Narrandera’s reputation as a venue for friendly and well-organised Horse Trials continues to grow.
The 49th year of horse trials in the Riverina will see an increased number of entries surpassing the 2023 competition when riders and their horses gather at the Narrandera Rodeo and Pony Club grounds next month.
This year there are stronger entries in the higher grades with competitors wanting to take advantage of challenging safe course design and great all-weather footing on this cross country course, with event entries reaching capacity within 24 hours.
The result has been that the event has now reached its upper limit for entries with the current facilities and daylight hours.
With the Paris Olympics under way interest in all sports is heightened. Australia’s strong Olympic medal history in the sport of Eventing and the current form of its international riders makes Australia a real medal chance in Paris.
Australia qualified to send an Eventing Team to the Paris Olympic Games, at Millstreet, Ireland in June 2023, so the sport booming.
Interestingly four graduates of REA horse trials are competing in Paris for two different countries. Chris Burton, Kevin McNabb and Shane Rose are representing Australia while Boyd Martin commenced his career in Australia but relocated to the USA.
All have used REA horse trials to develop their skills and REA horse trials committee member Hunter Doughty was the senior Federation Equestrian International (FEI) sports official in Ireland in 2023 when Australia earned their spot at Paris.
No doubt Course designer and Builder Craig Gordon’s well designed and presented tracks at Narrandera will help future Olympians to sharpen their skills and keep the sport on top nationally and internationally.
Sponsorship for the event is developing locally and nationally and organisers will welcome 1500-plus visitors to Narrandera for the weekend and expose their brand.
“So if you are inspired by the Olympic games and curious to see future Olympians in action, drop out to the Narrandera Pony Club and Rodeo grounds on Racecourse Road on Saturday August 10 and 11 and enjoy the Disciple of Dressage, the precision of Show Jumping and the total trust and courage of horse and rider cross country,” Doughty concluded.
Entry is free for the great family weekend. Dressage and Show Jumping are on Saturday all day and Cross Country on Sunday commencing at 8:30am.
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 1 August 2024.
