Young Horse Talent Identification Series Results

In its inaugural year the overall winners of the Young Horse Talent Identification series were decided in the final held at the Shepparton World Cup.

The current Australian Showjumping Champion David Cameron won the 7 year old final (Nicolette) and placed 2^nd in the 8 year old final on Yalambi Cavalier. “I think it’s a really good initiative because it gives you a goal for your horses where you set them up to jump in the bigger classes, at the end of the year where you are pushing your horses along a bit. It’s also good to compete in a level playing field with all the horses being the same age rather than competing in a 1.3 metre class with horses that can be 5 years older,” commented Cameron.

The qualifying events were held across six states of Australia between January and mid-September culminating with the final held during November’s Shepparton World Cup. The series of events identifies future jumping horses within a performance framework, where horse and rider combinations are put under the constraints of the high-level benchmark competitions. 

“Another great part of the initiative is prize money and trophies that are not just for the riders but for the owner and the breeder, and I think if we want to develop our sport we have to look after the people who are owning and breeding our horses,” said Cameron.

The top six placed combinations within each age group at the final are automatically included in the 2015 Futures Squad. High performance support for squads will include access to training clinics, assistance in individual development planning, and access to equine educational support services. The National Selection Panel will, in addition to the 18 performance determined (six from each age division) select a further 6 young horses for the 2015 Futures Squad.

Young Horse Talent Identification Series Results