Friday saw an action-packed jumping program on the ninth day of competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Three classes were conducted, one each for Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3 competition. As it was the last of four classes conducted for Section 1, the award for the Best performed Section 1 horse was made at the conclusion of the class to Yandoo Oaks Constellation. Ridden throughout the week by Jamie Kermond, it was good to see this combination which successfully represented Australia at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, back in the winners’ circle after some very consistent performances.

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Before we report on Friday’s action, we will take the opportunity to briefly recap the results from earlier in the week. For a full report on Tuesday’s action, click HERE.

Wednesday had just two classes on the schedule, one each in both Sections 2 and 3. The Section 2 class was taken out by James Arkins and his magnificent stallion Eurostar 1. Tom McDermott and Yalambi’s Finnigan, the combination that won the Section 2 speed class on Tuesday filled second place, while Freeman Reach’s Melissa Blair in combination with her mare Zidora, filled third place.

The placegetters in the second Section 2 competition were as follows.
CLASS 0862: Section 2 Competition – Round 2 (238.2.2)

James Arkins and Eurostar 1

Tom McDermott and Yalambi’s Finnigan

Melissa Blair and Zidora

Wednesday afternoon saw the second round of the Section 3 competition. Having already taken wins in both a Section 1 class and a Section 2 class, Tom McDermott added a section 3 win to his week’s work. McDermott, in combination with the horse who he combined with to place third in the first Section 3 class on Monday, Cachassini 11, took the win.

The second placed combination in the Tuesday’s Accumulator class, Rhys Stones and Connolly’s Blue Diamont again filled second place, while winner of the first class, Victorian visitor Brook Dobbin and Miranda MVNZ finished third this time.

The placegetters in the second Section 3 competition were as follows.
CLASS 0865: Section 3 Competition – Round 2 (238.2.2)

Tom McDermott and Cachassini 11

Rhys Stones and Connolly’s Blue Diamont

Brook Dobbin and Miranda MVNZ

There was just a single jumping class conducted on Thursday which was the third round of the Section 1 competition. Of the 11 starting combinations, only four could go clear and therefore were invited back for a jump off. Of these four combinations, it was only Amanda Madigan and Diamond B Vivienne who could again go clear and take the win. Despite their time being the slowest of the four (51.47 seconds), all the others took a single rail and therefore times were needed to sort out the minor placings. Second place went to Tom McDermott and Elegance De La Charmille in 46.74 seconds, with Gabrielle Chugg and Cera Cassiago, just 1 second slower in third.

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The placegetters in the third Section 1 competition were as follows.
CLASS 0858: Section 1 Competition – Round 3 (238.2.2)

For a full list of all the placings, please click HERE.

Amanda Madigan and Diamond B Vivienne

The Jim Barnes Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by family & friends of the late Jim Barnes AM, is awarded to the Owner of the winning horse in this class. Diamond B Farm at Freemans Reach, run by Helen Chugg was awarded this trophy

The first class to be decided on the Friday program was the third competition in the Section 3 program. Twenty-five combinations fronted for the early 8:15 am start, with 10 clear rounds being recorded. In the jump-off only three of the ten incurred any penalties, so with seven combinations tied on double clear, it came down to times to sort out the placings. As it seems to be more often the case than not, when speed alone is the determinant of the placings, Tom McDermott seems to end up high on the list. In a repeat of Wednesday’s result, McDermott combined with Cachassini 11 to take out the win with a jump-off time of 42.44 seconds.

A tick over two seconds behind was the current NSW Senior Champion rider, Jamie Priestley in combination with Oaks Diamantina. Third place went to the recent Dressage and Jumping with the Stars 7-year-old champion combination of Kate Hinschen and Yalambi’s Jadore, with a time of 45.62 seconds.

The placegetters in the third Section 3 competition were as follows.

CLASS 0866: Section 3 Competition – Round 3 (238.2.2)

For a full list of all the placings, please click HERE.

