Robbie McKinnon and SPH Fortino, the 2022 6YO Champion and Champion of Champions.

© Click Capture/DJWTS

P.S.I. DJWTS gears up for big event

By Roger Fitzhardinge

The 2023 P.S.I. Dressage & Jumping With The Stars is gearing up to be one of the biggest. P.S.I. (Performance Sales International) is being represented here again as the naming right sponsor for the show by Francois Kasselmann, as has been for at least the last 20 years.

In October last year it was doubtful that the competition was going ahead as with the huge amount of organising, funding and the like, the work load was so heavy it was struggling. The new CEO for Equestrian Victoria, Amy Slayter, took on the role as Event Director and has worked with her team tirelessly to make sure that this marquee event runs as smoothly as possible and keeps the Australian Young Horse Finals well and truly alive.

This year there is dressage, showjumping, eventing and performance ponies. There is a CDI and World Cup qualifier for dressage, and there is a World Cup showjumping class. There are young horses and pony classes for four, five, six and seven year olds in dressage, showjumping and eventing. There is a CDI-J junior). There is the Prix St Georges Cup, and there is also the Aachen Challenge.

580 horses are on the grounds at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre and with international dressage judges here in Katrina Wurst (Germany), Elisabeth Max-Theurer (Austria) and Marian Cunningham (Peru, and guest riders Evelyn Eger (dressage), who recently at Doha CDI5* placed in the top 32 on Westminster, and Andreas Kreuzer (showjumping). Andreas is well known as the rider who brought the stallion Chacco-Blue to the top of the world. He is now with the Schockemöhle team in Germany taking care of their training, marketing and management of the Schockemöhle-bred horses, whilst still running his own training stable. Both are top competitors with P.S.I. that not only have the amazing complex in Hagen, but now another in Florida, USA. The masterclass in dressage and showjumping is always a highlight, as this competition also brings that educational interest to the people and it’s always so well received.

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In the showjumping the judges will be Ulrich Klatte, who grew up in Northern Germany and has lived in Australia for many years, competing in dressage as well as showjumping and breeding many top horses. Of course the name Klatte is synonymous with the family horse breeding farm, Zuchthof Klatte. He will be assisted with Vicki Roycroft. She has competed for Australia at four World Cup Finals and is considered one of the best performed showjumping riders in Australia. The entries in the young horses jumping are full of quality and numbers, and the grass outdoor area looks a picture.

Blyth Tait, one of New Zealand’s best known equestrians and four-time Olympian, will be judging the young event horse classes in the jumping, and Connie Murray and Jan Smith in the dressage phase. Dr Sophie Kelly will be the conformation judge. There are strong and great horses in this four, five, six and seven year old classes.

In the Ridden Performance Pony event there will be Helen Heagney judging the conformation, Chris Sievers the dressage, and Nana Jones and Erin Callahan the jumping. This is the third time this class has been included in the DJWTS programme.

This year’s DJWTS is going to be quite outstanding in so many ways. There are the freestyles on the Friday night and the Saturday night, and the masterclass with Evelyn Eger on Saturday afternoon. The trade stands are packed with outstanding products and the vibe is exciting. The weather looks great and so is that show that’s about to unfold.

Thanks to DJWTS and of course to P.S.I. and the Kasselmann family for their promotion and sponsorship of this iconic Aussie show. Let the show begin!

As final event preparations take place and competitors settle in, Roger Fitzhardinge caught up with a number of key attendees courtesy of sponsors 4CYTE and Barastoc: