Spring classic welcomes Shetlands to show hacks
The Show Horse Council’s Spring Classic at Werribee Park is one of the last big shows for the year in Victoria before the action heads to Sydney for the EA Nationals. Victorian SHC chairman Andrew James said he was very happy with the numbers that turned out over the weekend.
It was beauty and the weather beast for riders at Mansfield
Mansfield holds the distinction of being one of the most beautiful settings for a horse trials in Australia. Like many other events last weekend it was beset by the Victoria’s storms, but eventing people are tough and the rain did little harm (though spare a thought for intrepid photographer Derek O’Leary, who got caught on the cross country course in the worst of the storm).
Welsh supreme ‘a true hunter type’, judge says
There's no denying that the Welsh breed of ponies is one of the world’s most beautiful and the South Australian All Welsh Show at Strathalbyn had some of the best on display. Victorian judge Paul Morath was pleased with what he saw from both event and competition perspectives.
Good luck topping the girls from Ironbark, they’re on a roll
The girls from Ironbark Equestrian Club have done it again. On the back of a win at the Top Teams showjumping championships at Mansfield last month, the club has now also taken out the main event of the Top Teams Dressage championships at Benalla.
Gundagai hosts carriage drivers for NSW championships
The NSW Combined Driving Championships held at Gundagai attracted 48 entries across 18 classes ... It was a great setting for dressage and cone phases, with competitors also enjoying a 14km marathon course comprising 7km of local roads and tracks and 7km containing seven timed man-made obstacles.
Hobart Royal gets on with the show despite redevelopment
The Royal Hobart Show horse program had a bit of a shake-up this year due to continuing redevelopment works at the showgrounds. Classes were held at the Tasmanian Equestrian Centre at Lauderdale instead of the Glenorchy site, which has been the home of the royal show since 1904 except for the past two years while work progresses on a new arena and pavilions.
Alicana got her love of flying high from her mother
Stuart Jenkins and the nine-year-old mare Fairview Alicana won the 2023 Australian Senior Jumping Championship in Sydney last week ... At a time where megadollars are paid for imported showjumping horses, even for junior riders, it’s pleasing that Alicana is home-bred.
Victoria’s regional Royal covers all bases with new program
Geelong is the biggest regional agricultural show in Victoria and it’s a royal to boot. This year saw a new horse committee bring new ideas and energy to the event ... The program catered for every possible competitor ... There were also, importantly, district classes ... classes for Australian Stock Horses ... the Standardbred section ...
It’s showtime in Bendigo for the first time in four years
The Bendigo Agricultural Show is back. The two-day event was held for the first time in four years on Friday and Saturday after several cancellations due to Covid and then last year, the grounds being used to house evacuees from floods.
Nina drives from Daly Waters to Darwin to follow dressage dream
So you like competing at dressage but don’t like to travel far. Imagine being Nina Harris, whose work area for training is often an airstrip and going to a competition means a 670km one-way drive from Daly Waters to Darwin.
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.
A cracking good show –”‚a weekend for all the family
Quill. Who said Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky? It certainly wasn’t for Donald’s Annual P & A Show, which opened its gates on Friday for two days of fun for the whole family ... Of particular interest, and new to the Donald Show was Stewart Bryant’s literally cracking performance.
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.
Plough cutting through clay a mesmerising sound for Olympic swimmer
The red dust at Barellan is a long way from the sparkling water of a pool but former Olympic swimming champion Shane Gould was taking a keen interest in the sound of a single furrow plough slicing through the clay at the Barellan Good Old Days Festival at the weekend ... She was a keen spectator at the single furrow ploughing completion on Sunday at Barellan, drawing heavy horse and bullock teams.
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.
