Above: Michelle Clark and One Way VDK. Photo credit: Manning Photography

Last weekend Jumping SA held their State Championships at Talunga Park, Mount Pleasant, about 60km east of Adelaide. There were four days of competition across two arenas with David Sheppard filling the main Course Designer role. There were competitions ranging from the State Senior Title all the way down to a 0.70m Championship with every title being keenly contested.

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The newly crowned State Senior Champions are Michelle Clark and her gelding One Way VDK. They had a great weekend, winning the first round on Thursday and the John Bruggemann Grand Prix, which was the second round of the Senior Title the following day. Their only blip was a second place in Sunday’s final, which was still enough for them to be named State Senior Champions.

The Young Rider Championship was a one-horse race (literally!) the only participant listed in the results for the Young Rider Final were Zara Young and her lovely grey gelding Aveden Indigo, who several years ago was campaigned by James Arkins. Well done to them.

The State Junior Title was a hotly contested affair. The winners of the State Junior Championship were Macy Watson and her gelding Finch Farm Lego. They finished second in the first round before winning the second round on the Friday. A total of eight faults in the final saw them into fourth in that class, which was enough for them to be awarded the State Title.

A feature of the show was the State Speed Championship held late on the Saturday afternoon on the main arena. Sophia Craddock and her young gelding Equus Upstart who had been competing in the 1.20m championship sizzled around the course in a fault free time of 75.30 seconds to claim the title.

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Nicole Manuel and Nirvana MPH were winners of the 1.20m championship. After placing sixth and second in the first two rounds, they recorded a double clear win in the final to claim the championship.

In the 1.10m championship, the win went to Briony Temby and mare Fieldbrook Heiress. They won the second round after placing fifth earlier in Round 1. In the final, their double clear performance saw them into second place in that class and claim the overall title.

The 1.00m championship was taken out by Abbie Lewis and her mare Sovereign’s Gizelle. They finished no lower than second in any of the three classes determining the title with second places in the first two rounds before breaking through for the win in the final. It was a great effort from this pair, completing five rides without picking up a single penalty.

Winners of the 0.90m championship were Ruby Milway and her gelding Arrlo. Consistency proved to be their recipe for success, finishing fourth then second in the first two rounds before another fourth in the final and in doing so, they replicated the performance of the 1.00m champions, by having five fault-free rides/ Perhaps unlucky in this competition were MacKenzie Richards-Fennell and Showtym Shy, who after being eliminated in the first round, went on to win both the second round and the final.

Consistency, once again, was the key to success in the 0.80m championship. The 0.90m championship winners, Ruby Milway and Arrlo were at it again, completing five rides for five clears and in doing so, finishing in second place in each of the two rounds and the final.

The 0.70m championship was won by Libby Halliday and Libadee Park Golden Willow. They finished in second place in both of the first two rounds, before their only rail of the championship saw them into third place in the final, however the championship was theirs.

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There were a number of other awards handed out for the best performed combinations on each of the two arenas.

In the Dabble Eq Arena 1, the best performed combination award went to, not surprisingly, the State Senior Champions, Michelle Clark and One Way VDK. The best performed Eventer award went to MacKenzie Richards-Fennell and Jerricho, who won two open 1.05 classes as well as the first round of the 1.10m championship. Sasha Smith and Veneficus were named as the winners of the best performed OTT horse for Arena 1. They were very consistent, having competed in the Junior championship, achieving third and fourth placings in the rounds before a third place in the final. Veneficus can add this win to his only win on the track at Ballarat over 11 years ago.

On the Lowe Farms Arena 2, the same three awards were decided. Best performed overall were Libby Halliday and Libadee Park Fourdee. This combination took out four class wins over the opening two days of the show, winning Open 0.90m and 1.00m classes on the opening day, followed by wins in the first rounds of both the 0.90m and 1.00m championships on the following day. After that, their best finish was third in the final of the 1.00m championship. This fantastic overall performance by the mare who raced as Fourdee and started 23 time but never cracked it for a win, saw them also awarded the Best Performed OTT combination for Arena 2. The best performed Arena 2 Eventer went to MacKenzie Richards-Fennell and Showtym Shy, after they won second rounds in both the 0.90m and 1.00m championships, before winning the 0.90m final.

