Biggest Young Jumping Horse Competition in Australia

More than 120 horses from four states of Australia will be competing in the jumping classes at this year’s PSI Dressage & Jumping with the Stars.   The 4 year old and 5 year old classes are the most popular of the four age groups for the Young Jumping Horse Championships and the overall number of entrants makes this event the biggest young jumping horse competition in Australia!

The experienced horses and riders are also catered for with the ACE Group Grand Prix which has attracted over 30 competitors and it looks like being an exciting competition on Friday afternoon.  There’s a depth of talent and experience in this class with riders including Olympic representatives Laurie Lever, Jamie Coman and Russell Johnstone, along with Jamie Kermond who rode at the 2006 WEG.

The Young Jumping Horse classes cater for horses ranging from 4 years up to 7 years of age and are judged along similar lines to the Young Jumping Horse classes in Europe.  There are two rounds of competition over Thursday and Friday and then the top 20 horses in each age group proceed to the Final on Saturday morning. The judging panel comprises Colleen Brook, Paul Williams and the jumping guest star Greg Best, a silver medallist for America at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The Greystone 4 year old Championship has a real mix of horses and riders, from the jumping purists to eventing riders.  There are also several horses and riders competing in both the young dressage and young jumping horse classes and they will be in contention for the Esther Bellis Trophy which is awarded to the best performed horse across both disciplines. 

The Kentaur Saddlery 5 year old Championship is the biggest of the young horse classes with more than 30 starters.  It looks like being the most competitive section, with seven out of the top ten horses from the 4 year old class last year returning to compete including the winner Denison Park Veliki and Ally Lamb.

The Mansion Hotel and Spa 6 year old Championship features several of the placegetters from last year’s 5 year old class, including the winner, and eventual Champion of Champions, Master Cognac and Melissa Froesch.  This section is an almost all Victorian affair with one sole interstate rider, Jonathon Farrington and APH Rubicon.

Kristy Haworth and Jingella Delta were the 6 year old Champions last year and they are returning for the Waterview Park 7 year old Championship this year.  Last year’s DJWTS was Kristy’s first ride at the event, and at just 18 years of age, she was one of the youngest competitors.  Joining Kristy will be 10 ten other competitors, including several who are also competing in the ACE Group Grand Prix – Stuart Brennan & Raylyns Eliza, Stephen Dingwell & Cavalier Bryn and Anthony March & Renovator.

The four age group winners will be ridden by Colleen Brooke - who rode for Australia at the 1990 WEG - to determine the Jumping Champion of Champions which is always popular viewing with the spectators.  Broadford based rider, Melissa Froesch, has the impressive, and enviable, record of having achieved three “Champion of Champions’ titles since the Jumping classes were introduced in 2002.  What makes this achievement even more unique is that her first Champion of Champion, Warlord II (2002), is the sire of her other two Champions !  Melissa is competing three horses in the young horse classes this year and has Glenara Bollinger, her 2008 Champion of Champions in the ACE Group Grand Prix.

Over the three days there will be plenty of jumping action, plus the Saddleworld Jumping Masterclass presented by international guest star Greg Best on Saturday afternoon.  It’s an event not to be missed !