The Showcase of Show Jumping (SOS) was held this weekend, 5 and 6 May, at the stunning Sydney Polo Club in Richmond. Some of the finest show jumping talent in the Junior, Young Rider, Senior and Amateur divisions from around Australia converged on Peter and Rebecca Higgins' beautiful property 'Highfield' to stake their claim on the $16 000 prize pool up for grabs.

After the original date was postponed due to severe wet weather and flooding, those that stayed in Sydney after the Royal Easter Show and the World Cup Show were treated to the most magnificent Autumn weekend that Sydney has to offer.

Action began in the Black Arena with the Young Horse classes for 5, 6 and 7 year olds on Saturday morning. These classes form part of the Oaks Sport Horses Young Horse Series and have grown in popularity with breeders of elite horses in Australia over the past few years. The 5 year old class had 20 entries, 7 of these jumped clear over a course of jumps designed by John Valance with a maximum height of 1.15m. A few riders were unseated by their exuberant young horses in the carnival atmosphere but all walked from the course uninjured. Monique Barrett won the class in a second round time of 31.50 seconds on the lovely CP Fleur De Lyse, a mare by Falkrich. James Mooney was second with is young stallion JB Evolution and Daniel Engbers was third on Climate Change by Camelot Ego Z.

The 6 and 7 year old classes ran over similar tracks with the heights increased for each age group. Daniel Engbers returned on Millpark Tuesday to win with a second round time of 29.60 seconds. Nick Sheehan on the Conquistador progeny Cortez was second and Alyssa Mathers on Moon Print was third.

Brooke Campbell riding the very pretty Yandoo Lady Gold belonging to Jennifer Vassallo won the 7 year old class in a second round time of 32.64 seconds. Second place went to Ingrid Williamson on Wat Kaiser and Kel Preistly riding TP Class Act sired by Camelot Ego Z was third.

Other contests run throughout the day on Saturday were qualifying rounds for the finals on Sunday. The top twenty Juniors, Young Riders and Senior Riders were selected from the qualifiers and jumped in reverse order based on Saturday's places. The two round Grand Prix finals were held alternately in the two arenas. Action began at 8:30am in the Black Arena with the 1.35m Bronze Division. The 1.30m qualifier was won by Chris Chugg in a time of 65.69 seconds on Diamond B Verona, one of the first progeny from his stallion Vivant that was sold to the Ukraine after a successful tour of Europe in 2011. Jamie Kermond was second on Tulara Balouch and Andrew Barnett was third on Yalambi Ultima V.

Chris Chugg, out 4th in the Bronze Final on Sunday morning with Diamond B Vegas, was the first rider to leave the rails up on the John Vallance track but they recorded one time penalty. Vegas, who knocked just one rail the day before, was accepted into the second round along with just four clears and the two fastest four faulters from the first round. Jess Stalling and JS Vitina Z added another rail to their first round total to finish with 8 penalties in 7th place. Despite recording the third fastes second round time, Vegas added 4 faults to finish with 5 penalties in 7th place. David Cameron had one rail in the second round with KS Optimas, finishing in 6th. Vicki Roycroft brought 4 faults with her and jumped the second round clean with Noblewood Park Casino Royal to finish in 5th place. Jamie Winning riding Yandoo Congo Z jumped both rounds clean with a second round time of 56.94 seconds to place 3rd. Jamie Kermond on Tulara Ballouch took 2nd with a time of 52.48 seconds leaving first place again for Chris Chugg and Diamond B Verona.

The gathering crowds moved down to the White Arena for the Junior Grand Prix, with a maximum height of 1.20m over a track built by Brad Longhurst. Saturday's qualifier was won by Nicole Bruggerman on Master Darnley in a time of 61.90 seconds. Stephanie Mackillop and the super jumping pony Alcheringa Tradition were second and Kirrily Mann was third on Yandoo Aphrodites.

Jake Hunter began the class with what could be described as a blonde moment, jumping the wrong 2nd fence resulting in Elimination. He returned with a second horse and went clear along with 11 other Junior combinations moving in to the second round. Stephanie Mackillop's time of 44.14 seconds was the fastest, but 2 rails left her with 8 penalties in 5th place. Jamie-Rose Torzillo was 4th with Flash As, Maddy Smouha-ho on Hedge and Jessica Knox on Night Wish tied for 2nd place just 0.93 seconds behind the winner Samantha Tripp on Flowervale Diamond.

The it was back to the Black Arena for the Silver Division with a maximum height of 1.45m. James Arkins recovered from a fall in the Greater Sydney World Cup last weekend to win Saturday's Silver Qualifier on Dreamtime Invader in a time of 59.68 seconds. Amanda Madigan and Oaks Altes, one of the Oaks Sport Horses foundation mares, was second and New Zealander Katie McVean was third with Dunstan Zimerena.

The Silver Grand Prix Final only had four clear combinations in the first round. They were joined by the three fastest combinations with four penalties in the second round. Katie McVean left no doubt with her victory, recording a double clear in the fastest 2nd round time of 51.74 seconds. Sharon Slater showed her experience with a careful clear on CP Ulixes to take 2nd place. Jamie Winning returned to the winner's line up with a 3rd on Yandoo Zenzel HBC. George Johnson continued his top form with yet another place on the talented little mare Wondaree Sprite finishing 4th and David Dobson placed 5th with Oaks Zena.

