and her mare Athena NZPH.

Above: Skye Hosie and Athena NZPH.

It was a fantastic class, and Charlie did exceptionally well to secure both the win and second place and we look forward to seeing how the season unfolds.

Below is a list of the full placings in today’s class.

CLASS 40: STAL TOPS YOUNG RIDER SERIES: (LEG 2) – 1.30m

With the competition at it’s half way point Sienna Holdsworth-Rose and Oaks Kestrel have the lead by virtue of picking up 14 points in total for a pair of fourth placings. She is closely followed by the two winners of each leg held so far, tied in second place on 11 points. The full listing of pointscores at the half way point of the competition are listed below.