Hunter and Team finish fifth

Showjumper Jake Hunter has leapt into good form at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

Hunter finished fifth as part of the Australasia Team in the new-look Jumping International Team Event.

The Australasians- featuring riders from Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia and Iran as well as Hunter for Australia- attracted 20 penalties over two days of competition.

Hunter only knocked down one rail on each day- making him one of the strongest riders in the team.

"It's been great fun," Hunter said of the Team Jumping format. "Everyone's been going great and it's very exciting."

Hunter hit the rail on jump 11 today which troubled many riders.

"It's a little bit hard to see out of the corner," he said after steering For the Star through the 12-obstacles.

"My horse is quite young and inexperienced compared to some of the others so I think that's about all it was really. She'll just get better as she jumps more rounds.

"It was just a bit unlucky- that's the sport through. Hopefully she jumps well again in a couple of days for the individual."

The Team format combined the three lowest scores out of the five riding for each continent each day.

Hunter and team only drew 8 penalties today compared to 12 yesterday, but the European riders were all class- attracting no penalties over the two days to take the gold.

South America finished second with 4 penalties and North America took the bronze with 8 penalties.

The Team Event certainly showed who will be the riders to beat in the Individual Event- including Irish rider Michael Duffy on Commander, Egyptian Mohamed Hatab and Paraguay's Valeria Jiminez Caballero.

It was also a fine opportunity for riders to test their new horses on the field of play.

"It's been fantastic for the horse to get in the ring and see the jumps and everything before the Individual," Hunter explained.

The Individual Event starts on Day 7, Saturday 23 August featuring all 30 riders from the Team competition.