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2010 EA Sport Achievement Award Winners

Published on Thursday, May 5, 2011 in General
International Horse of the Year - Vivant

The 'best of the best' in Equestrian sport gathered last night at the Equestrian Australia 2010 Sport Achievement Awards Night at ANZ Stadium, Olympic Park.

The gala evening, hosted by Nicole Livingstone (OAM), was enjoyed by close to 300 guests and recognised the highest achievers in the sport throughout 2010.
Also during the evening Equestrian Australia introduced their Hall of Fame, inducting Equestrian heroes from throughout the decades since the Equestrian Australia’s (formerly Equestrian Federation of Australia) beginnings in the 1950’s. The 2011 inductees are listed here.
Equestrian Australia also launched their London Olympic campaign, “Operation Greenwich Gold”. The Equestrian events at next year’s games will be held in Greenwich and the Australian Equestrian Team is aiming to reach new heights of success.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2010 Sport Achievement Awards:

Event of the Year – Sydney CDI3*
Official of the Year – Christine Wallis
Club of the Year - Toowoomba & District Showjumping Club
Owner of the Year – Bev Edwards
Administrator of the Year - Barb Timms
Coach of the Year - Les Friend (Saddlehorse)
Volunteer of the Year - Jacqui Early
Young Athlete of the Year – Thomas McDermott (Jumping)
Special Services Award – Sue Gunn, Karen Herald, Val Mayger and Dr. Warwick Vale
Domestic Horse of the Year - Supernatural (Saddlehorse)
International Horse of the Year - Vivant (Jumping)
Domestic Athlete of the Year - Sharon Jarvis (Para-Equestrian)
International Athlete of the Year - Boyd Exell (Driving)
 