The Young Rider Grand Prix moved the crowds back along the trade village to the White Arena. This hotly contested class thrilled the crowds with the young riders showing no fear over the 1.30m track. Monique Barrett qualified in the top spot on Saturday with Hollywood Attraction and was also third on Deo Juvante. Jack Maunder and Cyra were second.

Natalie McNeill, celebrating her 19th birthday, was 9th out into the arena on Vasandra who was the fastest of the four faulters in the qualifying class on Saturday. This time they left all the rails up to move in to the second round with zero penalties. Monique Barrett joined her with Deo Juvante, but was unable to repeat her previous victory on Hollywood Attraction who dropped 2 rails in the first round of the final. Alice Cooney and Sam Buchanan were the only other clears moving into round 2. They were joined by four combinations with four faults. Nicole Buggerman, who was having a busy weekend with plenty of rides in multiple classes, was clear in the second round on Twins Zenith to finish with just the four penalties from round one in 5th place. Natalie McNeill put in a cracking round going clear in a time of 46.03 seconds. The last three riders were under heaps of pressure and the crowd was full of advice, but none could match Nat's time. Sam Buchanan added four penalties to his clear round one, finishing in 4th place. Alice Cooney was clear in a time of 49. 39 seconds taking 3rd place with Belcam Alida and Monique Barrett was clear in a time of 48.53 seconds on Deo Juvante.

The Gold Division, that had the crowds speculating on possible winners, brought the action back to the Black Arena for a battle over 1.55m jumps. Just three combinations were clear in the Qualifying round on Saturday. Chris Chugg was third in the qualifier with another young Vivant offspring, Diamond B Vigo, riding a careful clear in a time of 74.60 seconds. Brook Dobbin took the more experienced Adviser around clear in a time of 66.40 seconds finishing 2nd. Jamie Kermond was the last rider out and went for it, winning the qualifying class by 2 seconds with Yandoo Laughton's Legacy.

The Gold Grand Prix on Sunday began with an exciting clear round to Sidney Roberts on The Prince and You. Sheridan Manuel on the flamboyant Renmarno, David Dobson on Akon, Jamie Grant on Cool K, Vicki Roycroft on Kartoon De Breve and Jamie Kermond on Yandoo Laughton's Legacy all joined Sidney with clear first rounds. Nick Taliano and Ambrose made up the top 7 moving into the second round as the fastest of the four faulters. Sidney, Nick and Sheridan all had multiple rails in round two. Sheridan was the fastest giving him 5th place. Jamie Grant just knocked a rail at jump 9 to finish in 4th. Vicki Roycroft was slightly defensive with her time of 61.17 seconds but posted a clear round that put pressure on the remaining two competitors to go clear and fast. David Dobson, who never looks to raise a sweat, calmly shaved his lines to go clear in a time of 57.98 seconds on Akon putting him ahead of Vicki. Jamie Kermond entered the arena on Yandoo Laughton's Legacy with a no guts no glory attitude. It paid off with a clear in a time of 57.17 seconds giving him a very popular victory with his local crowd.

The final class on the program for the weekend was the Amateur Class. 25 riders from Saturday's qualifying class of 44 starters competed over a 1.15m course to gain points in the very popular Jumping NSW Amateur of the Year Series. Last year's Series winner and current Australian Amateur Champion Martin Gostelow had 3 horses qualified for the final, all new editions to his team. Only 5 combinations posted double clears in the 2 round qualifier on Saturday. Jade Middleton won the class with Evenescence in a second round time of 43.77 seconds. Angela Dobbin was second with the very accomplished GP Shine and third on GP Premier Dollars.

The Jumping NSW Amateur of the Year Series Round on Sunday, the final for Amateurs at the SOS, followed the AM5 format with only the clear rounds returning for the jump off. Angela Dobbin was the first clear on GP Premier Dollars. Martin Gostelow made it a jump off when he went clear on the lovey grey Classico 46. They were joined by Amanda Leyshan on the talented stockhorse Emmaville Spice. Angela Dobbin added her second horse, GP Shine to the second round. Angela and Premier Dollars put the pressure on with a clear in a time of 51.10 seconds. Both Martin and Amanda knocked one rail with Amanda the fastest in a time of 49.26 seconds.

As Angela returned to the ring, the ultimate battle was between her two spectators, both hoping their horse would win them the TV donated by sponsor Big Brown Box. Each rider throughout the day had drawn the name of a spectator to ride for. If the rider won the class, the spectator won a TV. With two of show jumping's biggest volunteers riding on each of Angela's horses, Joyce Brooks on Premier Dollars and Donnie Longhurst on Shine, the pressure was on Angela. Shine is the most recent ride for Angela and the more tenuous partnership resulted in 2 rails, giving the TV to Joyce and the win to Premier Dollars.

Yandoo Equestrian Services, in Association with Equestrian NSW, designed the event with spectators in mind. Tents, tables and seating were placed on all four edges of the competition arenas, including a VIP marquee positioned through the middle of the two rings. Spectator participation was maximized with the unique opportunity to be represented by each rider as they jumped their round.

John Winning, from Winning Appliances made the final presentation on behalf of Big Brown Box. John was thrilled to be able to present Joyce with the fabulous prize.

"I'm pretty happy that someone who has spent so many years helping the sport won one of the TV's. We hope that this crowd participation is able to continue with future shows."

Another Showcase of Show Jumping is planned for the first weekend in September. Keep it free. More details to come!

Quick Links

• Results from Saturday
• Results from Sunday
• Sydney Polo Club
• Photos by Furdography

Story & Photo: Rachel Smith/Furdography/Jumping NSW