Oaks Conjuror – a star of the future
Clem Smith and Oaks Conjurer. Photo credit: Jasmine Dunmore Photography
After a COVID-19 induced hiatus in 2020, the Aitkens Saddlery Future Star of the Year series was held again in 2021, with the series going to Oaks Conjurer, piloted by Queensland Jumping legend, Clem Smith. For Smith, the victory must have been sweet, after a series of close calls in recent years, finishing second with Alite in 2016, second again in 2018 with Sangster and third in 2019 with Quantico 12.
In a series which saw a number of necessary alterations to the schedule to accommodate changing health orders, in the end, the planned eight rounds were held. Oaks Conjuror set up a large lead early in the competition and despite not scoring any points in the last three rounds, they were able to hang on for the series win. Placings of first, second third and fourth in the first five rounds scored them a total of 34 points, which was enough for a narrow victory.
This horse has considerable potential. Only a week after taking out the future stars round at the Gatton World Cup Show, Smith stepped the horse up to compete in the World Cup Qualifier at Caboolture. Unfortunately, this meant that the horse was ineligible to compete in the rest of the Future Stars Series, but he had already done enough to snare the series victory.
Oaks Conjuror was bred by Oaks Sport Horses and started his career with David Goodwin and Maddison Stephen, who ironically won her first World Cup Qualifier on the night that Oaks Conjuror debuted at this level. Oaks Conjuror is by Chicago out of the very successful broodmare Oaks Alto (Dollar de la Pierre x Altes). This mare has produced several amazing horses, including successful Grand Prix horses Cassanova and Quickstep.
Runner-up in the 2021 series by just two points was Casino Jack, partnered by Tom Sedger. They performed consistently throughout the series, highlighted by taking the win in Round 7, held at Gatton Show. Casino Jack (Calgary GNZ x Zedative), is owned by Sedger and was bred by Cathy Graham was very consistent throughout the series and looks to be a great competitor for the future.
In third place was the Davidson Equestrian homebred mare Checkamour D (Check In x Champion FP), ridden by Mattea Davidson. This lovely mare has also had a step up to mini prix tracks with some very promising rounds.
Thanks goes to Aitken’s Saddlery for supporting this series once again, all the Jumping shows that hosted rounds of the series and all the riders and fantastic stars of the future, which make this series such a success.
Below is a listing of the top 10 placegetters in the series and the first 5 placegetters in each round.
Aitkens Saddlery Future Star of the Year 2021 – Top 10 placings
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Oaks Conjuror | Clem Smith | 34 |
2nd | Casino Jack | Tom Sedger | 32 |
3rd | Checkamour D | Mattea Davidson | 25 |
4th | Corlara | Hayley Morris | 23 |
=5th | Cil Dara Deniro | Tom Sedger | 18 |
=5th | Diangella | Gemma Creighton | 18 |
7th | Ketut | Chloe Hughes | 17 |
=8th | Big Dream Z | Tom Sedger | 14 |
=8th | Conchita Van De Helle | Tom McDermott | 14 |
=8th | Joevaro R | James Arkins | 14 |
ROUND 1: Elysian Fields Summer Classic
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Vakarra Calisto | Kirstie Ansell | 10 |
2nd | Checkamour D | Mattea Davidson | 9 |
3rd | Oaks Conjuror | Clem Smith | 8 |
4th | Casino Jack | Tom Sedger | 7 |
5th | Yirrkala Harriet | Carly Overton | 6 |
ROUND 2: Toowoomba Royal Show
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Cil Dara Deniro | Tom Sedger | 10 |
2nd | Ketut | Chloe Hughes | 9 |
3rd | Finch Farm Costanza | Matt Kidston | 0* |
4th | Casino Jack | Tom Sedger | 7 |
5th | Yirrkala Cameron | Sam Overton | 6 |
ROUND 3: Gympie Show
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Corlara | Hayley Morris | 10 |
2nd | Oaks Conjuror | Clem Smith | 9 |
3rd | Oaks Kingfisher | Sally Simmonds | 8 |
4th | Jayem Now Or Never | Becky Jenkins | 7 |
5th | Vakarra Cayerado | Kirstie Ansell | 6 |
ROUND 4: Sunshine Coast Show
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Powerhouse Ego Rock | Brock Harvey | 10 |
2nd | Fairview Cambridge | Becky Jenkins | 9 |
3rd | Casino Jack | Tom Sedger | 8 |
4th | Oaks Conjuror | Clem Smith | 7 |
5th | Oaks Costa Rica | Robert Goodwin | 6 |
ROUND 5: Gatton World Cup
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Oaks Conjuror | Clem Smith | 10 |
2nd | Verdasco | Maverick Miles | 9 |
3rd | Diangella | Gemma Creighton | 8 |
4th | Checkamour D | Mattea Davidson | 7 |
5th | Conchita Van De Helle | Tom McDermott | 6 |
ROUND 6: Caboolture World Cup
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Joevaro R | James Arkins | 10 |
2nd | Big Dream Z | Tom Sedger | 9 |
3rd | Conchita Van De Helle | Tom McDermott | 8 |
4th | Diamond B Beethoven | James Paterson-Robinson | 7 |
5th | Yalambi’s Jadore | Kate Hinschen | 6 |
ROUND 7: Gatton Show
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Casino Jack | Tom Sedger | 10 |
2nd | Viva Blue | Shane Davidson | 9 |
3rd | Checkamour D | Mattea Davidson | 8 |
4th | Diangella | Gemma Creighton | 7 |
5th | Christobella D | Shane Davidson | 6 |
ROUND 8: Caboolture September Classic (Indoor Championships)
PLACE | HORSE | RIDER | POINTS |
1st | Lady Constance | Hayley Morris | 10 |
2nd | Oaks Costa Rica | Robert Goodwin | 9 |
3rd | Corlara | Hayley Morris | 8 |
4th | Tulara Forpaccio | Billy Raymont | 7 |
5th | ES Canada | Robert Freeman | 6 |
*No Points allocated
Information sourced from the Aitkens Saddlery Future Star of the Year Facebook Page.