The Willinga Park CSI1*-W World Cup Qualifier lit up Saturday night at Jumping@Willinga, with Victorian rider Phillip Lever stealing the show aboard Deirdre Hartog’s Billionaire NZPH.
Eight of the 12 combinations returned for round two of Gavin Chester’s testing track on a score of zero, setting up a thrilling finale. Of those, five combinations produced double clears – with Phil and “Brown” proving fastest in 44.73 seconds to claim victory.
Although the combination has had many successes in the past 12 months, Willinga Park marked Phil and Brown’s first-ever World Cup Qualifier win together.
Tom McDermott secured second place aboard Oaks Ventriloquist in 45.77 seconds, followed by New Zealand’s Sophie Scott and Normandy GHP – the Tamworth World Cup winners last month – in 46.56. Jamie Winning-Kermond and Tulara WAT Colblensky were close behind in 47.03, while Josh Collins and Cornel rounded out the top five with 47.33. Sophie Scott also clocked the quickest round two time (44.53) with Benrose Stellar, but four faults kept them off the podium.
Wave of success for Phil and Brown
Crowned the Australian Senior Champion at the end of 2024 and winners of the Victorian Senior State Title and Showcase of Showjumping $93k Grand Prix earlier this year, Phil and Brown have been riding a wave of success over the past 12 months. The duo was also part of the winning Australian team in the 2025 Trans-Tasman Senior Test Series – which wrapped up at Jumping@Willinga on Thursday night.
Drawn to Brown’s size and kind eye, Deirdre Hartog purchased the gelding as four-year-old. Billionaire was originally based with and ridden by Jono and Birdy Berry; when the couple relocated back to New Zealand (where they now co-run Haupouri Sport Horses) Deirdre went in search of a new rider. With the horse being a little tricky, it wasn’t easy to find the right match. However, when Phil – who had ridden horses for Deirdre previously – took the reins two years ago, things eventually clicked and fell into place. Speaking to Equestrian Life following the 2024 Australian Jumping Championships, Deirdre described the gelding as “an amazing horse with such a huge heart.”
That certainly shone through once again at Willinga Park!
You can read more about Phillip Lever and Lever Equestrian in the June 2025 issue of Equestrian Life here.
New Zealand claims the 2025 Trans-Tasman Young Rider Test Series
Australia may have claimed the 2025 Trans-Tasman Senior Test Series, however it was New Zealand that took out the Young Rider title. The third leg of the series was run on Friday at Jumping@Willinga, where New Zealand completed a hat-trick of wins.
Led by chef de équipe Jamie Campbell-Ward, the team comprised of Molly Moffatt and Lazarus GNZ, Sophia Blackbourn and LT Holst Zalato Blue, Emma Gillies and Benrose Black Jack, and Liam Rutland and Adele finished on a total of 15 faults to edge out both the Australia Green (16) and Australia Gold (22) teams.
Other results from Jumping@Willinga:
Five Palms Junior Spectacular: Charlie Magnier and Quinn Z
Construction Control Children’s Spectacular: Olivia Curtain and Ngahiwi Lady Blu
Riverton Performance Horses Futurity Spectacular: Tom McDermott and Chester Thompson
King Ranch Mini Prix Spectacular: Thomas McDermott and Ketut
Stal Tops Young Rider Series – Round 3: Emma Gillies and Benrose Black Jack
Sienna Weir Memorial Amateur Series – Amateur Spectacular: Lori James and Bond Girl SHP
Coolmore Australia TSHA Amateur Spectacular: Jameson Bush and Sunday Drive
