Clarke and Caltango declared Australian FEI World Cup Series Champions
Tim Clarke has been declared the leading rider of the Australian League FEI World Cup Jumping series for 2014/15 despite being eliminated during Sunday’s final round at the Boneo Classic supported by NAB.
Clarke and his mare Caltango were looking strong in the early part of the Heiko Wahlers designed course but became unstuck at the first fence of the triple combination resulting in elimination.
Fortunately for Clarke the result had no bearing on his position on the leaderboard. His 2014/15 season includes a win at Adelaide Royal and top three finishes at Sydney, Melbourne Royal and Shepparton World Cup.
Clarke has now earned the right to represent Australia at the FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Las Vegas in April.
Class honours went to Tom McDermott and Airtime Z who narrowly edged out a challenge from Jess Brown and Casco to take victory.
McDermott and Brown were the only riders to produce two clear rounds, but Brown was marginally slower which relegated her to second place overall.
Third place went to Steven Hill and Yalambi's Bellini Star.
The golden grand award, which is presented to the best performing horse of the Australian World Cup season, was presented to Clarke’s mare Caltango. It is the third time in four years that Caltango has taken home the prestigious award.
The 2015/16 Australian League FEI World Cup Jumping season will begin with the Sydney Royal CSI2* World Cup.