The headline class of the NSW State Showjumping Championships is the Senior Title, which was determined today in an exhilarating final which saw a deserved winner take out the title. Let’s take a look at how the championship unfolded.

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The First Round, conducted as a speed class was held on Thursday. James Arkins and Rosthwaite Vigilante II were the clear winners by more than two and a half seconds.

CLASS 112: NSW Senior Title – First Round – 1.45m
The first six placegetters in this class were:

PLACE	RIDER	HORSE
1st	James Arkins	Rosthwaite Vigilante II
2nd	Samantha Morrison	Biarritz
3rd	Amber Fuller	CP Aretino
4th	Elliot Reeves	Aveden Indigo
5th	Amelia Douglass	Eye Catcher
6th	Rhys Stones	Tulara Colmar

James Arkins and Rosthwaite Vigilante II

The Second Round was held on Friday and was won by Rhys Stones and Tulara Colmar by a clear margin from Jamie Priestley and Courage.

CLASS 125: NSW Senior Title – Second Round – 1.50m
The first six placegetters in this class were:

PLACE	RIDER	HORSE
1st	Rhys Stones	Tulara Colmar
2nd	Jamie Priestley	Courage
3rd	Amelia Douglass	Eye Catcher
4th	Amber Fuller	CP Aretino
5th	Elloitt Reeves	Aveden Indigo
6th	Samantha Morrison	Biarritz

Rhys Stones and Tulara Colmar

Before today’s final, the Title Class Scoring System was calculated to determine the number of penalties each combination would carry forward into the final. (Click HERE for a brief explanation of this system in our Young Rider Title story).

Here were the starting penalties for the final.

RIDER	HORSE	R1	R2	TOT.	DIFF	CFP
Rhys Stones	Tulara Colmar	13	19	32	0	0
Amber Fuller	CP Aretino	16	15	31	1	0
James Arkins	Rosthwaite Vigilante II	19	11	30	2	1
Samantha Morrison	Biarritz	17	13	30	2	1
Amelia Douglass	Eye Catcher	14	16	30	2	1
Elliot Reeves	Aveden Indigo	15	14	29	3	1
Jamie Priestley	Courage	8	17	25	7	3
Kate Hinschen	Finch Farm Cadel	12	8	20	12	6
James Mooney	JB Evolution	10	10	20	12	6
Tallara Cameron	Copabella Verdi	9	6	15	17	8
Nelson Smyth	Laurel Glen Lucky Time	11	2	13	19	9
Stephen Dingwall	Cavalier D Rouet	4	9	13	19	9
Shimona Fraid	Bonaire	0	12	12	20	10
Jessica Spence	Fiorella 104	7	3	10	22	11
Jamie W Kermond	Galliano MS	6	4	10	22	11
Izabella Stone	Lincoln MVNZ	5	5	10	22	11
Alison Rowland	Glenara Cognac	3	7	10	22	11
Bridget Berry	Turn It Blue NZPH	0	0	0	32	16

This was going to be an amazingly close competition. With two combinations tied in the lead entering the final with zero penalties and a further four combinations just a single penalty behind, the winner would most likely need a perfect performance in the final.

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In the first round of the final there were five clear rounds, however, neither Rhys Stones or Amber Fuller were one of them, meaning that they had let the opportunity for victory slip and they were now reliant on others incurring penalties as well.

After the Second Round of the final there were only two combinations with double clears. Victory in the class went to local rider Izabella Stone and Lincoln MVNZ by just over half a second from Jamie Priestley and Courage.

Izabella Stone and Lincoln MVNZ

Jamie Priestley and Courage

CLASS 143: NSW Senior Title – Final – 1.50m
The first eight placegetters in this class were:

PLACE	RIDER	HORSE
1st	Izabella Stone	Lincoln MVNZ
2nd	Jamie Priestley	Courage
3rd	James Mooney	JB Evolution
4th	Amber Fuller	CP Aretino
5th	Samantha Morrison	Biarritz
6th	Stephen Dingwall	Cavalier Du Rouet
7th	Tallara Cameron	Copabella Verdi
8th	Kate Hinschen	Finch Farm Cadel

So after coming into the final of three penalties and in seventh place, Jamie Priestley and Courage were able to go double clear in the final to remain on a total of three penalties and thereby take out the NSW Senior Rider title. A great achievement for this young lady who has only recently stepped up to Seniors. Amber Fuller and CP Aretino, who won this title in 2017, entered the final on zero but incurred five penalties in the final to finish second, while Samantha Morrison and Biarritz finished third.

Amber Fuller and CP Aretino

Samantha Morrison and Biarritz

The top eight placegetters in the NSW Senior Title for 2019 are as follows:

PLACE	RIDER	HORSE
1st	Jamie Priestley	Courage
2nd	Amber Fuller	CP Aretino
3rd	Samantha Morrison	Biarritz
4th	James Mooney	JB Evolution
5th	Izabella Stone	Lincoln MVNZ
=6th	Amelia Douglass	Eye Catcher
=6th	James Arkins	Rosthwaite Vigilante II
=6th	Elliott Reeves	Aveden Indigo

Australian Jumping congratulates all the winners and placegetters.