The final class of the 2025 Australian Senior Championship at Boneo Park proved to be a showcase of the depth and quality of Oaks Sport Horses. In a gripping finish, Oaks Ventriloquist and Oaks Abracadabra claimed the top two places in the biggest championship of the week, highlighting the strength and consistency of both horses on the national stage.
The twenty one-combination final was decided over two preliminary rounds, with pressure mounting as the leaderboard closed up. By the time the final rolled around, everything pointed towards a tight finish, with several combinations sitting within a rail of one another.
Emma Collins and the Oaks bred mare Oaks Abracadabra were the first of the leading group to lay down a clear in the final round to put real pressure on the remaining combinations.
After taking a rail with his first ride, Tom McDermott had one last opportunity to challenge for the title, this time on Oaks Ventriloquist.
Ventri jumped with his familiar power and steadiness, delivering a faultless round and holding on to his six-penalty score. It placed them straight into the lead and set the benchmark for the final combination to follow.
Jamie Winning Kermond and Tulara Wat Colblensky were the last to enter the arena, carrying zero penalties into the final. A clear round would have secured the championship, but two rails put them out of contention, confirming the title for Tom and Oaks Ventriloquist.
The win marks Tom’s fourth Australian Senior Championship title and continues an extraordinary record at Boneo Park. For Oaks Ventriloquist, it is a significant moment, going one better than his second place in 2022.
Emma and Oaks Abracadabra secured the runner-up position, continuing a strong run at Boneo Park where they won a World Cup qualifier just weeks earlier. Their performance throughout the championship, with only a single rail across all rounds, underlined their reliability and class.
A wonderful day for Oaks Sport Horses and all connections of these horses.
Photo credit: Australian Jumping
Full Results at: https://online.equipe.com/startlists/1174555