All in all, it was a highly successful show. Mention needs to be made of the fact that the organising committee have done a fantastic job, organising these championships so quickly after the 2023 championships just 6 months ago.

Below we have listed the first six placegetters in every class across four days of competition. Congratulations to all.

THURSDAY RESULTS

DAPPLE EQ – ARENA 1

CLASS 1: HORSELAND – MOUNT BARKER: OPEN – 1.05m

CLASS 2: KLEMICH REAL ESTATE: OPEN – 1.15m

CLASS 3: THE COURIER NEWSPAPER: OPEN – 1.30m

CLASS 4: BOLZON CONSTRUCTIONS: SENIOR TITLE (ROUND 1) – 1.35-1.40m

CLASS 5: INSTANT CRYO: JUNIOR TITLE (ROUND 1) – 1.10m

LOWE FARMS – ARENA 2

CLASS 20: RUSTONS DISTILLERY: OPEN – 0.70m

CLASS 21: HLH EQUESTRIAN APPAREL: OPEN – 0.80m

CLASS 22: CAPURE CREATIVE CO: OPEN – 0.90m

CLASS 23: JUMPING SA: OPEN – 1.00m

FRIDAY RESULTS

DAPPLE EQ – ARENA 1

CLASS 6: KENTUCKY EQUINE RESEARCH: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 1.10m

CLASS 7: MOMNT: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 1.20m

CLASS 8: MALLALA EQUESTRIAN CENTRE: MONALITA JUNIOR GP (ROUND 2)

CLASS 9: MACDONALD DUNLOP: OPEN – 1.30m

CLASS 10: HORIZON SHOWJUMPS: JOHN BRUGGEMAN GP SENIOR (ROUND 2)

LOWE FARMS ARENA 2

CLASS 24: SPORTSPOWER – MOUNT BARKER: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 0.70m

CLASS 25: PRYDES EASIFEEDS: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 0.80m

CLASS 26: NORTHERN DISTRICTS SHOWJUMPING CLUB: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 0.90m

CLASS 27: EAC EQUINE: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 1) – 1.00m

SATURDAY RESULTS

DAPPLE EQ – ARENA 1

CLASS 11: KENTUCKY EQUINE RESEARCH: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 1.10m

CLASS 12: MOMNT: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 1.20m

CLASS 13A: MACDONALD DUNLOP: MINI PRIX FINAL – 1.30m

CLASS 13B: LOWE FARMS: YOUNG RIDER FINAL

CLASS 14: APEX EQUINE THERAPY: STATE SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP – 1.10m

LOWE FARMS ARENA 2

CLASS 29: SPORTSPOWER – MOUNT BARKER: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 0.70m

CLASS 30: PRYDES EASIFEEDS: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 0.80m

CLASS 31: NORTHERN DISTRICTS SHOWJUMPING CLUB: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 0.90m

CLASS 32: EAC EQUINE: OPEN SERIES (ROUND 2) – 1.00m

SUNDAY RESULTS

DAPPLE EQ – ARENA 1

CLASS 15: OPEN – 1.05m

CLASS 16: KENTUCKY EQUINE RESEARCH: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 1.10m

CLASS 17: MOMNT: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 1.20m

CLASS 18: MANNING SCULPTURES: SENIOR TITLE (FINAL) – 1.35-1.40m

CLASS 19: JUMPING SA: JUNIOR TITLE (FINAL) – 1.10m

LOWE FARMS ARENA 2

CLASS 34: SPORTSPOWER – MOUNT BARKER: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 0.70m

CLASS 35: PRYDES EASIFEEDS: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 0.80m

CLASS 36: NORTHERN DISTRICTS SHOWJUMPING CLUB: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 0.90m

CLASS 37: EAC EQUINE: OPEN SERIES (FINAL) – 1.00m

Results sourced from online.equipe.com