More than 150 riders, many of Olympic and world championship stock, brought more than 300 horses to Wagga at the weekend to compete in the third annual NSW Country Showjumping Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Held at the Equine Centre at Wagga’s Charles Sturt University from September 29 until October 1, this year’s event, formed the opening of the Southern NSW Triple Crown series.
Related:
The 20 competitors in the seniors grand prix had come from all over the country, and included former Junee local Tom McDermott.
He qualified for the event three times with horses Yalamis Finnigan, Diamont, and Elegance De La Charmille.
In his second run, the 25-year-old completed a perfect course with horse, Elegance, in 80.26 seconds, clearing the highest fence – measuring 1.50 metres – neigh on effortlessly.
But the former youth Olympian narrowly lost out to Tamworth rider Stephen Dingwell and Cavalier Du Rouet who completed a perfect run in 78.46.
Mr McDermott finished the class 10 grand prix by placing second and third with horses Elegance and Yalamis Finnigan. But his points from the weekend’s events brought him to the top of the senior championship leaderboard.
His placing has secured a position in the championships to be held later this year in Canberra, and Willinga Park, where he stands to receive $50,000 if he can master all three.
His former club is confident Mr McDermott has the goods to keep going far.
“Hopefully he wins at Canberra, that will make it super exciting and really carry that excitement through to Willinga,” said Riverina Showjumping Club secretary Belinda McMahon.
“He can definitely do it, it’s well within his ability to go all the way and win it all.
“It’d make a fantastic story though, a complete fairytale if the big winner was a Wagga rider. We’d love to say we’d produced the winning rider.”
