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P.S.I. Dressage & Jumping with the Stars 2016 - Familiar Faces and Future Stars

Santiago

And that’s a wrap, the 2016 edition of DJWTS concluded on Sunday 20 March with a Young Horse Seminar presented by Dutch 5* judge Francis Verbeek, who was supported by Dr Ulf Möller of naming rights sponsor Performance Sales International (P.S.I.) and guest rider Matthias Rath from Germany. The trio and their fellow judges and riders had a very busy week, judging and assessing Australia’s best young horses and ponies in the National Young Dressage and Jumping Horse Championships and supporting events.

 
D&JWTS Header
 

P.S.I. Dressage & Jumping with the Stars 2016 - Familiar Faces and Future Stars
And that’s a wrap, the 2016 edition of DJWTS concluded on Sunday 20 March with a Young Horse Seminar presented by Dutch 5* judge Francis Verbeek, who was supported by Dr Ulf Möller of naming rights sponsor Performance Sales International (P.S.I.) and guest rider Matthias Rath from Germany. The trio and their fellow judges and riders had a very busy week, judging and assessing Australia’s best young horses and ponies in the National Young Dressage and Jumping Horse Championships and supporting events.

The event began on Thursday 17 March with Round 1 for the 4YO dressage horses and all young dressage pony age groups as well as the CSC Prix St Georges. The latter was won by NSW rider Brett Parbery on the imported gelding Larenso by Bogegardens Laurino on a strong 70.26%. The pair followed up with a win in the CSC Inter I Freestyle on Friday night. The young dressage pony classes saw a small but quality field, featuring plenty of German Riding Pony influence coupled with Australian bloodlines.

The 4YO division was won by chestnut gelding Envyious Philino by Don Philino, ridden and owned by Marissa Norris on 75.80%. Sara Price rode the Jocelyn King-owned FS Carry Gold to victory in the 5YO class, with 72.40%. The grey Welsh pony Barnborough Jabiluka by Imperial Juggler, owned by Sarah French and presented by Robbie Soster, won the 6YO event. Guest rider Steph Crittenden from VIC then had the tough decision of selecting the Pony Champion and her and the judges’ choice fell on FS Carry Gold by FS Coco Jambo, who went home with the Jill Cobcroft perpetual trophy and a service to pony stallion Quaterback’s Junior, donated by International Horse Breeders (IHB).

 
FS Carry Gold
Champion of Champion in the pony section was
FS Carry Gold by FS Coco Jambo - Pic Derek O'Leary
 

The 4YO Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships were hotly contested, with David McKinnon and Freestyle MS by Fürst Love improving on their Round 1 score to edge out fellow NSW rider Daniella Dierks on OEH Frozen Chili by Fürst Romancier. Matthew Dowsley and his own 5YO gelding Santiago delivered a faultless Round 2 to win from SPH Renaissance by Royal Hit and Rodney Martin. The 6YO division had a clear winner in both rounds with Donna Elena by Don Schufro, ridden by Maree Tomkinson. The elegant Hanoverian mare was a favourite with the judges too, who awarded three times the 9.

Guest rider Matthias Rath, who, as the commentator rightly pointed out, is normally used to sitting on the world’s best horse Totilas, rode the winner from each age group in front of the judges panel and provided commentary after each ride. The panel’s choice eventually fell on Australian-born and bred Santiago by Sandro Hit-Florestan I, bred by Sally Kean in the NSW Southern Highlands. Santiago went home with the P.S.I. Champion of Champions trophy rug and a stallion service to Grand Prix stallion Bellissimo M, thanks to IHB. Rider Matthew Dowsley is no stranger to DJWTS success, having been in the saddle of Champion of Champions Cinderella in 2001, Rhodes in 2004 and San Jose in 2010.

 
SAntiago
Dr Ulf Moeller congratulates Matthew Dowsley and Sandiago
on their Champ[ion of Champions win at D&JWTS 2016
Pic: Derek O'Leary
 

The Young Jumping Horse Championships had a similar ‘been-there-done-that’ feel for the winning riders and breeders when Victorian-based Alex Rooney and Melissa Froesch and NSW’s Yirrkala stud took home the ribbons.
Alex Rooney presented Montana MVNZ by Corofino II, owned by Wendy Keddell and Caroline Price, to win the 4YO division, sponsored by Wellington Livestock. Alex also placed on top in the Pryde’s EasiFeed 7YO class on her own Tulara Chico by Chicos Boy, two years after winning the 5YO title on the same horse. The 6YO winner Glenara Lady Bollinger is by ASB Conquistador out of the infamous mare Glenara Bollinger who has previously won the Champion of Champions title herself and has since been World Cup placed. Lady Bollinger is a home-bred by the Froesch Family and was ridden by Melissa Froesch. Melissa has presented the Champion of Champions at Werribee Park three times; in 2002 on Warlord II, 2008 on Glenara Bollinger and in 2010 on Glenara Master Cognac.

 

Yirrkala Smokey by Stolzenberg. Ridden by Todd Hinde Smokey
won his 5YO age group and went opn to become the
Champion of Champions in the Young Jumping Horse section.
Pic Derek O'Leary
 

Congratulations must go to Yirrkala Stud who also bred last year’s Champion of Champions Yirrkala Ebony and this year sent the beautiful Yirrkala Smokey by Stolzenberg. Ridden by Todd Hinde Smokey won his 5YO age group and then showed his class and rideability under guest rider Paula Hamood from QLD.

The Jumping Champion received the Sky High Perpetual Trophy donated by Jaybee Farm, a service to Balou de Rouet, donated by IHB, and the coveted Champion rug. Breeder Sue Knox has commented that she hopes for Smokey to compete in Europe in the future. However before that we will get to enjoy him in Australia for another couple of seasons. The 5 and 6YO Young Jumping Horse Championships were supported by Tweedie & Associates Equine Veterinary Services and French stallion station Group France Elevage.

The Rivenlee Current Stars final was won by Paul Brent and Cavalli Park Annibell. A special award went to Andrew Long and Hidden Option as the winner of the best performed Thoroughbred for jumping. The Esther Bellis Perpetual Trophy for the best performed horse over both the dressage and jumping events went to Graftango by Grafenstolz, ridden by Catherine Davies, who finished 4th overall in the jumping and 9th overall in the dressage for 4YO horses.

New Zealand’s John Thompson and JHT Antonello were on a roll with two solid victories in the Longvue CDI-W Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle. The pair was chasing their last qualifying mark that would make them eligible for selection for the Rio Olympics. A 70.2% in the Grand Prix did just that and Thompson was ecstatic, “I am over the moon. He was just super in there. It was quite an atmospheric arena but he put that aside and put on a good display.”

 
John Thompson
New Zealand’s John Thompson and JHT Antonelo won the
Longvue CDI-W Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle Pic: Ute Raabe
 

They placed ahead of Victorian rider Mary Hanna and Boogie Woogie 6 on both occasions. However, the elegant bay gelding showed his class and upwards form and booked himself a flight ticket to Europe to join Mary and her other horse Grand Prix Umbro for the Rio selection events.

DJWTS is not complete without the hugely popular Saddleworld Jumping and Dressage Masterclasses, a highlight on Saturday’s program. Canadian clinician and guest judge Jody Sloper presented a jumping masterclass and Matthias Rath worked with a selection of dressage horses and riders, showing his eager audience how to improve suppleness and rideability with different types of horses.
For all competition results and news visit

http://www.equestrianvictoriaevents.com.au/DJWTS/index.php and follow us on Facebook PSI Dressage & Jumping with the Stars.