Game on at Werribee as world gathers for championships
Warwick Slade. The World Mounted Games Championships returned to Australia this month, giving Australian riders a chance to compete on home soil for the first time in 15 years. Junior and senior teams took on rivals from Belgium, England, Ireland, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, Wales and the US at Werribee Park ..
Dressage day supports unit that helps horses out of holes
The dressage competition at Shirley Heights at Gladysdale in Victoria was one of many on a busy October weekend but it was special, as money raised from the event went to the Large Animal Rescue Service in Victoria. Unless it’s happened to you, you may not realise that big animals like horses and cattle can get themselves into terrible pickles falling down holes or getting hopelessly tangled in fences or creeks.
Exhibitors out in force as Perth Royal returns to full program
The Perth Royal Show saw a return to a full program this year after COVID caused a massive reduction in classes offered in 2022. Entries across the hack section were of excellent quality, reflecting a return to business as usual after the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Good scores, comradery among highlights of dressage champs
The Australian Dressage Championships at Boneo Park had so many highlights it’s hard to know where to start. With the Olympic Games looming it was great to see scores over the 70 per cent mark, which has been a sticking point for so long.
Harcourt rises to the challenge testing riders of all ages
The Harcourt Pony Club in Central Victoria is not one of the biggest in the state but certainly one of the most innovative and thoughtful. It realises that in addition to teaching children the basics of how to ride and look after their horse, pony club also needs to challenge young minds and be fun.
Versatility show a first for ranch riders at Benalla
The Ranch Horse Association of Australia’s first Versatility Ranch Show at Benalla was a success for competitors and enjoyable for spectators ... In ranch riding, riders ran a combination of patterns one and eight, with modified walk/trot patterns for the green rider and equestrians with disabilities (EWD) classes.
Who knew? Dianne Barnes was once a leading jockey
Many know Dianne Barnes as the successful para dressage rider, but there is so much more to the story. With the Paris Olympics less than a year away, Dianne and her mount Sorena are on a path to compete on the para dressage team, but this is just the latest chapter in a varied and successful riding career.
That’s a wrap for Melbourne Royal after 10 days of excellent judging
The Royal Melbourne show has drawn to close after 10 days of competition distinguished by some excellent judging across the Horses in Action program. Without exception, the judges were knowledgeable and fair and placings were well deserved.
Melbourne Royal’s start more whimper than bang these days
Call me old fashioned, but I miss the old days when breed day opened Royal Melbourne show, with eight rings around the big arena. The giant Clydesdales were the pride of the show and led every parade, with the supreme champion at the front ... This year, just 35 of Australia’s favourite heavy horses were on show when once there would have been hundreds.
Time for some sober thinking with declaration of El Nino
The fact that an El Nino has finally been declared might seem a distant problem to many horse people. While the natural weather pattern originating in the Pacific Ocean does not necessarily lead to drought, parts of the country such as Gippsland and in NSW near Dubbo have been experiencing very dry conditions for some time.
