Australian Showjumping Championships
Story - Anna Sharpley
The 1996 Australian Showjumping Championships were held in conjunction with the annual Sale Volvo World Cup Show. Sale, in its 13th year, was extended to a three day format to accommodate the three legs of the Championship last December.
Similar to the Volvo World Cup Final, the Australian Championships now comprise three classes, the first a Table C Speed class, the second a Table AM3 class and the third a Grand Prix, which this year also constituted the Sale Volvo World Cup Qualifier. Points are accumulated over the three classes, the Grand Prix having the most influence with 1-1/2 times the points of the previous two classes. The rider with the most points at the end is declared the Champion.
Local rider Greg Stephens from Warragul riding the talented Tabbarabbara raised a few eyebrows by taking out the first leg of the Championship. After an =5th placing in the AM3 won by Australia's latest showjumping sensation Jox, ridden by Sharon Scott, the long shot rookie from Warragul was in the lead with most Championship points.
The last leg of the Championship and World Cup Qualifier was an interesting and testing track. International course designer John Vallence used the varied and colourful equipment to great advantage, creating a course that was both visually appealing and technically challenging. It was one of the toughest World Cup tracks seen this season with some verticals at 1.60m and some oxers at 1.70m wide.
After two rounds, two horses, Navy Seal with Chris Chugg and Coalminer with Vicki Roycroft, were equal on four penalties apiece (Navy Seal's only fault was a foot in the water). Navy Seal jumped another impressive clear in a reasonable time. Coalminer and Vicki used all their experience to ease their way around the course, obviously faster than Chris and Navy Seal. However, the last fence (a 1.60m vertical) down cost them the class giving Chris and Navy Seal back to back World Cup Qualifiers as they won at Wodonga the week before.
Not only did Vicki and Coalminer's second placing give them valuable World Cup points to add to their second at Wodonga and first at Shepparton, it also gave them sufficient Championship points (10th in the Table C and 2nd in the AM3) to take the Australian Championship title, just eight points ahead of Greg Stephens (=9th in the World Cup).
Surprisingly, given Vicki Roycrofts amazing, this was her first Australian Championship title.
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