Tom McDermott and Cachassini 11

The next class was the final class of the Section 1 competition. We had seen three different winners so far for the three rounds completed, so it was sure to be a tight race for the competition to be named the best Section 1 horse.

Once again in this Section, there were only 11 combinations entered and on what proved to be a difficult course, only one combination was able to record a clear round, thereby averting the need for a jump-off. Just as they had done yesterday, it was Amanda Madigan and Diamond B Vivienne standing atop the podium. Fastest of the four faulters were the winners of the second round, Jamie Kermond and Yandoo Oaks Constellation. Repeating their performance from yesterday, third place again went to Gabrielle Chugg and her magnificent grey stallion Cera Cassiago. The Chatham Park connection rounded out the placings with Kate Hinschen and Finch Farm Cadel in fourth and Amber Fuller and CP Aretino in fifth place.

The placegetters in the final Section 1 competition were as follows.
CLASS 0857: Section 1 Competition – Round 4 (238.2.2)

For a full list of all the placings, please click HERE.

Amanda Madigan and Diamond B Vivienne

Just as there was on Thursday for the Section 1 class, there is a special award for the owner of the winning horse of Class 0857. The EFA Perpetual Cup, was donated by the President of the Equestrian Federation of Australia (NSW Branch) and was awarded to Diamond B Farm run by Helen Chugg.

At the conclusion of the Section 1 competition, there was a presentation made to the best performed horse over the course of the Series. The David Asimus Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Peter Asimus and Virginia Russell-Asimus for the Best Performed Section 1 Jumping Horse. While the trophy has only been presented four times previously, David Asimus was a competitor at the Royal Easter Show for over 30 years, going on to represent Australia at the World Cup finals in Vienna in 1983. The trophy was awarded to Kerrie Winning, the owner of  Yandoo Oaks Constellation.

The final class on Friday was the third round of the Section 2 competition. There were 26 combinations entered on a very warm humid afternoon, which saw just six combinations go clear to enter the jump-off. Second out in the jump off were the combination from Yarra Glen in Victoria of Brook Dobbin and Gina MVNZ and they were the first to achieve double clear (48.17 seconds) and so put the pressure on the rest of the combinations to come. Not that the pressure was felt by Melissa Blair and her grey mare Zidora. They raced around the course clear in just 45.29 seconds to snatch the lead. The next combination out was Jess Stones and Black Currency, who although going clear, finished in a time of 52.76 seconds, thereby incurring a single time penalty to just miss out on the win.

In the end the victory went to Melissa Blair and Zidora as one of only two combinations to record double clear rounds. Brook Dobbin and Gina MVNZ, who had come fourth behind Blair’s third, in the earlier round was again placed behind her in second.

The placegetters in the third Section 2 competition were as follows.
CLASS 0861: Section 2 Competition – Round 3 (238.2.2)

For a full list of all the placings, please click HERE.

Melissa Blair and Zidora

With three classes of the Section 2 competition going to three different winning combinations, the competition for the Best Performed Section 2 horse appears to be wide open going into today’s final class.

The other series set down for decision on Saturday is the conclusion of the Section 3 competition. With wins in two of the three classes as well as a third place in the other the Sharon Slater owned stallion Cachassini 11 would appear to be very well placed, particularly with one of the best pilots going around, Tom McDermott, in the saddle.

The jumping program will conclude on Sunday with the best combinations at the Show battling it out in the feature event of the Royal Easter Show Jumping program. The Grand Prix, to be held over two rounds is scheduled to commence 2:00 pm and will be held following the Mini-Prix to be held on Sunday morning at 9:30.

At the conclusion of the jumping program presentations will be made to the best young jumping horse of the show and the best jumping horse of the show. Finally, the most successful rider of the show will be announced and presented with their trophy to close the jumping part of the show.

At looks sure to be a cracker of a weekend of Jumping.

(Full results listings are supplied courtesy of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Horse Office.)