Queenslander's named as Clubbies finalists

The second instalment of our annual Clubbies Awards was kicked of a few months back, no doubt you saw the call for nominations.

Well, the shortlist of finalists have been announced for each category and voting is now open.

Two Queensland Equestrians have been named among the finalists; Darryn Fedrick (coach) and Esther Brooks (masters performance)

Voting is open to the public and closes April 10 - CLICK HERE to vote for Darryn and Esther by selecting the appropriate category.

More on Esther Brooks

Esther Brooks is 73 years of age and from 2006, when the Atherton Tablelands and District Dressage Association (ATDDEA) was established, she has been an invaluable volunteer and active dressage rider in the club. Esther has consistently been on the club's committee and is dedicated and always willing to assist in any way she can to ensure the discipline of dressage is maintained and encouraged in far north Queensland. Esther professionally mentors and encourages all our club members (70 - 100 members), who admire and respect her skills as an elite dressage rider as well as her approach to horsemanship, of calmness and compassion. She is extremely passionate about dressage and has ridden from a very young age, and competed at the highest of levels in Official Equestrian Australia competitions, and often on young and difficult horses. All our club members are extremely proud to have such an amazing person working with young children and adults, and still competing at 73. Esther is a treasure and deserves recognition.

More on Darryn Fedrick

Vaulting is an equestrian sport that combines dance, gymnastics and acrobatics on top of a moving horse. Vaulting can be done either in walk or in canter and there can be one, two or three vaulters on the horse at the same time. The horse moves in a circle and is controlled by a lunger in the centre. Darryn has been involved in vaulting since its inception in Australia in the early 1990s and his dedication to the sport has not declined since. Darryn and his wife own all the vaulting horses used by the Fassifern Vaulting club and spend countless hours making sure the horses are looked after and fit enough to carry three vaulters at a canter.  The Fassifern Vaulting club is a small club but has four vaulters on the EA Vaulting High Performance Squad, all thanks to Darryn's skill and professionalism as a coach. Darryn trained and took a team of eight vaulters to the World Equestrian Games in France in 2014, paying all his own expenses for travel and accommodation overseas. The current focus is for three of the vaulters to qualify for the Junior World Championship in Austria in 2017.  Darryn has also brought several international vaulters and coaches to the club to help and motivate the club’s vaulters. All visitors have been accommodated with Darryn and his wife at their home. Darryn is also an FEI judge, a EA 3* Judge and an EA Coach educator. Darryn's passion is not only producing top-level vaulters, but especially building skills in older vaulters. This is very evident, as the beginner classes are run by two of the senior vaulters, both training as coaches. And on top of all of that, Darryn still works fulltime, travelling from Boonah to Brisbane (one hour each way) to go to work.