By Jordan Gerrans
Respected North Queensland hoop Graham Kliese does not often chase race rides and barely cracks a smile when he pilots a winner.
All that was thrown out the window last week.
The multiple NQ feature winning jockey was desperate for a fast horse and was grinning from ear to ear to eventually get the chocolates.
Kliese was not competing at Townsville’s Cluden Park or at Cannon Park up in Cairns on this occasion.
He was one of a handful of NQ riders who competed in the first ever jockeys showjumping challenge at the Tropical North Showjumping Club Championships in Ingham on Sunday.
In a hotly contested event, Kliese took out the inaugural honours, defeating fellow Townsville-based hoop Frank Edwards in a tight finish.
In the challenge event, all five hoops rode Off-The-Track gallopers, including metropolitan winner Grey Missile.
The 53-year-old Kliese put in extra ground work before Sunday to ensure he was competitive against his rival jockeys.
“I had a really good horse and chased the ride for the event, I do not chase race rides but I made sure I chased a good ride for this one,” Kliese said with a laugh.
“I knew this horse wins a lot of stuff so I wanted to make sure I had it.
“I do not rate myself as a showjump rider, it is mostly about the quality of horse you are on for things like this.
“My horse was exceptional for something like this.
“I have won the inaugural event for this and now they have to come and take it off me next year (laughs).”
Kliese rode retired chestnut gelding Ratstan, who won one race in 26 attempts before finishing up early in 2015.
Kliese competed in some pony club as a young fella but needed a few refresher sessions in recent weeks to prepare for the event.
Popular NQ hoop Edwards partnered Blazing Socks, who did the majority of his racing with Ciaron Maher in Victoria before ending up in Townsville.
The 59-year-old described the occasion as an “excellent experience”.
“It is great they have these events and programs for Off-The-Track race horses and it was a sense of déjà vu for myself as I did some showjumping and pony club when I was a kid in Papua New Guinea when I was growing up there,” Edwards said.
“I did well in it back then in Port Moresby and I enjoyed the experience, so to revisit that for me, it was great.”
Many of the jockeys were given lessons and coached in the lead-up to the event by Mikhaila Brand, who has a trainers licence herself.
Brand is the partner of fellow jockey Pietro Romeo, who also competed in the event.
Alongside Edwards, Kliese and Romeo were apprentices Rachel Shred and Isabella Teh.