AlliedEquine

David Dobson & ShowaMetal Barrington break the Smithbrook Puissance record at 1.95m, and pick up a $1000 bonus for their troubles. Full Story and results below.

Fine food, fine wine, and brilliant showjumping.

The Show:

Held in Western Australia’s deep south-west amongst massive Karri gums and vineyards, the 2007 Smithbrook Wines Showjumping Derby was anticipated to be the biggest and best local showjumping derby since its inauguration 6 years ago. The organizing committee is renowned for creating a spectacular event that is enjoyed by spectators, sponsors, and competitors alike.

The last Sunday in October has become the fixture date for this event, and the weather in this part of the world at this time can be quite unpredictable. As a result, it was with some trepidation that the committee completed preparations on Saturday under a deluge of rain, hail and strong winds.

The Southern Forests Showjumping Club put on a great dinner on the Saturday night at the brand new Warren Equestrian Centre, with plenty of riders and entourage enjoying the food and Smithbrook Wines.

This year the quality of horses and riders was superb, with interstate competitor Anthony Thomas arriving with a truck load of top class horses. A unique part of this event is that it is invitation only, so it was disappointing to see that some of the Western Australian riders invited did not arrive to support what is fast becoming one of the best events in Australia.

Unfortunately for the event, the last 5 weeks in Western Australia has been intense with big shows and tough jumping, leaving some horses and riders tired and unwilling to compete. Considering it is the end of the season, the fantastic prize-money and enthusiastic sponsors should have had riders and owners falling over themselves to be part of the event.

If showjumping in Australia is to move forward, events such as these need to be continually and wholeheartedly supported.

On the day, though, the impact was minimal as the jumping was brilliant. Thanks go out to the support of the WA eventing fraternity who showed a lot of heart to tackle a difficult show jumping track. It was summed up later during the day when Anthony Thomas -probably the most prolific and traveled competitor in Australia -commented that, for him, this was “the best show in Australia”.

The Showjumping

The first class of the day was the Junior Derby. The natural lay of the land, ditches, banks, and road crossings have always been a feature of the Derby, and certainly caused a few problems for the early showjumping combinations who are not experienced with this sort of event.

However the quality of junior showjumping was fantastic, though not a single clear round had been achieved until the last rider Evi Buller and Windsong entered the arena. Evi is a south-west WA local, who has progressed rapidly over the last year. From the moment she went through the start flags it was evident she was determined to jump clean and win the Horseland Bunbury Junior Derby. So with the only clean round, she took out the prize. I predict that, all going well, this rider is a superstar of the future.

The Toyota Insurance with Manjimup Toyota & Manjimup Motors Open Speed Derby was spectacularly won by Anthony Thomas with Charlie Girl. Anthony was also 2^nd on Sandstone, from David Dobson and Nagarro.

The Stans Machinery & Casuarina Valley Orchard C& D Grade Derby was run as an AM5 under the worst conditions of the day with rather heavy rain scattered throughout the event. It was also the inaugural Eventers / Showjumpers Challenge with each discipline selecting a team of four. Holly Elmis has had a great year and built on her progress by taking out the C & D Derby on 0.08, from Alex Massie on Back on Show. The showjumpers were victorious over the eventing team and I’m sure this initiative will continue to create a great atmosphere and prestige amongst both fraternities in the state.

The feature event of the day, the Farmlink Rural Supplies Open Derby was again presented as a tough uncompromising test. Peter Cooke has built at the Derby since its inception, and has a great feel for the course and competitors. It was by far the toughest and tallest track so far, with the brick wall at 1.55m, a triple bar at 1.55m high and 1.8m wide, and a treble combination of oxer, vertical, oxer, jumping uphill towards the spooky sponsors’ marquees.

Anna McGregor & Mandarin jump through the treble in the Farmlink Rural Supplies Open Derby

The double of ditches and open water had caused problems all day and claimed yet more victims in this class. Probably the most difficult part of the course jumped surprisingly well, a tight turn down hill to a tall vertical, 3 long strides to a double of verticals on top of the bank, one stride and off the bank, to a tallish vertical one stride after jumping off the bank. It is evident that after 6 years, many of the top riders, have worked out how best to jump this course. There was also extra incentive this year, with not only extra prize-money, but the Nufarm $1000 bonus to be shared between any riders who jumped a clean first round.

The first round was completed with 4 combinations on 4 faults, David Dobson & Nagarro & his New Zealand imported stallion Pico Bello, Anthony Thomas on Sandstone, and Anna McGregor on the previous weeks World Cup winner Mandarin.

