THE first of three big jumping shows scheduled for 2015 by the North and North West Show Jumping Club was successfully completed at Tamworth Australian Equine and Livestock Event Centre on the weekend.
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More than 200 horses and their riders from around NSW and Queensland competed in close to 1000 rounds of jumping over three days, across two rings for their share of more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.
Jess Brown, daughter of Olympian Rod Brown, claimed victory in the feature Peel River Produce Indoor Grand Prix ahead of an impressive line-up, including local boys James Hetherington, Brock Harvey and Ron Easey of Sydney Olympic Games fame.
One of the highlights of the event occurred on Friday evening when 30 up and coming horses competed in the Forty Winks Future Stars Classic.
Internationally-renowned World Cup course designer from Queensland, Graeme Watts, built a track of 1.25m and higher to test the training and bravery of these horses.
11 combinations were clear in the first round, including Easey from Quipolly and Justin Wilkinson and James Hetherington both from Tamworth.
Jumping in reverse order in the second round, the 11 riders returned to the ring in the race against the clock.
Wilkinson rode a conservative second round, dropping two rails to end with eight penalties.
Easey put the pressure on with his fast time of 64.06 seconds but an unlucky rail fell, giving him four penalties.
Hetherington rode a blistering time, the fastest of the night, but again a rail fell, leaving him in fifth place.
Andrew Barnett from Keinbah, NSW – on his well-bred mare Verushka by Vivant – was the second fastest but left the rails up to claim the victory.
On Saturday afternoon another feature class was held with 20 combinations vying for their chance to add their name to the Peter Hoffman Memorial Cup.
This class, run indoors over a track with jumps higher than 1.30m, honours the memory of a man tirelessly committed to promoting show jumping in regional NSW.
He was a past president of the club and a life member as well as being president of Tamworth Show Society.
He also spent many years on NSW Showjumping Council, was a judge, course designer and steward.
Peter’s daughter Annette Maunder announced the action all weekend and was very emotional to see her own mare Charisma, ridden by Jess Brown of Kulnura, make it through to the second round, just one of four clears in the first round.
Unfortunately the new combination was unable to make it a fairytale ending, knocking two rails for eight penalties in the second round.
The more-established partnership of Brooke Campbell from Sydney and the stunning coloured stallion Copabella Visage were the winners of the memorial class.
Despite being run off their feet over the weekend, the volunteer committee is already discussing plans for the Winter Indoor Champions being held 26 - 28 June 2015 and the Indoor Tour 9 - 11 October that will possibly feature a World Cup Show Jumping Class.