Golden win for McDermott

Tom McDermott & SL Limerick take out Spring Showcase of Showjumping  Photograph:Kelly Wilson

The 19-year-old from Mulgoa (near Penrith) won the Spring Showcase of Showjumping Gold final in Richmond, north-west of Sydney, on Sunday aboard SL Limerick.

Despite an indifferent performance earlier in the show with this particular horse, McDermott felt Limerick was just “short of a start” and would be on form for Sunday’s final.

With a string of super competitive horses, McDermott himself had been on fire across the three days of competition, taking out the trifecta in the Silver qualifier on Friday, and backing up with second and fourth placings in the Silver final on Sunday, as well as winning the Dash for Cash speed class.

The Gold final proved a suitably difficult task with just two combinations jumping clear in the first round - Jess Brown from Kulnura on the Central Coast on Casco, and Jamie Kermond from Ebenezer on Lamaz. With one rail down, McDermott was on four faults going into the second round.

However, the youngster showed the maturity that saw him named 2012 International Rising Star of equestrian sport, jumping a fast, clear second round to put the pressure on the final two riders, who both knocked rails trying to match his efforts.

“After the first round, I didn’t think I was going to win,” McDermott said as he accepted the $6,000 winner’s cheque.

“I was happy enough with how he (SL Limerick) went - the rail down [in the first round] was my fault. I thought I’ll just go out in the second round and let him bowl along and try and take the forward options, that’s when he is at his best.”

McDermott, who turns 20 on Monday, now heads to Werribee in Victoria to defend his national title.