World Cup raises bar for riders

The Tamworth World Cup Show jumped yesterday morning at 7am for the first course walk and practice runs before the competition opened.

Over 220 riders will saddle up around 440 horses over the tournament, with the main events to be ridden on Saturday evening.

At this stage there is 37 riders looking for a spot in the Australian team, and the three current national riders are also here attempting to retain their position at the top.

Olympic champion and Quipolly native Ron Easey will be on board Made You Look in the big one, and he will be joined by Aussie teammates Vicki Roycroft, David Cooper and current Australian champion David Cameron.

Cooper and Cameron both have two horses in the World Cup qualifier, while Easey has a good record at the venue after taking out the Showjumping Championships there last year in a spectacular last round.

Chairman of the Tamworth World Cup committee and course designer Greg Backhouse said that the inaugural qualifier in Tamworth is a win for the sport in NSW and the bush.

“The sport is growing all the time and there was an opening there to bring it to Tamworth,” Backhouse said.

“We have three major competitions at the AELEC a year but this has absolutely brought in the best competition in Australia.

Only Northern Territory and Tasmania are not represented over the weekend, with a rider from New Zealand even jumping the ditch for a chance.

Apart from Easey there are two other local chances, James Hetherington has already represented Australia before, and is out to do it again on Jaybee Caribus, while Armidale’s Brock Harvey will be trying to do the same on Thunder Down Under.

“There is some very good young and old riders here,” Backhouse said.

“But we also cater for the young ones and beginners as well.” 

“This weekend we have free entry for spectators and we would like to see all of Tamworth get out and support the inaugural World Cup Show.”