Section 1 wraps up at Sydney Royal for 2024
The first of the three sections which make up the Group A Jumping competition at Sydney Royal has wrapped up this morning at the main showground arena. The Group A competitions follow on from the Junior and Young Rider competitions which were held during the early part of the show. (Click HERE and HERE for our reports on the Junior and Young Rider competitions). The Section 1 part of Group A is the top division and brought out some of the best combinations in the country to compete in this prestigious and time-honoured competition.
The fact that a number of our top riders and horses are currently overseas chasing places on the Australian team for the Paris Olympics in a few months’ time, meant that this division only saw a total of six combinations competing, however, they put on a great show for those present in the stadium and those watching on via a live stream.
The competition opened on Tuesday with a single round class, which saw just one combination record a clear round. The win went to the Queensland combination of Stuart Jenkins and Fairview Alicana, with second place going to last year’s Leading Section 1 horse Diamond B Vivienne, piloted by Amanda Madigan, who incurred a single time penalty. The winner of the 2023 World Cup Qualifying Series Tom McDermott and Cooley Gangster placed third after taking a pair of rails.
above: Stuart Jenkins and Fairview Alicana.
At the presentation a special award was given to Stuart Jenkins. The Bob Chittick Memorial Perpetual Cup, which was donated by the late T A Field and Mr R A Field, which is awarded to the Owner of the winning horse in Class 856, went to Stuart Jenkins.
Full results of the class were as follows:
GROUP A – SECTION 1: ROUND 1 RESULTS
PLACE | RIDER | HORSE |
1st | Stuart Jenkins | Fairview Alicana |
2nd | Amanda Madigan | Diamond B Vivienne |
3rd | Tom McDermott | Cooley Gangster |
4th | James Mooney | KPH Cavatina |
5th | Brad Frankum | Oaks Calypso |
EL | Brook Dobbin | Gina MVNZ |
After a rest day on Wednesday, the Section 1 combinations were out again on Thursday, this time in a Jump-off class, however, with only one clear round, there was no need for one, with the win going to Tom McDermott and Cooley Gangster. Two combinations each incurred four faults, however, a time of 83.03 seconds was enough to secure second place for Stuart Jenkins and Fairview Alicana, with James Mooney and KPH Cavatina third in 85.80 seconds. Full results as follows:
GROUP A – SECTION 1: ROUND 2 RESULTS
PLACE | RIDER | HORSE |
1st | Tom McDermott | Cooley Gangster |
2nd | Stuart Jenkins | Fairview Alicana |
3rd | James Mooney | KPH Cavatina |
4th | Brad Frankum | Oaks Calypso |
EL | Amanda Madigan | Diamond B Vivienne |
EL | Brook Dobbin | Gina MVNZ |
Friday saw the Section 1 combinations out again in round three and for the second day in a row, there was no need for a jump off. The only clear round of the day went to Amanda Madigan and Diamond B Vivienne, in a much-improved performance over their round 2 elimination. Second place, with just a single rail went to the ever-consistent Stuart Jenkins and Fairview Alicana, figuring in the top two for the third class in a row. Tom McDermott and Cooley Gangster had an uncharacteristic pair of rails, which saw them into third place.
The post class presentation included the Jim Barnes Memorial Perpetual Trophy, which was donated by family and friends of the late Jim Barnes AM, for the owner of the winning horse Class 858, which went to Diamond B Farm and Helen Chugg.
GROUP A – SECTION 1: ROUND 3 RESULTS
PLACE | RIDER | HORSE |
1st | Amanda Madigan | Diamond B Vivienne |
2nd | Stuart Jenkins | Fairview Alicana |
3rd | Tom McDermott | Cooley Gangster |
4th | James Mooney | KPH Cavatina |
5th | Brad Frankum | Oaks Calypso |
EL | Brook Dobbin | Gina MVNZ |
So on to this morning’s Final, where only 5 combinations appeared on the start list. Only one combination delivered a clear round, Tom McDermott and Cooley Gangster and therefore no Jump-off was required. In fact the whole podium was identical to that we saw for Round 2. Second and third places both incurred a single rail, however, Stuart Jenkins and Fairview Alicana recorded a slightly quicker time to claim second than James Mooney and KPH Cavatina who were placed third.
The EFA (now the Equestrian Australia – EA) Perpetual Cup, donated by the President of the Equestrian Federation of Australia (NSW Branch), and since 1951, has been awarded to the Owner of the winning horse in Class 857 (the section 1 final). That award for today, goes to Tim Boland, the owner of Cooley Gangster.
Based on a point score system calculated over the four classes of competition, the leading horse in Section 1 was announced. The David Asimus Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Peter Asimus & Virginia Russell-Asimus for the Best Performed Section 1 Jumping Horse, went to Fairview Alicana and was accepted on her behalf by rider Stuart Jenkins.
Full placings in the Section 1 final were as follows:
GROUP A – SECTION 1: FINAL RESULTS
PLACE | RIDER | HORSE |
1st | Tom McDermott | Cooley Gangster |
2nd | Stuart Jenkins | Fairview Alicana |
3rd | James Mooney | KPH Cavatina |
4th | Brad Frankum | Oaks Calypso |
5th | Amanda Madigan | Diamond B Vivienne |
It was a wonderful series and another chapter has been written in the long history which is Section 1 Jumping competitions art Sydney Royal.