The Caboolture Indoor Arena was once again chosen as the venue to host the State Mitavite Foxhunter Final for 2002.

With a good surface, the EFAQ showjumping gear, attractive prizemoney and a good course designer, we had the essence for an excellent weekend of showjumping. The programme has been put together in conjunction with the EFA Committee and the riders, and once again it worked very well considering the large number of nominations for the weekend.

Saturday morning started with the 80cm one-round with 71 starters. An excellent event to let the young horses have a look around without any pressure. Class 2 was the D Grade under 4 points, with 60 horses. Tom built a soft track for the young horses which incorporated a couple of lines towards the end. Tim Amitrano riding T.P. Cruisin Oz took the honours from Billy Raymont riding H.H.P. Excalibur.

Class 3 was the D Grade 4 points & over with 34 starters. The track was slightly increased in difficulty but quite jumpable. Sixteen horses went into the second round, with Jamie Raymont riding Glueck rounding up Kerry Langbecker on Cruiser.

Class 4 was for the senior horses of the carnival, the C Graders. 26 horses entered, of which eight went through to the jump off. Billy Raymont added another string to his bow by riding Richmond Windum to success from Jono Berry riding Jump Street.

Class 5 and the final event of the first day was the last Preliminary Round of the Foxhunter for 2002, where there were 45 starters. Nine went through to the second round with Anna Schafferius riding Glance taking the blue ribbon and the MITAVITE rug.

A riders’ barbecue was held on Saturday night, which got everyone out of their trucks and was an excellent social evening - even though the Broncos lost! Thanks must go to Duke Bowman for organising the evening.

Sunday morning and the big day had arrived with the big money events and who would be the champion Foxhunter for 2002?

Class 6 was another 80cm one rounder with 61 entries.

While the Foxhunter Final course was being built, a parade of the preliminary winners with their rugs was held and then Jackie Graham sang us an excellent rendition of the national anthem. The riders walked the course and then the public were invited to do the same. Also at this time, the raffle of a service to Superior FM, very kindly donated by Glenn Pearce, was drawn, with the lucky winner being Jodie Marr.

The event that all the riders had strived all the year to qualify for had arrived. The Queensland Mitavite Foxhunter Final for 2002.

Tom built a D Grade track with two fences being of C Grade height. Walking the course myself, I could see that he had obviously put a lot of thought and planning into creating this testing course. The first half of the course was open and flowing, with only one difficult obstacle, which was the liverpool with water in it, which several horses did not like. The track became quite testing in the second half, with lines and combinations which required some forward riding. 42 horses faced the judge for a slice of the excellent prizemoney on offer. Nine horses went through to the second round and only five made it to the third round and jump off.

First out was Billy Raymont, riding his cousin’s converted hack to showjumper Evita. Bily created a "catch me if you can" situation with a clear fast round. Quite a demoralising task lay ahead of the other competitors as they tried to do their best but the timber kept falling. Ria Arnold realised that she had no hope of catching Billy and rode a quiet clear round on Highland Vain which resulted in second placing. The event was an excellent spectacle and the finale to a year of expectations for may riders. The Queensland EFA showjumping committee would like to thank our sponsor MITAVITE for their support and hope that we can continue together for years to come.

The placings were:

1. Billy Raymont (Evita)

2. Ria Arnold (Highland Vain)

3. Billy Raymont (In the Groove)

4. Danae O’Keeffe (P.H. White Magic)

5. Merrick Ubank (Horseworks Cloud)

6. Billy Raymont (HP Excalibur)

7. David Strathdee (Puzzle)

8. Wayne Alexander (Jezzman Lad)

9. David Berman (Tappingee)

10.Lorraine Crowther (Sunnyside Ellie)

Class 8 and the final event of the Carnival was the C & D Grade Championship. Tom Christie was in good form again, creating an excellent track which would result in the better horses surfacing through o the jump off. Of the 44 starters only 18 went through to compete for the spoils. Ron Parlevliet riding Liberty Doll showed his class by edging out Kristell Schafferius riding Dark Ages to take out this class, and put his horse up to B Grade.

And so ended a very successful - and exhausting - "young horse" weekend of showjumping. Many thanks to all the very hard workers including the "couple of parrots in a cage" judge Lesley Williams & penciller Joan Schafferius, announcer Tony Berry, who excellently and tirelessly kept us informed and amused right to the end, Cheryl, Chris & Carol in the office, Lorraine Crowther, the SES workers and all those who gave a hand. Congratulations to Alan Hodge for another wonderful show of plants to dress up the ring.

Lindsay Hassall

Foxhunter Co-Ordinator

D Grade 3 Points & Under $310 (60)

1. T.P. Cruisin Oz - Tim Amitrano

2. HHP Excalibur - Billy Raymont

3. Birribi Liliana - Kerry Langbecker

4. K.S. Reality - Anthony Murray

5. Bijou - Melinda Rechichi

6. J.B. Ayesha - Megan Cameron

D Grade 4 Points & Over (34)

1. Glueck - Jamie Raymont

2. Cruiser - Kerry Langbecker

3. Horseworks Scallywag - Merrick Ubank

4. Winchester - David Goodwin

5. Mr. Bellscay - Margaret Whip

6. Vertical Horizon - Amelia Hawthorne

C Grade AM3 (21)

1. Richmond Windum - Billy Raymont

2. Jump Street - Jono Berry

3. BJK Aalexander - Terry Sakai

4. Dark Ages - Kristell Schafferius

5. Laddie - Juanita Whip

6. Mellay Gold - Amelia Hawthorne

Foxhunter Preliminary Round (45)

1. Glance - Anna Schafferius

2. H.P. Fettori - Don Sullivan

3. Warrego Seles - Robert Goodwin

4. Birribi Liliana - Kerry Langbecker

5. It’s Alf - Sarah Wilson

6. J.B. Ayesha - Megan Cameron

Foxhunter Final (42)

1. Evita - Billy Raymont

2. Highland Vain - Ria Arnold

3. In The Groove - Billy Raymont

4. P.H. White Magic - Danae O’Keeffe

5. Horseworks Cloud - Merrick Ubank

6. H.P. Excalibur - Billy Raymont

7. Puzzle - David Strathdee

8. Jezzman Lad - Wayne Alexander

9. Tappingee - David Berman

10. Sunnyside Ellie - Lorraine Crowther

C & D Grade Championship (51)

1. Luberty Doll - Ron Parlevliet

2. Dark Ages - Kristell Schafferius

3. Flight West - Anthony Murray

4. Touche - Melinda Rechichi

5. Zoom - Matt Wray

6. Jump Street - Jono Berry