World Cup winner: Billy Raymont won the World Cup qualifier event on horse Anton. The pair finished on 54.91 with zero penalties.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Two Olympians, numerous Australian representatives and one Swedish rider all converged at Shepparton during the weekend for a three-day show-jumping competition.
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They had come from as far as Queensland and Western Australia to marvel at the jewel in the competition’s crown: the World Cup qualifier on Saturday afternoon, March 19.
The application to host this event went all the way to Switzerland for approval and points won in it can take a rider-horse duo to the 2022 World Equestrian Games.
Underdogs: Nannella rider and school teacher Adam Prime was an outlier among the full-time professional riders. His horse was even more of an underdog - an off-the-track thoroughbred called Saddle Up Smudge who was still “green” to jumping at this level. Smudge was the horse version of a rescue mutt among the warmbloods imported from Europe.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
This was the first time Northern Victorian Show Jumping Club (NVSJC) had hosted a world qualifier event since 2016.
After two rounds of jumping, the Victorian-based professional rider Billy Raymont emerged as the winner on his horse Anton.
The pair finished on 54.91 with zero penalties (no poles knocked down).
Speed champs: Rachael Gane and Bandido came in third in the Speed Championships.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Second place was former Olympian Russell Johnstone on Daprice and third was taken by the current Australian Senior title holder Olivia Hamood on Jane Fonda DVD.
All three medallists had two horses in the event, giving them two shots at claiming prize money, which was distributed right down to 12th place.
Champs indeed: Jorydn Lee-Madgwick on Cera Cadett. The duo won the Speed Championships on Friday with a 74.73 second time.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
NVSHJ events manager Philippa Davison-Jacques said the one Swedish rider competing — Frida Lindgren on Ashleigh City Lights — had to get special permission from the Swedish jumping authority so her points in Australia would count.
“We’ve had to bring in a lot of infrastructure to build this up (the WB Hunter Reserve) so it’s at the international level,” Mrs Davison-Jacques said.
“Even something as simple as the stabling area. We applied to hold this event all the way back in August 2021.”
In addition to infrastructure, special stewards and judges were also required.
Other competitions held over the three-day event include the crowd-pleasing Speed Championships and Mini Prix.
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