A special mention must be given to Sonja Johnson on Ringwould Jaguar. This combination competed at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany last year finishing with a team bronze medal. The Derby course was probably the tallest course this combination had faced, but after competing in Aachen, courage was never in question. Sonja and Jaguar finished the Derby on 8 faults, but jumped through the combination better than any other, and I’m sure many of the showjumpers would have the little black stockhorse on their team without question.

Anthony Thomas was first out in the jump-off and completed a fast clear which looked tough to beat. The combinations of Anna Mcgregor & Mandarin, and David Dobson on Pico Bello could not beat Sandstone time. So it was left again to David on the 18 year old evergreen Nagarro to challenge for the win. David started at an awesome pace and never let up, jumping the wall on such an angle that he almost took out both wings, and then galloping around to the bank, and clear to win the event. Peter Cooke was pleased with the performance of all riders, and with any luck, the sponsors of the event can be persuaded to jackpot a clear round to $2000 next year.

The last event of the day, the OSD Pipelines Puissance is always a crowd pleaser, and the arena was shrunk to allow all spectators to be amongst the action. Again, OSD generously added a $1000 bonus for any combination that could break the Smithbrook record of 1.9m, set by Anthony Thomas on Sandstones in 2006. After 4 rounds the wall had been raised to 1.9 m and the dominant riders of the show, Anthony Thomas and Sandstones, and David Dobson on Showametal Barrington were left to try and break the record. The wall was raised to 1.95m as the crowd waited with anticipation. David and Barrington cantered down to the wall and about 2 strides out Barrington crouched down like a cat, and jumped the wall superbly and clean. The crowd erupted and now had to wait for Anthony and Sandstones. With everyone holding their breath, the combination cantered down and they were a little off the wall at takeoff and Sandstone launched himself so high he was probably half a meter higher than the wall. They came down just a little steep and took a few bricks with them. So it was that David Dobson and ShowaMetal Barrington broke the Smithbrook Puissance record.

Summary: What a day of showjumping! It seems that every year, the quality of the jumping just gets better and better. The organizing committee does a brilliant job with sponsors, public, and riders alike, continuing to build on the success of previous years.

A great initiative of the day was allocating riders to each of the major sponsor marquees, where they could mingle, explain the events, and also walk the course with the sponsors. Rumor has it that not one but two of these allocated riders did such a great job, that the sponsors have initiated negotiations to support them for the next 12 months. This is just an example of what can be achieved if sponsors are looked after and how important they are in moving the sport forward.

See you all next year, at the 2008 Smithbrook Wines Showjumping Derby.

Jono Farrington ©  Allied Equine 2007

Final Results:

Horseland Bunbury Junior Derby

1^st - Evi Buller & Windsong (Clear round)

=7^th - Georgie Benson & Roc On

- Rachel Ozane & SP Skye

- Sara Miocevich & Ultimate Park Lexus

- Stephanie Tucker & Combined Danzaman

- Gabrielle Pither & Links Attraction

- Julia Hensel & Fascination St

- Shannon Proudfoot & Rosemere Wipeout.

Toyota Insurance / Manjimup Toyota and Manjimup Motors Open Speed Derby

1^st - Anthony Thomas & Charlie Girl

2^nd - Anthony Thomas & Sandstone

3^rd - David Dobson & Nagarro

4^th - Alex Massie & Back on Show

5^th - Sonja Johnson & Parkiarrup Illicit Liason

6^th - Neil Ozane & SP Flaunt

7^th - David Dobson & ShowaMetal Barrington

8^th - Emma Carlisle & Red Boots

Stans Machinery and Casuarina Valley Orchard C&D Grade Derby

1^st - Holly Elmis & 0.08

2^nd - Alex Massie & Back on Show

3^rd - Ben Wilson & Jabbaluka

4^th - Anthony Thomas & Our Prophecy

5^th - Sonja Johnson & Parriakarup Illicit Liason

6^th - David Dobson & AS Akon

7^th - Lauralle Hayes & Fireplay

8^th - Linda Dobson & NP Ceasar

Farmlink Rural Supplies Open Derby

1^st - David Dobson & Nagarro

2^nd - Anthony Thomas & Sandstone

3^rd - David Dobson & Pico Bello

4^th - Anna McGregor & Mandarin

5^th - Sonja Johnson & Ringwould Park Jaguar

6^th - Linda Dobson & NP Ceasar

OSD Piplines Open Puissance

1^st - David Dobson & ShowaMetal Barrington

2^nd - Anthony Thomas & Sandstone

=3^rd - Anthony Thomas & Kinordy Goerlitz

- David Dobson & Pico Bello

=5^th - Alex Massie & Back on Show

- Shaun Squires & Purple Rain 8

- Ben Wilson & Jabaluka