Hill wins the day and World Cup season honours belong to Chugg

Steven Hill riding Yalambi’s Bellini Star closed the curtain on the 2015/16 Australian League of the FEI World Cup after winning Sunday’s season ending Boneo Grand Prix, but it was Chris Chugg who stole the show after he was declared the year’s IRT Leading Rider.

Chugg dominated the IRT leading rider leaderboard from the outset, taking top spot as early as round four and he maintained this lead until season end.

So convincing was the performance of the 2010 World Equestrian Games representative that he'd secured overall season honours before Sunday’s final round where Hill produced the only clear jumping round of the day. Results

Hill’s win at Boneo is his second for the season after the Victorian rider won the round at Melbourne Royal in September.

Chugg’s main ride for the year was Cera Cassiago, an up and coming imported stallion competing in his first World Cup season, and it was also the year’s best performed horse earning it the coveted IRT Golden Grand award*.

During the season Chugg also took over the ride on Cristalline while the mare's regular rider Gabrielle Kuna (and Chugg's partner), recovered from a broken finger. Together Chugg and Cristalline enjoyed a spate of placings winning the Hawkesbury ELF and finishing third at the Equestrian Grand Final and Melbourne Royal.

Partnering with Cassiago, Chugg enjoyed wins at Caboolture, Gawler, Adelaide Royal and Hawkesbury and also placed second at Gatton, Tamworth, the Equestrian Grand Final and Sydney Summer Classic.

A start in the FEI World Cup Final in Sweden now waits for Chugg and he will depart Australia for Europe in February.

For the first time the Australian League of the FEI World Cup included a round at the Australian International Three Day Event as part of the 2015 Equestrian Grand Final, offering riders a unique opportunity to compete in the middle of the city and in front of big crowds.

The circuit also included a round in Perth for the first time in six years and the season opener at Sydney Royal was the first occasion that a World Cup round in Australia has earned a CSI2* rating.

During the season emerging riders also enjoyed World Cup wins with Merrick Ubank taking out the Equestrian Grand Final, James Arkins winning at Tamworth and Gabrielle Kuna finishing first at the Sydney Summer Classic upon her return from injury. Young West Australian Stephanie Tucker enjoyed a maiden victory and was the youngest winner of the year winning her state's sole World Cup round.

Other round winners included Alison Rowland (Sydney Royal CSI2*), Vicki Roycroft (Greater Sydney), David Cameron (Gatton) and Sharon Slater (Hawkesbury ELF).  

*By way of explanation, the Golden Grand award originated through The Horse Magazine and was named after the horse Golden Grand ridden by David Asimus.