2009 Australian Showjumping Championships

Jade McCusker is pictured with her , 'Everything Equine Bella' competing in the first qualifier for the Canberra Motor Works Australian Junior Championships. On the first day of the National Jumping titles, all the contenders in each section competed in an A2. Over the next two days the Championship hopefuls will compete in a jump off class, tomorrow and a Grand Prix on Sunday, with the best performed over the three days declared Australian Champion.

Craig Matthews is pictured riding, 'True Illusion' in the Canberra Motor Words A2 qualifier this morning. Craig took equal fourth place riding his other mount, 'Rupert's Little Brother'.

Victorian combination, Becky Allen and 'Koyuna Ted' make a picture of concentration during the Bates Senior Championship A2.

Veteran pair, Grant Hughes and 'Yakity Yak' proved there is plenty of life in them both yet. They jumped a super round to take fourth place in the Bates Senior A2 qualifier.

Julia Hargreaves make a lovely jump with her, 'Copabella Haymen' during the Bates Senior A2 qualifier. An unlucky fence down kept them out of the money.

Another successful eventer, Claudia Graham shows her good form with, 'Jocular Vision' during the Cooke Financial Advisors D Grade.

The round did not go according to plan, but Michelle Lang-McMahon and 'Animate' are the most exciting thing to happen to the domestic Grand Prix jumping scene for quite some time.

Amanda Madigan jumped a super clear round , one of just eight, in the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity riding, ''ASB Quindoctro'.

Victorian Junior rider, Casey Mattson rode her, 'Smacka Fitzgibbon' to take second place in the Canberra Motor Works Junior A2 qualifier.

Jess Barton from Warnambool is almost jumping out of the photograph aboard her talented and imported, 'Lamaze' during the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

Jessica Brown looks to be really developing a good partnership with her new and imported, 'Higgins' during the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

According to those who have been based at Canberra for three weeks, the weather today was positively balmy. However, Erwan Lemeur and 'DF Bob' coped well with the brief very cold shower this afternoon to post two clear rounds in the Futurity. They finished in sixth place, just out of the money.

Stephen Dingwall, a member of the organising ACT Showjumping Club is pictured riding his, 'Cavalier Bryn' in the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

Olympic rider and coach, Rod Brown demonstrated he still has what it takes. Rod rode , 'Bellerose R' to fifth place in the Ego Summersea Futurity.

Popular showjumping competitor, Marissa Moore makes a super jump with her , 'Prego' during the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

Jamie winning back from a trip riding in Europe, jumped one of the eight clear rounds in the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity riding her, 'Yandoo Mystique'.

Successful Eventing rider, Emma Mason is pictured riding her, 'F1 Pharinelli' in the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

Sam Buchanan was unplaced this morning in the Canberra Motor Works A2, But last week, Sam and his, 'Our Great Show' took out the 2009 NSW Junior Championships.

As owner Des Russell drove in to the showgrounds just in time, Jamie Kermond rode his imported stallion, 'Valhalla' to jump a super fast, exciting second round to win the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity.

Jetsetting Wendy Schaeffer continued on her successful day today and if anyone might think that Wendy will run out of horse power, take a look at her 'Sun Showers' in the Cooke Financial Advisers D Grade. Wendy won the Forest Riding School A & B Grade for the second year in succession riding her 'Koyuna Sun Dancer'. She also took third place in the Bates Senior A2 qualifier riding 'Koyuna Sun Set' and was second in the Ego Summersea Stud Futurity riding, Lord of the Sun.

Sam Lyle led a large group of Eventing riders to attend the Bates Australian Showjumping Championships. Sam placed in the Cooke Financial Advisers D Grade this morning riding his, 'Foxground Bravado'.

Promising Junior rider, Jack Maunder is pictured aboard his , 'Tatami' during their round in the Cooke Financial Services D Grade.

Sarina Jurkewicz makes a good jump with her, 'Emmaville Dimensions' during her round in the Cooke Financial Advisors D Grade.

Jessica Tilton is pictured with her , 'Gao Hsing' during the 152 strong Cooke Financial Advisors D Grade.

Popular Bega resident, gate marshal extraordinaire and jumping rider, Steve Martin is pictured with his, 'So Softly' during the Cooke Financial Advisors D Grade.

Tom McDermott had a great day at the office today. The reigning Junior Champion won the Canberra Motor Works Junior A2 this morning riding, 'Markovich' (pictured) and went on to win the ISS Australia Young Rider A2 riding 'Statford Delight'.

Well known and successful Tasmanian ex pat eventing rider, Catherine Davies makes a lovely jump with, 'Ellesmere Caitlin' during the Cooke Financial Advisors D Grade.

Peter McMahon made a rare and always welcome return to the ring with his sensational Beijing Olympic Team partner, 'KS Genoa'. They were out of the placings of the Bates A2 Senior Championship qualifier, but with two competitions to come, anything is possible.

Emily Blinkworth is pictured with her own sensational grey mare, 'CP Romantic Dream'. Emily jumped clear in the Bates Senior Championship A2 to be just out of the money. Emily and 'Pinky' were third in the NSW Senior State Championships last week.

Chris Chugg won the Bates Senior A2 qualifier riding his reigning Senior Champion, 'Vivant' and took second place riding the Clinton stallion, 'ASB Conquistador' (pictured), who won the NSW Championship last week. Chris is certainly off to a good start!