Event of the Year – Sydney CDI3*
The Sydney CDI 3-Star is regarded as one of the best and most popular Dressage Event in Australia. The 2010 event continued the trend of attracting top Dressage horse and rider combinations from around Australia as well as representatives from New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Great Britain, making it a truly “international event”. The event showcases Australia’s most talented Dressage horses from Grand Prix level down to the stars of the future taking part in the Young Horse Championships. This event continues to set the benchmark. For dressage riders, competing at the Sydney CDI is something many aspire to.
Indoor seating was again sold out well before the event and Top Spot Marquee bookings for the Gala Saturday Night closed two months ahead. Trade enquiries for exhibition space were stronger than ever before, to the point that demand for space is now outweighing available ground. The event is conducted by an event organising committee of Dressage NSW Inc.
Official of the Year – Christine Wallis
Holding many officiating positions over the year, Chris Wallis not only holds the position FEI Steward General for Eventing Australia but she has also assisted with the implementation of a steward course and assisted 4 stewards to achieve their FEI accreditation. Recognised both at home and internationally for her officiating knowledge and skills, she also participated in the pilot program for accreditation of national stewards. She has also been the Chief Steward at many CIC and CCI Events including World Cups from 2004 – 2011. 
Throughout 2010 Christine played a large role in the Para-Equestrian competition, attending all Para-Equestrian events throughout the country as the Chief Steward.
Outside of her various roles as a steward, Chris also is an F level judge, regularly judging at Dressage events in Australia.
Club of the Year - Toowoomba & District Showjumping Club
The Toowoomba & District Showjumping Club provides quality service to its members with a strong focus on providing competitions and clinics. In 2010 they hosted the State Showjumping Championships and the State One Day Event Championships.
Each year they pride themselves on conducting at least 8 different training days for their members and cater for the showjumping community as a whole. They focus on continual improvement of their club facility, to ensure they are able to attract quality events and officials.
Owner of the Year – Bev Edwards
Bev has demonstrated outstanding commitment at the highest level of competition internationally during 2010 as the owner of Jaybee Alabaster (ridden by Rachel Sanna) and co-owner of Vivant (ridden by Chris Chugg) at the World Equestrian Games. Bev’s involvement in breeding competition horses over more than 25 years has provided inspiration to riders at all levels – international, national and local. While the results of Jaybee Alabaster with Rachel and Vivant with Chris are well known, what is not as well known are the achievements of the younger riders who are building their skills and living their dreams on horses provided by Bev. Bev continues to inspire current and future riders. 
Administrator of the Year - Barb Timms
Barb Timms is recognised for passion and dedication in the area of endurance sport. Her commitment to the sport from regional through the international level is demonstrated through her tireless work in providing education and opportunities to endurance riders. As Club President for Nannango Heritage Endurance Riders Association, Barb has been working on several projects that are youth-focused development opportunities as well as workshops for groups such as officials. Her role as Manager of the Australian Endurance Squad requires her to oversee memberships of squads, coordinating teams to compete.
Coach of the Year - Les Friend (Saddlehorse)
As the 2010 Equestrian NSW Coach of the Year, Les Friend is currently Co-Coach of the Equestrian NSW Saddlehorse Development Squads and has been a long term coach in both Saddlehorse and Dressage. His commitment to coaching young riders is second to none. His students have achieved unprecedented success during 2010 at EA show events across the country and also at all the Royal Shows and Grand Nationals. Les is a permanent fixture at all the major events and it is not uncommon for him to have up to ten students in each class.
Les is a warm, engaging coach and a great ambassador for the sport and a most worthy recipient of the 2010 Equestrian Australia Coach of the Year. 
Volunteer of the Year - Jacqui Early
Jacqui has been immensely involved with the Narrogin Equestrian Club and thanks to her commitment and determination has helped the club to overcome significant hurdles. After facing the loss of their grounds, Narrogin had an uncertain future, losing their renowned One Day Event amongst other events and facilities. Without the help of Jacqui who serves on the committee as treasurer, ODE coordinator and a relocation committee member, the changes may not have been so successful. Jacqui has given much of her personal time to secure a future for NEA working tirelessly with the Shires of Narrogin and Cuballing regarding the new grounds. The Equestrian community has benefitted from the hard work which has now seen them enjoy fantastic new facilities, great coaching opportunities with regular clinics and even a wonderful and successful ODE which took place in September.
Young Athlete of the Year – Thomas McDermott (Jumping)
17-year-old Tom McDermott has set himself up to follow in his father’s footsteps (Greg McDermott represented Australia in Jumping at the Olympic Games), at such a young age boasting so many accomplishments. Competing for Australia at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore he took home a team silver medal. At the 2010 Australian National Showjumping Championships he took out two titles – the Junior and Young Rider. A member of the Youth Development Squad, Tom’s equestrian career has just started and from the results he had chalked up already, his future is looking bright. 
EA Special Services Award – Sue Gunn, Karen Herald, Val Mayger and Dr. Warwick Vale
