Riders are travelling from the South Coast, Wagga and Canberra to attend the clinic. Local junior and senior riders have also signed up to take advantage of Chris’s international show jumping experience.

Chris has been National Jumping champion five times. He has competed in over 200 World Cup qualifiers and won 30 of them on 11 different horses.

He has won the Pacific League of the World Cup four times and competed in two finals in Europe and looking to do his third next year in Geneva.

He has been jumping full time since he was 18 and has been breeding show jumping horses for 30 years.

These days he divides his time between riding and coaching and is a (National Coach Accreditation System) NCAS level 3 show jumping specialist.

Chris really enjoys coaching and trying to inspire riders at all levels, according to his wife Helen.

He will be returning from a week coaching in New Zealand before heading to Jindabyne for this weekend’s clinic.

His current star mount is the imported warmblood stallion, Vivant.

Chris has trained him since he was three and also stands at stud.

Chris will ride Vivant in the World Cup final next year and try to secure a spot on the World Championship team for 2010.

Organiser of the clinic in Jindabyne, Ana Barry said

“The MEA is honoured to have someone of Chris’s calibre and international experience coming to Jindabyne and train our riders.

“We hope that this is the first of more clinics like this.

“The MEA would like to thank the Jindabyne Equestrian Resort and Quality Resort Horizons for their assistance in making this clinic happen.”

The show jumping will start at 9am on Saturday and will work through jumping heights from 60 cm to over 1 metre until 5pm. Groups of five or six riders will train in each group.

There will be a full canteen, bar and dining facilities open at the Jindabyne Equestrian Resort over the weekend - including dinner on Saturday evening.

Spectators are very welcome at the clinics. Come along and enjoy lunch or a drink - and watch the action.

Local junior riders who will be participating include Oliver Thompson, Hannah Sugerman, Alexandra Poulos, Sarah Wellsmore, Courtney Thompson, Nicola Fleming, Lauren Tomasi and Rhiannon Ellis.