The final day of the 2022 TSHA National Titles at Stonewall Equestrian attracted a great crowd on Sunday with the Maserati VIP marquee the place to watch our amazing thoroughbred jumpers with the $70,000 Racing Teams Showjumping Challenge won by the Strawberry Hill Stud team featuring Australian showjumping champion Olivia Hamood.
John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud is also the naming rights sponsor of this fabulous event which is literally run just up the road from his iconic Mount White based farm that has produced countless champions.
There were tears earlier this week when champion mare Tuesday Joy was laid to rest, but Stud Manager Bridie Sparkes had good reason to smile after the Strawberry Hill Stud team of Nikita Moore riding Moon Landing, Paton Simpson riding Port Commands and Olivia Hamood riding Showem Flash claimed victory.
Port Commands (Commands) is a seasoned 18YO professional, who has been a star for young Paton Simpson and is the reigning Pony Club A Grade NSW State Champion, while 11YO Showem Flash (Show a Heart) has been campaigning successfully this year with event organizer and Stonewall owner Krissy Harris, who handed up the ride this time to Olivia Hamood.
6YO Moon Landing (More Than Ready (USA) was the baby of the team and is showing huge potential under Nikita Moore. Bred by Strawberry Hill Stud, he was injured as a foal and never raced, but the three-quarter brother-in-blood to leading sire Better Than Ready looks to have a very bright future in the jump arena and has gone far in his first year of competition.
Final team placings are as follows:
1. Team Strawberry Hill Stud
2. Team Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
3. Team Mystery Downs
4. Team Queensland
5. Team Peachester Lodge
6. Team Robrick Lodge
The other big highlight of the day was the Puissance jumping event, which is another height contest that was won by Queensland based rider Sarah Weiss and her wonderful horse Waratone, who cleared 1.68m over the wall.
14YO Waratone (Mossman) is a much-travelled jumper, who has claimed many big wins including the 2021 Racing Victoria Australian Off The Track Championship and was also placed in the Six Bar event on Friday. As a racehorse he won six races and over $245,000 in prizemoney.
The Heath Harris Horsemanship Medal and $10,000 was awarded to Olympian eventer Shane Rose as the most successful rider at the National Titles by wins.
He had an outstanding show with his quality team of thoroughbred eventers that proved very effective when switched to straight showjumping for this unique event that has attracted entries from every state of Australia barring the Northern Territory and Tasmania.
