RECORD entries, superb weather, great footing and excellent courses.
Why would you be anywhere else?
That's the question almost 250 jumping riders were no doubt asking themselves at the Sydney Mid Year Jumping Championships on Saturday.
The championships, run by the Sydney Showjumping Club, were held at the Clarendon grounds, set in the foothills of the Blue Mountains just west of Sydney.
Jumping riders from Victoria, South Australia and NSW used the events as a season opener before heading north for the Queensland jumping championships, which start tomorrow.
Andrew Inglis, from Maroota in NSW, won the feature event, the Keeden Contracting Grand Prix, riding his enormous imported Darco mare Amira. He jumped clean and fast against the clock, to finish ahead of veteran Vicki Roycroft from Mt White, riding Eliza Jane.
Victorian course designer David Sheppard, from Ross Creek, designed a strong and technical 1.40m course, to produce four double clear rounds.
George Johnson, from Nelson in NSW, won the Agnes Banks Vet Clinic 1.30m class, riding Wondaree Sprite, the lovely mare owned and bred by Kate Wallace from Gherang.
Wagga Wagga's Tom McDermott, the leading young rider who will be Australia's sole equestrian representative at the Youth Olympics in Singapore next month, won the 1.30 Oaks Sport Horses Young Rider championship, riding Twins Limerick.
Vicki Roycroft won the 1.20m open class, riding Sophie Miller's King's Style.
Monika Herfurth, from Glossodia in NSW, won the 1.20m junior championship, riding Twins Pocket Watch.
Queenslander Harry Owens rode CP Southern Cross, to wins in both the 1.05m and the 1.15m classes.
Harry also won the ESP four-year-old Young Horse Championship, riding Dusky Farm Jane.
Amanda Benson, from Sydney, won the ESP five-year-old class riding Vera Bay, and Vicki Brighton, daughter of Olympian Merv Bennett, took out the six-year-old championship, riding Mr Fugitive.
Sydney Showjumping Club staged one of its most successful winter championships to date, with four jumping arenas catering for heights from 60cm to 1.40m.
The courses were designed by leading designers including David Sheppard, Sue Bettington, Mark Atkins and Bob Brook.
Sydney Jump Club president David Lawrence described the day as outstanding.
"The committee and I are very grateful for the contributions of our workers, volunteers and sponsors that ensured its success," he said. There were more than 800 rounds of jumping here today."
The Sydney Showjumping Club is now the biggest showjumping club in Australia, with about 400 members.
