A south-west equestrian event is hoping top-quality performances will help it celebrate a milestone this weekend.
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The Western District Showjumping Championships will be run for a 25th time with more than 100 riders converging on Mortlake for the three-day event.
Vice-president Leah Teal believes the talent assembled – in both junior and senior sections – will provide spectators will ample entertainment.
Olympian Russell Johnstone and former Cobden resident Scottie Barclay will compete in the competition’s showcase event, the Binnie Barclay Grand Prix.
The event is named after Barclay’s late mother.
Former Warrnambool rider Jess Barton, ex-Mortlake resident Tim Clarke and Katie Clarke, who has ties to Mortlake and Warrnambool, will also test themselves over the jumps.
Mortlake twins Hayden and Mitchell Parker and Darlington’s Erika Grant are among the teenage talents.
Teal said she was excited to see how the riders performed across a range of jumps.
“The first day will be 90 centimetres to 120cm in height,” she said.
“The main championship day is on Monday. There are four championship classes including the Binnie Barclay Grand Prix, that is the main event.
“They will start off (over jumps) 140cm in height for the first round and it will go up for the second round.
“We have about a dozen horses in that class.”