Equestrian

The Eagers Shield Polo Tournament got underway last weekend at the Clifton Recreation grounds. Local and visiting players took to the field in what was the first tournament of the Downs Polo Club 2023 calendar.

With big numbers in stud classes at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show, spectators had plenty to look at and could admire some of Australia’s finest livestock ... Champion stock horse hack Brandwood Orlando ridden by Cole Moxey with reserve champion Tahnee Sullivan’s Wundurra Impact and judge Sam Davidge ... The black stallion was not only Champion Stock Horse stallion but added the Champion Working ASH, Champion ASH Hack and the Most Versatile ASH Exhibit awards to his show collection.

Para dressage riders have their heads well and truly turned towards Paris next year. At the Dressage Spectacular at Boneo Park last weekend, both Dianne Barnes and Maddison Cooke gained the first of their necessary “minimum eligibility requirement” (MER) for a place on the team.

After completing his apprenticeship in the junior ranks by winning two titles in 2028 an 2019, Tooma-based horseman Travis Bandy has taken out the senior Stockman’s Challenge at this year’s Man From Snowy River Bush Festival. Travis is following in his father Scott’s footsteps, a five-time victor of the prestigious event.

Pony Club Australia congratulates its members selected to compete in the 2023 World Clubs Tournament in France in July 2023. This event is scheduled every year during the French National Championships ... It is one of the largest equestrian gatherings in the world ... Lalwa May was the only NT rider to compete in the last PCA Nationals in 2021 ..

A two-star eventing class has been run for the first time in Tasmania since 2015. It came about as a result of a successful campaign by some promising young event riders on the Victorian circuit in May/June last year, when several riders qualified at two-star level.

When you think of emergency services, the average person thinks of police, fire and ambulance, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. At least 20 organisations qualify for the title and make up those eligible to compete across 45 sporting disciplines at Police and Emergency Services Games held annually across Australia.

Lachie Allen is just four and his big sister Milla is six. When Mila led Lachie to a win on the little white pony Pixie at the recent Equestrian Festival at Warragul, there was hardly a dry eye in the house ... “On the day Milla kept saying how proud of Lachie she was and kept reminding him to sit straight like a soldier, point his toes to the stars and look up."

I haven't enjoyed a book more for ages. I am deep into Wild Ride, The story of the Australian Stock Saddle by Fiona Carruthers and have no hesitation in recommending that horse lovers or anyone interested in Australian history should go out and buy a copy today. Calling it magnificent doesn’t even come close.

Pony Club eventers from all over Tasmania headed to the Tasmanian Equestrian Centre at Lauderdale recently for the Pony Club Tasmania State Trials. The event was hosted by the Southern Zone of Pony Club Tasmania with 94 riders competing on 110 horses.

Campdrafting as a sport evolved naturally from young station hands competing around cattle yards and drovers' camps in NSW and Queensland in the 1880s. It’s generally been a sport dominated by men, but at Lockington in Northern Victoria earlier this month, the women took their fair share of the prizes.

In an event like the famous Garryowen, where every tiny detail is important – from the quality and cut of the coat and breeches, to the stock, gloves and even the position of the spurs – the leather top boots need to be immaculate. And it’s not an easy task. Well known show horse competitor and judge Claire Uren has always been meticulous in the appearance of her horses and in correct turnout wear, including boots.

The supreme led Welsh exhibit overall for the second year in a row at the NSW All Welsh Show was the Welsh Mountain Pony stallion Waxwing Passport ... Passport also completed the hat trick by winning supreme ridden Welsh exhibit of the show, following on from the same win at both the Victorian and South Australian All Welsh shows this season.

Last weekend the weather was hot but perfect for the tough breed of Heavy Horses at the Allora Showground. This being the second year of running the Darling Downs Heavy Horse Festival over two full days. Organisers were thrilled with the crowd of around 5,000 through the gates with Saturday being a huge day.

The hardy stock saddle is a much-loved outback symbol but its story has never been written - until now. Wild Ride captures this colourful tale, involving colonial pioneers and Aboriginal stockmen and women; bushrangers and young horsemen sent to the Boer War. It catalogues the earliest models produced by amateurs sewing kneepads onto traditional English saddles, through to the development of the modern stock fender.

While spectators are used to watching youngsters mounted on their ponies doing all sorts of things, pony trots is attracting more and more young drivers. Pony trots is for children aged six to 17 years old with ponies who are no bigger than 13hh in height, and the races are conducted at meetings in the same way as the big guns.

The jingle of chains, the sparkle of big, turning wheels and the steady clop of hooves made the Victorian Tradesmen and Delivery Horse Group show a real pleasure. The group is dedicated to preserving the history and authenticity of the heritage of traditional commercial horse drawn vehicles in Australia by continuing to hold shows at regional agriculture shows throughout Victoria.

Two full days of Activities,   Displays and   Demonstrations. You’ll be amazed by the gentle giants such as Clydesdales, Percherons, Shires, Australian Draught Horses and Belgians. This year sees 120 magnificent horses displaying their versatility in Breed Led Classes, Working horses and Ridden events including hack, dressage and barrel races.

There is a Shetland-sized hole in the hearts of the Scott family of Emu Creek this week after they said goodbye to Mickey, just shy of his 50th birthday ... It is believed Mickey was used for pony rides at the Melbourne Zoo and at metropolitan race meetings in his younger days but ended up in Bendigo at age 36 when his owners moved into aged care.

Australia's two riders at the FEI Endurance World Championships at Butheeb UAE finished well, with Jodie Salinas and Baroud Rio coming in fifth and Andrea Laws-King riding Heathfield's Bin Sadaqa in 31st position. Australia also featured in the breeding of the magnificent mare Haleh, bred in Australia by Bullio Razorback, winning individual silver.

The Upper Murray Pony Club (UMPC) made a well received return to Corryong on Sunday, holding its first rally day since the 2019-2020 bushfires and having recently relocated from Tintaldra to the Corryong Recreation Reserve. Club president and Chief Instructor, Heidi Walton, declared the day a huge success with five junior and four adult riders completing the day’s activities.

Last weekend the Downs Polo Club brought back their annual camp draft after weather-related and covid-related absences from the events calendar. The committee welcomed over 300 competitors to the Allora Showgrounds with many local horsemen and women putting on a spectacular show of horsemanship and equine athleticism.