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.
Geelong’s spring classic delivers inside and out
Fine weather, perfect surface and capacity fields combined with good organisation made for Geelong Showjumping Club’s two-day Spring Classic a top-class event.
Wentworth’s huge program has something for everyone
Wentworth Agricultural Show has a long and decorated history. The town, located in the far south west of NSW at the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers, has run its show since 1885 with a charter “to promote the breed and quality of stock”.
Pony clubbers pick right time to make their run up the straight
The Pony Club Victoria’s Ride to Time final held at Moonee Valley was a huge thrill for the 20 young riders who qualified in trials across the state. They got to gallop on the hallowed turf where the world-famous Cox Plate is run and rubbed shoulders with the elite jockeys Greg Childs and Michelle Payne.
Pony crosses filling gap in dressage mount market
Rossanne Mason is not only a horse lover but an astute business woman as well. She was one of the first to see the expanding interest in dressage ponies and with her own Riding Pony stallion Penmain Posh and the imported Dutch Riding Pony stallion Triple Trees Prince Perfect bred a number of high-quality ponies performing in Australia and New Zealand.
Volunteer crisis could bring down the sport of equestrian
It's easy to go to a big horse event and admire the beauty and talent of the horses, the elegant riders, the enormous size of the fences jumped, but what people should really be looking at and applauding are the volunteers who have made it all possible. These events don’t just happen and unfortunately it is getting harder each year to find the people who are willing to put the time in behind the scenes to ensure the sport we love to participate in and watch continues.
After 15 years, interschools showjumping still going strong
The Interschools Show Jumping series was started in Victoria in 2008 to promote the sport in the school community over courses designed by professionals at safe, purpose-built venues. In 2023, the series celebrated its 15th year with more than 200 schools represented at the three shows.
Thoroughbreds dominate field at friends of Werribee event
Fans of the Thoroughbred would have been excited to see more than 200 ex-racehorses competing at the Friends of Werribee Park Horse Trials at all levels last weekend ... The great popularity of horse trials shows that it’s not only the high flyers looking for sporting glory who participate.
Rockstar crowd turns up for Future Farms open day
When a stud’s open day attracts a crowd big enough to rival a rock concert, you know it’s going to be great. The attention to detail at Future Farms’ open day and sale on Saturday was perfect, as you would expect from internationally successful trainers Kate and Doyle Dertell and their children Kody and Jessica.
Australian carriage drivers secure another set of ashes
The Carriage Driving Ashes – a collaboration between the UK and Australia, with identical competitions held over identical courses in NSW and Wales – has been won by Australia, with five wins to Britain’s three. The event was the brainchild of British driver Julia Liles, who said “sometimes you just have to go a bit maverick to see what happens”.
