The 2nd Annual Cattleman’s Cup Presented by Burton and Mt Buller

Mountainwatch | Press Release

For two consecutive years, Mt Buller has turned on the sunshine for the annual Cattleman’s Cup which for the second year running brought together the Australian snowboarding community for a true celebration of snowboarding.

The two-day event format once again featured a more approachable and inclusive atmosphere with riders of all ages and abilities able to get involved in the on-hill festivities.

Valentino Guseli, overall champ after winning both the “Hip Hero” and “Rail Ruler” awards. Photo: Tony Harrington

With the weather playing ball on day one, anticipation was high as the Mt Buller Parks team revealed their specially designed hip jump on Summit. The bigger, 52 -foot hip, with left right and straight landing options, allowed over 50 riders of all ages to boost high above the beautiful Buller back drop as spectators gathered to enjoy the sunshine and watch all the action.

The 52-foot hip allowed the riders to boost high. Photo: Tony Harrington

With another incredible display of style and amplitude, it was 18- year-old Olympian Valentino Guseli that took out the Hip Hero award for men, scoring a $1500 cash prize. Val left minds blown as he sent backside 540s, frontside 360s and his signature method. American Freya Hammerlein took out the Hip Hero award for women, showing impeccable style, technicality and consistency on both sides of the hip and boosting the highest we’ve seen a woman go so far!

In the afternoon, it was race time as competitors as young as seven shifted their focus from height to speed and took on the side by side Race Your Mate course. It was head to head, winner takes all, with prizes for the fastest mate and plenty of bragging rights on offer.

With another great day of sunshine on day two, the mountain was in beautiful shape for the Cattleman’s inspired Rail Jam set up in a new location uphill from Spurs on Gliders. 40+ riders gathered to have a crack at the three-option plaza set up which featured a down-flat- down. down-rail and close out inspired flat-to-drop rail.

Once again it was Valentino Guseli who showed he isn’t just a hip master, showing a super technical approach to the rail set up, spinning multiple ways on and off all three rails and taking out the Rail Ruler Award for $1500.

Competing side by side her twin sister, it was Jindabyne’s Georgia Nicholls-Austin who took out the Rail Ruler award for women, showing off her incredible style as she nose-pressed through the kink rail. landed perfect frontside and backside board-slides on the center rail and landed a perfect 5050 to 180 out on the flat-to-drop rail.

Taking on the rail set up along-side her twin-sister, it was Sophie Nicholls-Austin who took out the Strong Talent Award for women, and with casual style and a clinical approach to his riding Burton team rider Josh Vagne also scored himself $1000 and the Strong Talent Award for men.

With his incredible display of talent on both the hip and the rail setup, the judges were unanimous in their decision to crown Valentino Guseli Cattleman’s Cup Grand Champion Men for the second year in a row, walking away with another $2000.

It was similar in the women’s category with Georgia Nicholls-Austin dominating both the rails and the hip set ups. Georgia took home $2000 and back to back Cattleman’s Cup Grand Champion Women’s trophies.