Palomino Power at the 2018 Australian Young Pony Championships

Wed, 03/28/2018 - 05:05
2018 Australian Young Pony Championships
 Dynamik Great Expectations, the 2018 Australian Pony Champion of Champions :: Photo © Amy-Sue Alston 

The 4-year old Dynamik Great Expectations, the 5-year old Butterfly Farm Elle and the 6-year old Mithril Velocity (6YO) became the winners of the 2018 Australian Young Pony Championshisps, which were held at 2018 Dressage with the Star in Werribee, Australia, on 23 - 25 March 2018. 

It was palomino power in Melbourne with all three title winners being palomino coated. Three of Australia's most experienced dressage judges - Maria Schwennesen, Mary Seefried and Ricky MacMillan - judged all three final rounds. 

In the 4-year old division twelve combinations contested the warm up round and ten moved on to the finals.  Sancha Butler and the Australian Sport Pony registered Dynamik Great Expectations (by Golden Rock x Don Philino) made a move for power, going from fourth place in round 1, to first and the title in the second round with a 77.80% score. Justine Greer and Roseglen Pop Art (by Power Boy x Champus K) dropped from first to second place with a 77.40 final score. Christopher Wilkinson and German riding pony SLH Believe in Me (by Flowervale Boginov) scored bronze with 76.400%.

In the 5-year old age category Lisa Swan made a push for power from third place in round 1 to the top step of the podium and first place in round 2 aboard the warmblood x Welsh cross Butterfly Farm Elle (by Redgum James 007 x Cherrington King Midas). The pair scored a winning 75.400% to stay well ahead of Kelly Genge on Rachel de Mamiel 's Welsh x Trakehner cross pony Windy Hill Bianca (by Salisbury x Valuta/T) who finished second with 72.40%. Last year's 4-year old champions, Bettina Kopetzky and the warmblood x Welsh cross The Silver Rose (by Weston Silver Sands x Dutchman), moved from sixth place in the preliminary round to the bronze medal in the finals with 71.80%. The winner of the warm up round, Danni Walliss on Charlie Sheen, dropped to fourth place in the finals.

Three combinations contested the 6-year old division and in the finals Kristy Sparkes and the Welsh pony Mithril Velocity (by Bookra Sports Edition x Fairway Skyline) were the clear high scorers of the class with a winning 79.400%. Silver medalists Sancha Butler and the Welsh cob Carwyn Monte Carlo (by Llangollen Gatsby x Chapel House Dafydd) followed in the distance with 74.60%. Marissa Norris and German riding pony Envyious Philino (by Don Philino)  were third with 65.400%

The Champion of Champions was Dynamik Great Expectations, who was selected as the overall winner of all three pony divisions. Maree Tomkinson served as test rider to determine the overall champion.

Photo © Amy-Sue Alston 

Results - 2018 Australian Young Pony Championships

4-year olds - Round 2 (Finals)
Judges: Schwennesen, Seefried, MacMillan

  • 1. Dynamik Great Expectations - Sancha Butler - 77.800%
  • 2. Roseglen Pop Art -  Justine Greer - 77.400%
  • 3. SLH Believe In Me - Christopher Wilkinson - 76.400%
  • 4. Sharkeys Black Star -  Robyn Todd  -  74.500%
  • 5. Penmain Nightingale  - Kaye Spence - 71.000%
  • 6. Grenwood Roulette -  Sydney Evans -  70.800%
  • 7. Kizashi - Jessica Dertell  - 69.000%
  • 8. Oro Diablo SM -  Brandon Farrugia  - 69.000%
  • 9. Andelain Sir Gawain - Brooke Howarth -  68.800%
  • 10. Rivington Windsurfer -  Hayley Rumbold -  64.700%

5-year olds - Round 2 (Finals)
Judges: Schwennesen, Seefried, MacMillan

  • 1. Butterfly Farm Elle  - Lisa Swan - 75.400% 
  • 2. Windy Hill Bianca - Kelly Genge - 72.400%  
  • 3. The Silver Rose - Bettina Kopetzky   -  71.800% 
  • 4. Charlie Sheen -  Danni Walliss  -  70.600% 
  • 5. Gleniph Tiramisu -  Nikki Gibson - 70.200% 
  • 6. Mithril Herakles - Louise Maguire  -  66.000%  
  • 7. Buckwell Park Irresistible - Paige Koliba -  64.200%

6-year olds - Round 2 (Finals)
Judges: Schwennesen; Seefried, MacMillan

  • 1. Mithril Velocity -  Kristy Sparkes  - 79.400%
  • 2. Carwyn Monte Carlo - Sancha Butler -  74.600% 
  • 3. Envyious Philino -  Marissa Norris - 65.400%

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