This year there are 4 recipients of the Special Services Award.
Sue Gunn
Sue Gunn is the ultimate volunteer. She does amazing things and makes events happen in such a way that no one really realises she is there. She has a long history of volunteering which started in 1985 with a dream of running an International Three-Day-Event. From this she created a course at Goondiwindi, ran schools to train the riders and, after she moved to NSW, she carried the ideas to SIEC. Here, for two weeks in each February and July she has created, over 10 years, courses for all levels including for the amateur riders in the sport, enabling them to ride at and experience the wonderful facilities initially built for the 2000 Olympics.
It was only when she became serious about ‘passing the baton to some younger folks’, did the Equestrian community realise just how much she did – four people are taking on her former duties. But, don’t think she has retired as a volunteer - she has another scheme: to build and create yet another wonderful event, this time at Denman for the people of the Hunter Valley. 2010 was their first event.
Running one event in a year is a wonderful contribution to the sport but in 2010 Sue ran five events - a mammoth task – and most people would not even have known she was involved.
Karen Herald
Karen has been involved in Dressage as a competitor, event organiser and judge for more than twenty years. Former President of Caboolture Dressage Group she played a pivotal role to grow the membership and build financial security for the Club. Event director of five Queensland Dressage Championships she has also made a significant contribution to the Queensland State Equestrian Centre currently under construction. She was a long serving member of the Dressage Queensland Committee and was also the Chair of the committee from 2007-2010. In 2010 she was voted onto the Board of Equestrian Queensland as well as the Australian Dressage Committee.
Karen’s passion for the sport and the welfare of its members has been evident in the conduct of all these roles.  
Val Mayger
Served on Equestrian WA Board as an elected member, chair of Dressage, Show Horse and many other roles.
Val’s long commitment to the Equestrian world over a vast number of years has seen her compete successfully at a national level, judge at many WA and interstate competitions and coach many talented children across the state.
She is an NCAS coach, Director of the National Executives of RDA of Australia Limited, Director of Para Equestrian Limited, Chairman of the National RDA Dressage Committee and Member of the Equestrian Advisory Committee for Para-Equestrian Athletes and worthy recipient of the 2010 EA Special Services Award.
Dr Warwick Vale
Dr Warwick Vale has been involved in Equestrian sport for around twenty years. Warwick was the Chairman of the Western Australian Branch, assisted in the development of National Policy, particularly sport promotion, developed the medication control system for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games which then became the template for subsequent Olympic Games. He was also instrumental in the development of EA’s National Medication Control Program and is still its chief administrator. He provides education and training in this area and advises CEOs in Equestrian sport on medication matters. He was also chief advisor to the WA DPI during the Equine Influenza crisis.
Domestic Horse of the Year – Supernatural (Saddlehorse)
Supernatural, owned by Harriet Wadsworth and Sarah Connell, and won Equestrian NSW Saddlehorse Horse of the Year. In 2010 he started the year with the Equestrian NSW Large Hack of the year, followed by Runner-up Large Hack at the Show Horse Council Grand National and then Show Horse Council Large Hack of the Year in October.   He had wins at Bathurst, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Royals including Reserve Champion at Adelaide and Best Novice Hack at Brisbane, and carried Mark to Champion Gentleman Rider at Sydney Royal two years running.  No doubt his greatest achievement to date was his win in December at the EA National Show Horse and Rider Championships where he represented NSW to be awarded National Champion Large Hack.
International Horse of the Year - Vivant (Jumping)
Vivant has been the dominate Grand Prix horse over the past few years in jumping and in 2010 he competed in Europe at WEG with great success. In 2010 Vivant was owned by Bev Edwards and Chris and Helen Chugg, he has recently been sold.
Vivant’s results in 2010 speak for themselves:
2010 San Patrignano GP CSI5* 3rd
2010 Hachenburg GP CSI3* 5th
2010 Geesteren CSI4* 6th
2010 Ascona CSI3* 6th 
2010 7th Rolex World Cup Final
2010 WEG Member of the 7th place team
He was also part of the 2010 Nations Cups team to run 2nd at both Lummen and Linz.
Domestic Athlete of the Year - Sharon Jarvis (Para-Equestrian)
2010 was a special year for Sharon Jarvis when she won the first medal (Bronze) for the Australian Team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, then went on to win yet another Bronze medal. Jarvis relished the opportunity to be part of the large Australian Team who overall achieved their best ever result. Sharon also won WA State Para-Equestrian Dressage championships Grade III and produced highest overall score National Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships.
International Athlete of the Year - Boyd Exell (Driving)
There is no doubt that 2010 was the year Boyd Exell shot to the top, taking home Australia’s first ever gold medal from a World Equestrian Games, becoming the World Driving Champion.
Breaking his hand just prior to WEG, he went on to take out the title as well as setting highest ever score recorded for the dressage phase of four-in-hand carriage driving.
In 2010 Boyd also won the 2010 World Cup Final, the Windsor Horse Show and Aachen four-in-hand titles. In total Boyd won 11 competitions overseas in 2010 on top of his WEG Gold medal. This record makes him a worthy recipient of the 2010 Equestrian Australia International Athlete of the Year.
Click here to see the inaugral Hall of Fame inductees.

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