Sport
25 January, 2024
Jumping in to action
A TWO-DAY showjumping festival gave upcoming riders and horses an opportunity to showcase their skills over the weekend.
The Caramut Riding Club’s Showjumping Festival, held at the Mortlake Showjumping grounds over the weekend, drew a large field of competitors across 10 classes, ranging between 60cm up to 110cm.
Caramut Riding Club president Tim Haworth said he was pleased with the success of the event.
“We had an excellent weekend, with really good weather,” he said.
“There was a maximum amount of entries, up to 200 per day, which drew competitors from all over Victoria.
“We had people coming from as far as Shepparton, South Australia and Melbourne.”
Mr Haworth said the event had been steady over the years in providing an opportunity for riders and horses to gain experience in a competition setting.
The event does not reach the scale of the club’s larger Western District Showjumping Championships held in March, but has its own strength in supporting the growth of the sport at a grassroots level.
“The festival can be used as a tune up but also caters more for junior riders and younger horses which are being trained up,” Mr Haworth said.
“You have to cater for the grassroots and the top level alike, and encourage that bottom end by giving them a competition setting.
“There’s a lot of young riders in the region who are very good and coming on in to the sport, and we’re seeing lot of young locals stepping up to the higher levels.
“So, we want to keep putting it on and making it happen because it’s good for riders and a lot of people get a lot of entertainment out of it.”
Finding spectators was not a difficult task with the showjumping grounds located beside the Mortlake caravan park.
Curious onlookers enjoyed the views from the adjacent fence line and spectators were also able to watch from the comfort of their cars at the Mortlake Men’s Shed.
Mr Haworth said he was pleased with the level of support and the “excellent” condition of the grounds in Mortlake.
“It was a good year in terms of participants, we normally have around that number but support was terrific,” he said.
“It shows how popular it is.
“Mortlake has a good venue for spectators and people enjoy the chance to have a watch.
“It’s a different type of sport than a lot of people are used to so it’s good entertainment.”
Full results are as follows:
Class 1 - Open 65cm:
1st Chloe Manuell–Neopolian, 2nd Barry Stewart – Grace, 3rd Harriet Thomson - Champagne Lola, 4th Maureen McGrath - LH Drumstick, 5th Alison Foster - KinnordyGuayaquill, 6th Ingrid Clarke – Polly.
Class 1A - CRC member 65cm:
1st Chloe Manuell - Smarty Pants, 2nd Michael McKay - Cuban Fighter, 3rd Zayli Reimers- Bellaview Hermione.
Class 2 - Open 75cm:
1st Chloe Manuell–Neopolian, 2nd Harriet Thomson - Champagne Lola, 3rd Barry Stewart – Grace, 4th Jorjia Farrugia - Finch Farm Summer Holiday, 5th Bethany Dyson - Arthur of Sir Falkrik, 6th Grace Sim - Jingella Butterfly.
Class 2A - CRC member 75cm:
1st Eliza Wilson - Everybody Tango, 2nd Chloe Manuell - Smarty Pants, 3rd Chloe Reimers – Ace.
Robbie Leishman Encouragement Award - ZevaMissen.
Class 3 - Open 85cm:
1st Zoe Goode - Viewmont Buster, 2nd Summer Galle - Viewmont Tye, 3rd Bethany Dyson - Say Something, 4th Tim Clarke – Dolly, 5th Clementine Thomson - Wicklow Annabelle, 6th Emma Laughton - Mister Smooth.
Class 3A - CRC members 85cm:
1st River Rothery - Moondale Abbott, 2nd Maddie Mayne - Distress Signal, 3rd Chloe Reimers - Bellaview Spice.
Class 4 - Open 95cm:
1st Tim Haworth - Silent Night, 2nd Mia Richie - Pearl Jam, 3rd Charles Hiscock - Always a Gentleman, 4th Hannah Wigg - Coldstream Sin City, 5th Tim Clarke –Yossarian, 6th Michael Goldsworthy –Adamos.
Class 4A - CRC member 95cm:
1st Maddie Mayne - Distress Signal, 2nd Karl Graesser–Savitskaya, 3rd Rachael Gane - Minnamurra Park Apona, 4th Jessica Reimers –Omoide.
Class 5 - Open 105cm:
1st Kristy McSween- Wondaree Spice, 2nd Scottie Barclay - Cashed Up, 3rd Greg Smith - Diamond B Bugsy, 4th Hannah Wigg - Coldstream Sin City, 5th Kristy McSween- Busy Bee, 6th Tim Haworth - Jingella Blueprint.
Class 6 - Open 70cm:
1st Maureen McGrath - LH Drumstick, 2nd Bethany Dyson - Arthur of Sir Falkrik, 3rd Grace Sim - Jingella Butterfly, 4th Harriet Thomson - Champagne Lola, 5th Alison Foster - KinnordyGuayaquill, 6th Barry Stewart – Grace.
Class 6A - CRC member 70cm:
1st Eliza Wilson - Everybody Tango, 2nd Chloe Reimers – Cyrus, 3rd Mia Kermond - Elm Tree Ballerina.
Class 7 - Open 80cm:
1st Elise Whittaker - Bell Spot Winter Storm, 2nd Harriet Thomson - Champagne Lola, 3rd Emma Laughton - Mister Smooth, 4th Harry Borrack - Benmore Pizzaz, 5th Elise Whittaker- Cayuse Flash Duke, 6th Grace Sim - Jingella Butterfly.
Class 7A - CRC member 80cm:
1st Chloe Reimers - Bellaview Spice, 2nd Lucy Carmody - Uphill Battle, 3rd Chloe Reimers – Ace.
Class 8 - Open 90cm:
1st Charlotte Dyson - My Custom Made, 2nd Harry Borrack - Benmore Pizzaz, 3rd Zoe Goode - Viewmont Buster, 4th Maddie Mayne - Irish Inspiration, 5th Charlotte Dyson – Rubilicious, 6th Lola Edwards - TularaCornaska.
Class 8A - CRC member 90cm:
1st Chloe Reimers - Bellaview Spice, 2nd Matilda Graesser - Now or Never Nigel, 3rd Rachael Gane - Minnamurra Park Apona.
Class 9 - Open 100cm:
1st Lucy Borrack - Oscar Boscaiola, 2nd Tim Haworth - Silent Night, 3rd Steven Patman - Former President, 4th Claire Foster - Aris Lillian, 5th Carla Box – Watchman, 6th Athena Galbraith - AX Cassman.
Class 9A - CRC member 100cm:
1st Matilda Graesser - Now or Never Nigel, 2nd IndeyaTalay - Gatum Dispute, 3rd Maddie Mayne - Distress Signal.
Class 10 - Open 110cm:
1st Rachael Gane - Minnamurra Park Calatol, 2nd Kristy McSween- Wondaree Spice, 3rd Kristy McSween - Jingella Superstition, 4th Katrina Hope - Gisborne Girl, 5th Katrina Hope - Finch Farm Gunn, 6th Lucy Borrack - Oscar Boscaiola.
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