Rowan Willis – Australian Jumping International Rider of 2018
Australia had fantastic representation at international jumping competitions this year, from riders based overseas as well as those travelling from their Australian base. We watched as Billy Raymont and Jamie Kermond not only took up the challenge, but shone, in the Longines Masters in Hong Kong and then at the FEI World Cup Jumping Finals in Paris.
There were a number of riders who excelled in the Longines Global Champions Tour, including Julia Lynch and Georgina Harvey and of course Edwina Tops-Alexander, who had an absolutely outstanding year, winning a number of CSI5* events including the inaugural Prague Playoffs.
Each of the riders (Scott Keach, Billy Raymont, Jamie Kermond and Rowan Willis) who made up the Australian Jumping Team for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) had a great year individually, but came together as a team to absolutely do Australia proud, finishing 6th in the overall team competition and giving Australia automatic qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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With so many great results from Australian riders overseas, we have to admit it was tough to choose our very first Australian Jumping International Rider of the Year. However in the end, we could not go past Rowan Willis.
With his huge climb in FEI Rankings this year – starting in 335th place and cracking the top 50 to now sit in 49th spot (as of the date of this article), Willis has had an extraordinary year. We followed as he competed in the US and Canada on his team of horses with great success and then held our breath as we watched him ride into history as a member of the Australian Jumping Team at WEG and finishing individually in 12th place.
So it is with great pleasure that we name Rowan Willis as Australian Jumping’s International Rider of 2018. See below for some pictures of Willis in action along with a table of his impressive results from this year.
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie at WEG. Photo Credit: Equestrian Australia
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie at WEG. Photo Credit: Equestrian Australia
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie at WEG. Photo Credit: Equestrian Australia
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie at Spruce Meadows. Photo Credit: Cansport/Doug Sinclair
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie – Rolex Grand Slam at Spruce Meadows. Photo Credit: SportFot
Rowan Willis and Everse W win the Sun Life Financial derby at Spruce Meadows.
Rowan Willis and Blue Movie – Longines Grand Prix CSIO5* in Ocala, Florida
Date | Show | Event | Height | Horse | Position |
10/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 140-160 | Blue Movie | 13 |
09/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 150 | Shark | 9 |
09/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 140 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 4 |
08/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 160 | Blue Movie | 4 |
08/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 145 | Shark | 9 |
07/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 145 | Shark | 2 |
07/11/2018 | Toronto ON | CSI4*-W | 145 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 5 |
03/11/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI4*-W | 140-160 | Blue Movie | 22 |
02/11/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI4*-W | 145 | Everse W | 17 |
01/11/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI4*-W | 155 | Blue Movie | 18 |
01/11/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI4*-W | 145 | Everse W | 11 |
31/10/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI4*-W | 150 | Everse W | 27 |
27/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Everse W | 9 |
27/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Shark | |
27/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 2 |
25/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Everse W | 18 |
24/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 140 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 12 |
24/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 140 | Shark | 24 |
21/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 14 |
21/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | |
20/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 4 |
19/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 20 |
18/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 150 | Blue Movie | 8 |
18/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 40 |
18/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | |
17/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | 19 |
14/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 27 |
13/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Shark | 7 |
12/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 140 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 3 |
11/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Shark | 25 |
10/10/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 140 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | |
07/10/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI3*-W | 155-160 | Everse W | 27 |
05/10/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI3*-W | 150 | Everse W | 52 |
04/10/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI3*-W | 145 | Shark | 2 |
04/10/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI3*-W | 145 | Everse W | 41 |
30/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | 1 |
30/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 145 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 11 |
28/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | 31 |
28/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 145 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 39 |
27/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 140 | Italian Gold Van De Kruishoeve | 8 |
27/09/2018 | Columbus – Johnstown, OH | CSI2* | 140 | Shark | 19 |
23/09/2018 | Tryon NC | WEG-S | 165 | Blue Movie | 12 |
23/09/2018 | Tryon NC | WEG-S | Blue Movie | 12 | |
21/09/2018 | Tryon NC | WEG-S | 165 | Blue Movie | 6 |
20/09/2018 | Tryon NC | WEG-S | 165 | Blue Movie | 14 |
19/09/2018 | Tryon NC | WEG-S | 155 | Blue Movie | 3 |
09/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 170 | Blue Movie | 11 |
08/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 150 | Everse W | 10 |
07/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | Everse W | 8 | |
06/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 150 | Everse W | 12 |
06/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 150 | Blue Movie | |
05/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 150 | Everse W | 8 |
05/09/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSIO5* | 150 | Blue Movie | 38 |
19/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 4 |
17/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | |
17/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | |
17/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | 12 |
17/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 13 |
16/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 11 |
16/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 145 | Blue Movie | 18 |
16/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | |
12/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI2* | 145 | Everse W | 6 |
12/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | 8 |
10/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | 6 |
10/08/2018 | Crete, IL | CSI2* | 145 | Everse W | 20 |
08/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 1 |
08/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | 11 |
07/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 4 |
05/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | |
05/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 11 |
05/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Blue Movie | 24 |
04/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 155 | Everse W | 38 |
01/07/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | |
30/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | 4 |
30/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 1 |
29/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 155 | Blue Movie | 27 |
29/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | 29 |
17/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 9 |
16/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 13 |
16/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | 26 |
15/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | 5 |
15/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 155 | Blue Movie | 18 |
14/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | 33 |
14/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 43 |
10/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 33 |
10/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Shark | 10 |
09/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 17 |
08/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 13 |
08/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 26 |
06/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 155 | Blue Movie | 10 |
06/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 26 |
06/06/2018 | Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | |
27/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Everse W | 1 |
27/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Shark | 8 |
26/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Everse W | 17 |
26/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Shark | 20 |
24/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Everse W | 4 |
24/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 150 | Shark | 6 |
23/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Shark | 13 |
23/05/2018 | Tryon NC | CSI3* | 145 | Everse W | 16 |
19/05/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI3* | 150 | Blue Movie | 3 |
17/05/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI3* | 145 | Blue Movie | 36 |
27/04/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI3* | 145 | Blue Movie | 8 |
27/04/2018 | Lexington KY | CSI3* | 160 | Blue Movie | 9 |
01/04/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI2* | 145 | Everse W | 17 |
30/03/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | 21 |
29/03/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI2* | 145 | Shark | |
28/03/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI2* | 140 | Shark | 13 |
28/03/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI2* | 140 | Everse W | 39 |
25/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 150 | Everse W | 31 |
24/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 160 | Blue Movie | 8 |
23/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 145 | Everse W | 38 |
23/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 57 |
22/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 150 | Blue Movie | 46 |
21/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 145 | Shark | 52 |
21/02/2018 | Wellington FL | CSI5* | 140 | Everse W | 11 |
16/02/2018 | Ocala FL | CSIO5*-NC NAm | 160 | Blue Movie | 1 |
15/02/2018 | Ocala FL | CSIO5*-NC NAm | 150 | Everse W | 32 |
14/02/2018 | Ocala FL | CSIO5*-NC NAm | 145 | Blue Movie | 17 |