Equestrian

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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.

Bullockies from around Australia will compete for the prestigious Teamsters Trophy while goats in harness will vie for the inaugural Little Teamsters Trophy at the 2023 Good Old Days Festival at Barellan in southern NSW on September 30 - October 1. The festival is the nation’s largest gathering of draught animals working in harness as they did on Australian farms over a century ago.

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.

Quill. It would appear that in my enthusiasm for  everything equine, I'm gathering a collection of Coffeys! There is often mention in my regular race reports of thoroughbred trainer Austy Coffey, and his son, Harry, a successful jockey, both based in Swan Hill, but regularly attending the Donald and District Race Club meetings ... This time my equine adventures led me a little closer to home, with a visit to one of the local Coffey horsemen, Ted, who took me for a tour of Birchip like I’ve never had before.

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.

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”.

Endurance riding is strictly policed and unlike young racehorses whose career so often begins at age two, horses must be older than four years before they can compete ... The minimum age of horses at the inaugural FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses in Northern Europe was even higher again at eight years.

Naracoorte Hunt and Pony Club took on the big job of hosting Pony Club South Australia’s south-east zone championships. Riders from Beachport, Keith, Kingston, Millicent, Mt Gambier, Naracoorte, Penola and Tintinara took part and competed at different levels of experience in jumping, dressage, novelties and flat riding individually and in teams.

Behind every rider, from the smallest pony club member to the elite competitor at the Olympics, is a person following with a box full of grooming equipment ... the annual FEI Best Groom Award has paid tribute to the heroes behind the scenes ... last year’s winner, Emma Olsson ... works for six-time world driving champion Boyd Exell.

The REA Wagga Wagga Horse Trials held their biggest event to date in Narrandera last weekend. The competition boasted 268 starters on the day from all over Australia including Albany (WA), Mornington Peninsula (Vic), the Central Coast, Sydney and locals from throughout the region.

One of the longest – and some say toughest – endurance rides in the country was revived this year as a one-off event to mark 100 years of Queensland's Country Women's Association and raise money for charity. The Winton to Longreach Endurance Ride, which was held from 1980 to 1988, covered 220km along the original Cobb and Co route between the two Queensland towns.

After more than two and a half years since it was first applied for, Wyreema’s Bracknell Lodge can now become home to a horse equestrian arena after Toowoomba Regional Council gave its approval last week. Councillors had the final say at a special meeting held last Wednesday and gave their unanimous support for the development application.

Deep in winter is when the hunt clubs gather socially to show off their horses as saddle mounts, working hunters and in hunters’ plates. Barwon Hunt Club held its show last weekend, with some quality horses put forward for Mariece Paine to judge. The show was an opportunity to pay respects to hunting identity Kathleen Cust, who died recently at the age of 78.

Australian carriage drivers are preparing to take on Great Britain in a world-first “stay-at-home international” ... The teams will be led by two equestrian legends; the British team by multiple European and World Champion and Olympian David Broome and Australia by multiple World Champion and World Cup Champion Boyd Exell.